Chesapeake Baysox Baseball fell to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-5, in 10 innings Sunday, Aug. 23, at Bowie, Maryland. Left-handers Sebastian Gongora and Micah Ashman combined for seven and one-third scoreless relief innings as Chesapeake entered the game with a 27-23 second-half record and a 56-62 overall mark.
Richmond scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning against Chesapeake right-hander Brock Moore. The Baysox answered with two runs in the bottom half on Thomas Sosa27s two-run single, but Richmond right-hander Marques Johnson completed the 10th inning to earn the save.
Sebastian Gongora Delivers Six Scoreless Innings
Richmond took a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Gongora entered from the bullpen to begin the second. The left-hander allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four across six scoreless innings.
Gongora retired the final 13 batters he faced. Across five relief appearances this season, he has a 1.21 ERA with four earned runs allowed in 21 innings, along with 16 strikeouts and five walks.
Gongora also entered the game with a 2.27 qualified home ERA, which ranked second in all of Minor League Baseball according to the source.
Micah Ashman Extends Scoreless Relief
Ashman relieved Gongora to begin the eighth inning on his 24th birthday. He pitched one and one-third scoreless innings and struck out three.
Gongora and Ashman retired 16 consecutive Richmond batters from the final out of the third inning through the last out of the eighth. Ashman has a 1.90 ERA in 29 Double-A games this season, allowing nine runs across 42.2 innings.
Ashman also entered with a 0.64 home ERA, allowing two earned runs across 28 innings in 18 appearances.
Baysox Tie Game on Back-to-Back Home Runs
Chesapeake cut Richmond27s lead to 3-1 on a double steal in the second inning. Vance Honeycutt went 2-for-3 with a walk, scored two runs and recorded three stolen bases.
The Baysox tied the game at three in the fifth inning when Wehiwa Aloy and Aron Estrada hit back-to-back solo home runs. Aloy hit his fifth Double-A home run, while Estrada hit his 22nd home run of the campaign.
Richmond scored three runs in the top of the 10th. After a leadoff sacrifice bunt, Sabin Ceballos and Charlie Szykowny hit consecutive RBI singles, and Maui Ahuna added a sacrifice fly for a 6-3 Flying Squirrels lead.
Chesapeake rallied with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Honeycutt and automatic runner Dom Keegan scored on Sosa27s two-run single, but Johnson completed the inning to preserve Richmond27s one-run victory.
FE9lix Bautista Begins Rehabilitation Assignment
FE9lix Bautista began a Major League Baseball rehabilitation assignment with the Baysox in his first competitive game since he last pitched for Baltimore 399 days earlier. The right-hander delivered 22 pitches, and his sinker reached 97 mph.
Bautista was identified as the 2023 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year and a 2021 Baysox alum. Tyson Neighbors followed Bautista in the first inning and recorded a strikeout.
Chesapeake Baysox Schedule
The Chesapeake Baysox were scheduled to begin a six-game series at the Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at FNB Field. The Senators are the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
Chesapeake was scheduled to return to Prince George27s Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6:35 p.m. to begin its final home series against the Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Chesapeake received seven and one-third scoreless relief innings from Gongora and Ashman after Richmond27s three-run first inning. The Baysox also erased the early deficit with home runs from Aloy and Estrada before Richmond27s three-run 10th inning decided the game.
Bautista27s rehabilitation appearance added another notable development to the Baysox27s game, while Chesapeake27s relief work kept the contest tied into extra innings.
Source: Original report
