MANCHESTER, N.H. – Yennsy Diaz deserved a win, but he was just one inning short.
The Bowie Bay Sox’ eighth-inning rally proved pivotal in their Wednesday 3-2 defeat of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, evening up their series.
Diaz gave up just four hits over seven innings of work, with three coming consecutively in the third. That moment, highlighted by Austin Hays’ RBI double, provided the only run Bowie could get off Diaz, but it wasn’t enough on its own.
New Hampshire had consecutive hits of their own in the second, enough to capitalize on an earlier error and get one run across the board. Vinny Capra added a second run off a slot shot toward the Sam Adams Bar and Grill.
New Hampshire’s lead held until after the departure of Diaz, with Tyler Saucedo giving up two runs in the eighth off a pair of hits, a walk and Kevin Smith’s fielding error.
Outside of a triple from Bowie’s Mason McCoy in the ninth, both lineups were stymied after the Bowie rally, with Zach Muckenhirm pitching two innings of relief for his second save of the year.
Saucedo fell to 2-1 with the loss while the win went to Francisco Jimenez (2-0).
At the plate, Capra and Joshua Palacios combined for four of New Hampshire’s six hits on the night. Santiago Espinal contributed a pair of walks.
The series concludes with a contest on Thursday slated to begin at 10:35 a.m. Hector Perez (4-2, 4.97 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire against Bowie’s Marcos Molina (3-5, 3.57 ERA)