HARRISBURG, PA. — The Bowie Baysox, the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, took down the Harrisburg Senators, the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, by an 8-3 final on Sunday afternoon.
Bowie (31-31) was powered by the bat of John Rhodes, who collected a career-high five hits and six RBI on Sunday. Rhodes helped punctuate a dominant start from the Baysox in the top of the third inning.
After Dylan Beavers drove home the game’s opening run on an RBI single and Matthew Etzel plated another on a fielder’s choice, a throwing error from the Senators extended the frame. Following an opposite-field single in his opening at-bat in the second, Rhodes came to the dish with two runners on and two outs in the third. He clobbered a three-run home run off the pole down the left field line for his second hit of the afternoon and fourth home run of the season. Rhodes’ long ball made it 5-0 Baysox – polishing off a five-run third inning.
On the mound, it was another effective start from right-hander Alex Pham for Bowie. The Senators did register a trio of runs on five hits in the fourth – the only troublesome inning for Pham. Dylan Crews hit a leadoff solo home run in the frame prior to a two-run single from Jordy Barley. Pham (W, 3-1) finished five innings for the fourth time this season, registering a Double-A career-high eight strikeouts on Sunday. The Baysox bullpen closed shop from there, with a pair of scoreless innings from right-hander Lincoln Henzmanand southpaw Ryan Hennen.
Rhodes’ third hit came in the fifth inning. Rhodes picked up his second single of the game, plating Etzel, who led off the inning with a walk, to make it 6-3. That was the last run charged to Harrisburg starter Michael Cuevas (L, 1-6) who allowed eight hits in addition to the six runs (three earned) through his five innings.
Rhodes would rinse and repeat on two more occasions for the Baysox. In both the seventh and ninth innings, he would punch singles into the outfield, with each knock bringing home another run. The latter of the two gave Bowie an 8-3 lead in the ninth.
Rhodes’ performance on Sunday was the 29th five-hit game in the history of the Baysox franchise and the second in the past two seasons after Jackson Holliday notched five hits on August 11, 2023, in Richmond.
The 8-3 triumph snapped Bowie’s four-game skid and kept the Baysox mathematically alive for first half title contention in the Eastern League Southwest division. Bowie sits four and a half games out of first place in the division with six games remaining.
The Baysox return home on Tuesday to kick off a six-game homestand against the Altoona Curve – Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Prince George’s Stadium to wrap up the first half. Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET from Bowie.
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