From the Altoona Curve:
Altoona Drops Season Finale on Late Bowie Rally
Altoona finishes the 2021 season with a 58-59 record
BOWIE, MD – Curve catcher Arden Pabst crushed a three-run home run as part of a five-run fourth inning to Altoona an early lead. However, three Baysox runs in the bottom of the eighth inning pushed Bowie past Altoona, 7-5, on Sunday afternoon at Prince George’s Stadium.
The Baysox build a 3-0 lead entering the top of the fourth inning on home runs from Zach Watson and Patrick Dorrian of Curve starter Osvaldo Bido. Altoona responded by scoring five times in the fourth on six straight hits.
Daniel Amaral and Dylan Busby hit back-to-back singles and advanced bases on a passed ball. Josh Bissonette then hit an RBI single to score Amaral before Pabst launched the three-run home run to left field, his seventh shot of the season. Rodolfo Castro finished the scoring for Altoona with an RBI single to make it a 5-3 game.
The Baysox got a solo home run from Andrew Daschbach in the sixth and soared back in the eighth inning. Nathan Kirby walked the first two batters he faced before Shea Murray entered the game and hit Daschbach with a pitch. Toby Welk grounded into a fielder’s choice from Bissonette to Pabst at home, but Pabst lost the baseball, resulting in Johnny Rizer scoring from second base to tie the game. An RBI single from Cody Roberts put the Baysox up for good.
Bido allowed three runs in three innings on the start for Altoona. Brad Case allowed one run in three innings of relief. Kirby also allowed a run in one inning of work, earning a hold. Murray blew a save opportunity and took a loss allowing two runs in one inning. Connor Kaiser, Jack Suwinksi, and Bissonette all had two hits for the Curve in the loss.
The win clinched a postseason appearance for Bowie, who would have missed the playoffs with a loss. The Baysox will face off against the Akron RubberDucks, who defeated the Somerset Patriots, 5-4, to clinch their postseason berth and send the Patriots home.
The Curve finish the 2021 season with a 58-59 record. Altoona took three of seven games in the series against the Baysox and finish the season 4-8 against Bowie. Mason Martin finished the season with 22 home runs and 75 RBI to lead Altoona offensively. Cal Mitchell batted .280 with 12 home runs, while Oneil Cruz finished .292 with 12 home runs.
Johnstown native Trey McGough led the team in wins at 6-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 18 starts. Roansy Contreras finished 3-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 12 starts.
