BOWIE, Md. – The season has not gone well for pitcher Anthony Ranaudo of the Portland Sea Dogs.

He began the year on the disabled list with a groin strain and since joining the team last month, he has not looked like one of the top prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization.

The low point may have come Wednesday night when he lasted just three innings in a 7-0 loss to the Bowie Baysox at Prince George’s Stadium.

Ranaudo, making his sixth start, left after 66 pitches, giving up four runs, one earned, and three walks in the third.

It was the shortest outing of the season for Ranaudo, the 39th overall pick in 2010 who has a 5.53 ERA.

“He lost command of the zone,” said Portland Manager Kevin Boles. “A lot of the damage was self-induced on our part. We love his arm. It looks like he got uncomfortable once he was in the stretch.”

The Sea Dogs couldn’t do much with Zach Clark of Bowie, who struck out a season-high seven in seven shutout innings.

“He was sinking the ball. He was running a two-seamer up there and it was tough,” said Zach Gentile, who was hitless in three at-bats.

Nick Natoli, who made two outs with a walk against Clark, said, “He was just able to get ahead in the count. It’s kind of frustrating.”

Ranaudo walked three straight in the third, with walks to Buck Britton and Rhyne Hughes coming with the bases loaded to give Bowie a 2-0 lead. Robbie Widlansky followed with a sacrifice fly, then Manny Machado singled to right to drive in another run to make it 4-0.

Brian Ward, who scored the first run, had an infield single to start the inning and went to second when Portland first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez made a bad toss to Ranaudo on a bunt by Travis Adair.

“It was a well-placed bunt. We tried to make a play and it just did not happen,” Boles said.

After allowing one run in five innings June 8 against Richmond, Ranaudo retired the first six batters before Bowie batted around in the third.

The Sea Dogs (27-37) are 13-23 on the road this year.

“We have to keep battling, working hard,” Boles said.

Boles also said after Ranaudo threw 42 pitches in the third that it was an easy decision to take him out.

The Baysox made it 7-0 in the seventh off Aaron Kurcz, who gave up a bases-loaded double with two outs by Widlansky.

Portland right fielder Jeremy Hazlebaker was hitless in six at-bats Tuesday and was hitless in his last 11 at-bats at Bowie before he got a hit in the third. The only other Portland hit was Dan Butler’s single in the second.

Portland pitchers, who entered the game with a 4.56 ERA, walked seven. 

NOTES: Chorye Spoone of Portland pitched last year for Bowie and is from Pasadena, Md. He is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in his first three outings. Natoli of the Sea Dogs is from Ellicott City, Md., about 20 miles from Bowie. He made a nice play on a grounder to get Zelous Wheeler in the second.

 

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