Jase Bowen hit his tenth homer of the year at the Double-A level on Sunday, giving Altoona a lead that they wouldn’t give up in their final game of the season.
Bowen came to the plate to lead off the fifth inning, and the score tied at 1-1. His solo shot gave Altoona a 2-1 lead, and that lead was extended to 4-1 by the end of the inning. Bowen only had the one hit of the game. He also walked and stole second base in the sixth inning, leading to the final run of the 5-1 victory. It was also his 22nd stolen base of the season.
This was the second game in a row with a homer from Bowen, and the third homer in a week. He’s homered six times in a little over a month, showing improvements to his power production over the final six weeks of the season. He’s got an active six game hitting streak, and an 11-game on-base streak. Bowen also stole ten bases in 12 attempts since the start of August.
With Altoona wrapping their season on Sunday, Bowen locks down a hot finish to a season where his bat was cool for most of the year. The month of September was only the second month of the season where Bowen had an OBP greater than .300, and it was the only month where he had a slugging percentage over .400. He should return to Altoona in 2025 for his age 24 season, hoping to make it to Indianapolis if he returns hitting the way he finished this season.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 6-3 in ten innings.
- RHP Mike Burrows: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
- 1B Jake Lamb: 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI
- CF Jack Suwinski: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
- 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 1-for-4, BB
- RHP Aaron Shortridge: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Mike Burrows got the start, allowing one run in 3.2 innings. That run came in the fourth inning, before he was pulled. Aaron Shortridge pitched the final three innings. He threw a scoreless eighth and ninth, allowing Indianapolis to come back with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras. Two runs came from a Jack Suwinski double, and Suwinski scored on a Jake Lamb double. Shortridge allowed three runs in the tenth, with only one earned.
STATCAST HEROES
Hardest Hit: Ji Hwan Bae, 107.1 MPH, Single
Double-Double: 104.8 MPH and 101.5 MPH on the two doubles hit by Lamb
Suwinski’s Double: 103.7 MPH
Burrows Fastball: 94.5 MPH average, 92.7-96.0, 0 whiffs on 26 swings, 2 called strikes, 6% CSW, 19 foul balls generated
Burrows Slider: 4 Whiffs on 9 Swings, One called strike, 28% CSW, 87.8 MPH, 86.8-89.3
Burrows Curveball: 2 Whiffs on 3 Swings, Three called strikes, 38% CSW, 78.5 MPH, 76.1-80.2
Burrows Changeup: 2 Whiffs on 4 Swings, One called strike, 33% CSW, 85 MPH, 83.2-86.3
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 5-1, led by the offense from Jase Bowen
- DH Endy Rodriguez: 2-for-3, BB
- C Eli Wilson: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
- 1B Nick Cimillo: 2-for-3, 3B, BB, RBI
- LHP Blake Townsend: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
- RHP J.C. Flowers: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
This was the final game of the season for Altoona. After Bowen homered to give them the lead in the fifth inning, Eli Wilson followed with his third homer of the year. Nick Cimillo capped off the inning with an RBI triple. Wilson hit a single in the sixth that scored Bowen for the final run of the game. Blake Townsend and J.C. Flowers combined to throw four shutout innings in the middle of a bullpen game as Altoona took the lead. Endy Rodriguez played a full game as the designated hitter, with two hits and a walk.
MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
- There are no games on Monday.
