Yard Goats Start Road Trip in Style with 7-3 win in Maryland
Bowie, MD- Jack Mahoney improved to 6-1 and tossed six solid innings, Andy Perez had a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning while Zach Kokoska and Jack O’Dowd homered as the Yard Goats defeated the Chesapeake Baysox 7-3 Friday night at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland. Mahoney, who entered the day with the second-best ERA (1.98) of any Yard Goats pitcher ever over 10 starts, worked six innings, allowed a pair of runs and recorded four strikeouts. The Yard Goats trailed 2-1 in the seventh inning before rallying to score three runs and open their two-city nine-game road trip with a victory. Andy Perez, who leads the Eastern League in hits, had three hits, including a double, and one run scored.
The Baysox scored the first two runs of the game against Yard Goats starter Jack Mahoney. Fredrick Bencosme had an RBI single in the first inning, and Douglas Hodo III added a two-out run-scoring double in the second to make it 2-0. Mahoney retired the side in order in the third inning and did not allow another run the rest of the way.
The Yard Goats scored their first run in the fourth inning on a solo homer by Zach Kokoska, his 12th homer of the season, off Baysox starter Juaron Watts-Brown. Watts-Brown went five innings and allowed just one run on three hits.
Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, the Yard Goats scored three runs off reliever Evan Yates to take a 4-2 lead. Braylen Wimmer led off with a single and Cole Messina reached on an error putting runners at first and second base. GJ Hill tied the game with an RBI double as Wimmer scored making it 2-2. Andy Perez followed with a two-run single scoring Messina and Hill, giving the Yard Goats a 4-2 lead.
The Baysox made it a 4-3 game on Thomas Sosa’s solo homer in the eighth inning. The Yard Goats got some insurance in the ninth as Jack O’Dowd cranked a three-run homer to make it 7-3.
The Yard Goats play the second of a three-game series against the Baysox on Saturday night (6:35 PM). LHP Stu Flesland III will start for the Yard Goats and LHP Joseph Dzierwa will start for the Baysox. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV. The Yard Goats return home Tuesday, July 28th (7:10 PM) to start a six-game homestand against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Dunkin’ Park.