With momentum on their side following a convincing 9-3 win in game three, the Fightin Phils looked to close out the Eastern League Championship Series on Friday night in Bowie. The Baysox had other plans though, as Reading fell victim to Bowie's offense, falling by a 9-1 score.
Three out of the four games in the series have been decided by six runs or more. In game one, Reading won 3-1. Bowie followed that with a 10-3 win in game two. In game three, the Fightin Phils won 9-3 and last night, the Baysox won by eight. A decisive game five will be played tonight in Bowie with first pitch slated for 6:05pm. The Baysox are in search of their first championship in franchise history while Reading is looking for their first outright title since 1995.
The Baysox jumped on Reading starter Ben Lively in the first, scoring three runs. Garabez Rosa hit a two-run double and Chance Sisco hit a sacrifice fly. Reading made it a 3-1 game in the fourth. With two men on base and one out, Cam Perkins came in to score on a wild pitch.
Bowie added another run in the fifth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth to finish off their blowout victory.
Reading managed only four hits on the night, two of which came off the bat of Dylan Cozens. Starter Ben Lively took the loss, allowing seven runs in six innings of work. Tom Windle allowed the Baysox final two runs to score in the eighth.
Bowie's Quincy Latimore, Garabez Rosa and Chance Sisco combined for eight of the nine RBI on the night. The offense was led by Corban Joseph though, who finished 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and a walk out of the lead-off spot. Baysox starter and Orioles 10th ranked prospect David Hess quieted the Reading offense with seven innings of one-run ball, striking out eight.
Prince George's Stadium in Bowie, Maryland will be the site of tonight's game five to decide the champion of the Eastern League. With Reading's rotation out of starters, they will go with 26-year-old right-hander Reinier Roibal. He finished the season 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA, including five starts. In those five starts, he went 1-0 with a 0.51 ERA (1ER in 17.2IP). Roibal has thrown two scoreless innings in the playoffs. Bowie will counter with game one starter, Joe Gunkel. He got the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits in six innings on the mound.
