The Chesapeake Baysox faced a tough defeat on Thursday night, relinquishing a three-run advantage to lose 5-4 against the Portland Sea Dogs. Despite the loss, attention was drawn to the impressive performance of pitcher Anthony Eyanson, a recent acquisition by Baltimore in the trade involving the team’s long-time catcher Adley Rutschman, who was sent to the Boston Red Sox.
Entering the seventh inning with a 4-1 lead, the Baysox saw Portland rally significantly, scoring all five of their runs in the later innings. This comeback was punctuated by three solo home runs and a crucial sacrifice fly. Henry Godbout was instrumental in Portland’s late-game surge, hitting two of the home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the ninth inning against Chesapeake’s left-handed pitcher Micah Ashman (L, 2-2). This marked Portland’s first lead of the game. The Baysox had an opportunity to counter immediately, putting both the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth; however, the game concluded with a double play that ended their chances.
Eyanson, making his start exactly one month after the trade to Baltimore’s minor league system, delivered an outstanding performance over six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and registering eight strikeouts without issuing a walk. This outing marked his second quality start in three tries since joining the Double-A ranks with Chesapeake, where he now sports a record of 2-1 alongside an impressive 2.00 ERA. He has accumulated a total of 40 strikeouts in just 30 innings, showcasing his consistent ability to dominate hitters by striking out at least seven batters in every appearance.
Eyanson’s journey to Baltimore is noteworthy, especially considering the circumstances surrounding his arrival. On August 3, the Orioles traded Rutschman, a pivotal player for the franchise, alongside pitcher Jake Rogers and cash to the Red Sox in a six-player deal that brought Eyanson and several others to the Orioles. This trade was heavily analyzed and debated, as Eyanson, a third-round pick from 2025 and an All-Star Futures Game participant, quickly ascended to become Baltimore’s top prospect following the trade. His performances have only bolstered his reputation, including a standout seven-inning game where he recorded eight strikeouts in late August.
Offensively, the Baysox struck first, with Anderson De Los Santos driving in Vance Honeycutt with a double in the second inning. Colin Tuft added to the score, hitting a home run that marked his third of the season in just 13 games, taking the lead to 2-1. Following this, a series of four consecutive singles—including a notable sprint from first to home by Fernando Peguero and RBI hits from Honeycutt and Ethan Anderson—expanded Chesapeake’s lead to 4-1. Notably, Griff O’Ferrall had a productive night at the plate, finishing with three hits, marking his second three-hit game of the season. Honeycutt also excelled, going 3-for-5 with an RBI; he has been on fire since his promotion on September 18, leading the Baysox with a .313 batting average and 10 RBIs over the last 13 games.
On the other side of the match, Portland’s relief pitcher Max Carlson (W, 5-2) effectively closed out the game with two scoreless innings, while Caleb Bolden secured his second save of the season.
Looking ahead, the Chesapeake Baysox will continue their final homestand of the regular season on Friday, facing off against the Portland Sea Dogs once again. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. at Prince George’s Stadium, with right-hander JT Quinn set to take the mound against Portland’s lefty Michael Sansone.
