Reading Phillies

BOWIE -- Scott McClain's ninth-inning grounder knocked in the winning run, pushing the Bowie Baysox past the Reading Phillies, 3-2, in a crucial Eastern League game last night.The victory helped Bowie's drive for the Southern Division playoffs. First-place Reading leads the Baysox by four games with five to play and the second-place Trenton Thunder by one.Trenton finishes with a tough series at Canton-Akron while Bowie plays at last-place Harrisburg. The top two teams in each division make the playoffs.

With the start of the minor-league baseball season comes ridiculous ballpark promotions, and this summer, I can't see anyone touching what the Reading Phillies have come up with. They are giving away a life-size Ryan Howard garden gnome to one insanely lucky fan at tonight's home opener. No, I'm not making this up . This got me thinking about which Orioles player of past or present I would want to defend my lawn (well, assuming I had a lawn). Of the current group of Orioles, it would be hard to top showcasing a giant Vladimir Guerrero with a white beard and triangle hat in my front yard.

BOWIE -- The Bowie Baysox returned to Prince George's Stadium from a winning road trip last night and fell below .500 at home.They wound up with outfielder Jason LeCronier and infielders Howie Clark and Chris Kirgan finishing the Double-A Eastern League game on the mound as the Reading Phillies handed them a 16-5 drubbing.It was only Bowie's fifth loss in the past 14 games. Bowie (38-36) is 18-19 on its home field.Adan Millan homered off loser Julio Moreno (6-3) in the second inning and hit a three-run homer off Clark in the ninth.

So many in the community look forward to an annual spring event at Linthicum Heights United Methodist Church. That time has rolled around again, and you are invited.The women in the Evelyn Keller Circle are sponsoring the popular "Strawberry Festival" from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 3 in the Fellowship Hall of the church, 200 School Lane.Strawberries will be served with ice cream or shortcake. Barbecue, hot dogs, baked beans, chicken salad and rolls, potato salad, coleslaw and drinks also will be available.

It was a step backward for Kevin Ryan and the Baysox.Ryan, a 22-year-old right-hander, struggled through April, but his ERA was a credible 3.68 over his previous six starts heading into last night's assignment against the Reading Phillies.The Baysox scored single runs in each of the first three innings, but Ryan wilted in the middle innings and the Phillies cruised to an 8-3 victory before 1,643 at Memorial Stadium.It was the seventh loss in nine games for Bowie (34-27), which remains in second place in the Double-A Eastern League, albeit 12 games behind the streaking Harrisburg Senators.

BOWIE -- It took Andy Van Slyke less than a minute to start rattling off the quips in the locker room at Prince George's County Stadium last night.Asked about returning to the minor leagues, he replied:"What I remember about the minors are dungeon-like clubhouses, dusty dugouts and old fields. This is a beautiful clubhouse, a new stadium and a good field."If we'd get 8,000 people in here, I'd feel like I was back in Pittsburgh . . . only with grass."Less than half that many were in the stands when Van Slyke began his three-game rehabilitation assignment by scoring the winning run in Bowie's 3-2 Double-A Eastern League victory over the Reading Phillies.

BOWIE -- Frustration was the order of the game for the Bowie Baysox yesterday.They left the bases loaded three times, the last in the ninth inning, and left 11 stranded overall to fall to the Reading Phillies, 4-2, in Eastern League play at Prince George's Stadium.A boisterous crowd of 5,783 -- mostly children from day camps -- had thinned considerably after a 43-minute rain delay interceded with the bases full and one out in the bottom of the ninth.When play resumed, left-hander Robert Dodd entered to face Chris Kirgan, who popped out. Then, Keith Troutman finished off Bowie (39-37)

Suns' 7-run seventh overcomes Phillies, 8-7HAGERSTOWN -- Tim Raley's three-run homer capped a seven-run seventh inning, as the Hagerstown Suns defeated the Reading Phillies, 8-7, in a Class AA Eastern League game last night.Raley's homer, his second of the year and his first since April 12, gave the Suns an 8-5 lead. Reading scored twice in the eighth, but reliever Jeff Williams retired the Phillies in order in the ninth for his eighth save.Todd Stephan (4-5) allowed one earned run and three hits in five innings for the victory.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- The Bowie Baysox tasted defeat for the first time last night, a 3-1 loss to the Binghamton Mets in Game 1 of an Eastern League doubleheader.Juan Castillo, a 6-foot-5 right-hander making his Double-A debut, worked five innings of six-hit ball to earn the victory for the Mets. Castillo walked one and struck out four.The Baysox, unbeaten in three outings coming into the game at Binghamton Municipal Stadium, got on the board when first baseman Brent Miller sent an 0-1 fastball from Castillo over the right-field wall with one out in the fourth.

Dogs and baseball The lowdown -- They say dogs are a man's best friend, so here's your chance to bring your best friend to a Bowie Baysox game. The first "Bark in the Park" lets pet owners bring their dogs to a game and learn about caring for their canines at one of the veterinary tables set up throughout the concourse. If you go -- "Bark in the Park" will take place Sunday at 1:05 p.m., when the Bowie Baysox take on the Reading Phillies. The game is at Prince George's Stadium, 4101 N.E. Crain Highway.