Victor Figueroa drove in five runs, including the tying run in the ninth inning, as the Chesapeake Baysox rallied for a 9-8 victory over the Altoona Curve on Saturday, Aug. 1, at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Chesapeake scored twice in the ninth after trailing for the first time in the game in the bottom of the eighth.
The Chesapeake Baysox improved to 18-13 in the current portion of the season and 47-52 overall. The Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles also recorded its third come-from-behind victory in the ninth inning this season.
Ninth-Inning Rally Secures Win
Wehiwa Aloy started the ninth-inning rally with his fourth hit of the night, a double that helped put Chesapeake in position to score. After Thomas Sosa walked, Aloy hit a ball down the right-field line that eluded Altoona right fielder Ivan Brethowr and bounced out of play for an automatic double.
With runners at second and third and no outs, Figueroa chopped a ball to first base to bring home Sosa and tie the game. Griff O’Ferrall followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Aloy and giving the Chesapeake Baysox a 9-8 lead.
Altoona opened the bottom of the ninth with two singles, but Joe Glassey finished the comeback for Chesapeake. Glassey recorded a strikeout and induced a game-ending double play to earn the win, while Jake Shirk took the loss after Altoona’s save opportunity disappeared.
Victor Figueroa’s Five RBI Highlight Offensive Effort
Figueroa opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run single after Aloy doubled and Sosa singled. The designated hitter added a two-run, opposite-field home run in the second inning for his first Double-A homer.
The home run was Figueroa’s 23rd overall this season, more than any other Orioles minor leaguer, according to the source. Figueroa went 7-for-20 with three extra-base hits and seven RBI in his first five Double-A games, while his 82 total RBI led the Baltimore farm.
Anderson De Los Santos added an RBI single during a three-run third inning that gave Chesapeake a 5-1 lead. Frederick Bencosme recorded two hits and scored in the fifth, while Sosa recorded two singles and scored the tying run in the ninth.
Wehiwa Aloy Records Four Hits
Aloy produced four hits in the victory, including doubles in the first and ninth innings. His sixth-inning double drove in his first Baysox run, and the performance marked his third four-hit game of the season at all levels.
MLB.com identified Aloy as the Baltimore Orioles’ No. 4 prospect. His ninth-inning double set up the two-run rally that turned an 8-7 deficit into a Chesapeake victory.
Pat Reilly’s Strong Start
Right-handed starter Pat Reilly struck out seven batters through the opening three innings and finished with eight strikeouts in four-plus innings. Will Taylor gave the Altoona Curve an early response with an inside-the-park home run in the first inning.
The Altoona Curve scored three runs on four hits in the fourth inning, including a two-run double by Ivan Brethowr and a solo home run from Javier Rivas. Altoona later tied the game with a two-run single from Titus Dimitru in the fifth and a broken-bat infield hit by Murf Gray in the sixth.
Taylor doubled in the eighth inning and scored on Lonnie White Jr.’s triple to put the Altoona Curve ahead 8-7. Aloy prevented another run with a defensive play on a hard-hit ground ball before Glassey entered and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
Upcoming Schedule
The Chesapeake Baysox are scheduled to face the Altoona Curve again Sunday, Aug. 2, at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Evan Yates is scheduled to start for Chesapeake against Altoona’s Connor Oliver, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET.
Chesapeake is scheduled to return home Tuesday, Aug. 4, to open a seven-game series against the Harrisburg Senators, the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Chesapeake Baysox overcame an 8-7 deficit with two runs in the ninth inning, receiving key contributions from Figueroa and Aloy. Figueroa’s five RBI supplied the offensive anchor, while Aloy’s four-hit performance created opportunities throughout the lineup and directly set up the decisive rally.
Glassey responded after Altoona put two runners on in the ninth and helped secure the victory with a strikeout and game-ending double play. The Chesapeake Baysox turned a late road deficit into a 9-8 win through timely hitting, Aloy’s defense and a final defensive stand.
Source: Original report
