Bowie downs Reading to force 5th game of ELCS

The Reading Fightins could not overcome an early deficit and dropped game 4 of the Eastern League Championship Series to the Bowie Baysox by a score of 9-1.

Bowie scored three runs led by a Garabez Rosa tw0-run double off of Reading starting pitcher Ben Lively in the bottom of the opening frame to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Reading scored their only run in the 4th inning, when outfielder Cam Perkins came home on a wild pitch.

The Baysox would clap back in the bottom of the 5th inning, with a run-scoring single by first baseman Trey Mancini.

Lively, was charged for three additional runs in the 7th inning without recording an out, as he left the game with the bases loaded and reliever Ryan O’Sullivan would allow all three inherited runners to cross the plate.  The 23-year-old Lively, who was acquired from Cincinnati for Marlon Byrd

last off-season, let up seven earned runs in six innings while giving up seven hits and four walks, notching four strike outs in the process.

Lefty Tom Windle was tagged for two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief for Reading.

The Reading lineup mustered just four total hits and fanned 12 times in the defeat.  Outfielder Dylan Cozens went 2-for-4 as the lone bright spot for the Fightin Phils.

The two teams will face off in a winner-take-all game 5 for the Double-A EL title at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, MD at 6:05 PM Saturday.