Chris Waters shut down the Akron offense for seven innings as Bowie defeated the Aeros 5-3 before 7,976 fans at Prince George's Stadium Saturday. The Baysox improved to 7-9 while Akron fell to 6-9.

Jonathan Tucker's two-out RBI single put Bowie ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the third, but Josh Rodriguez answered immediately in the fourth, drilling a solo home run to left on the first pitch he saw to tie the game at 1-1. The Baysox retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Aeros starter Kevin Dixon walked Kennard Jones with the bases loaded, and Ryan Finan added some insurance with a two-run homer off Dixon in the sixth.

Waters departed after seven innings and Akron made things interesting in the top of the eighth, as Brandon Pinckney drove a solo home run out to left-center to cut the deficit to 4-2. Brandon Chaves followed with a single to left, and Rodriguez doubled him home as the Aeros pulled within a run at 4-3. Reliever Jim Miller then hit Wes Hodges with a pitch, and the Baysox called on Gerardo Casadiego from the bullpen. Michael Aubrey greeted Casadiego with a single to right, but Akron manager Mike Sarbaugh, respecting Nolan Reimold's arm, played it safe and held Chaves at third to load the bases. Casadiego wiggled out of trouble however, striking out Matt Whitney and Ryan Goleski to end the inning. Finan added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to account for the final margin.

Waters (3-0) allowed only a run and four hits in his seven innings of work for the win, although his ERA actually went up to 0.87 for the year. Dixon (0-2) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5.2 innings in defeat. He struck out two but uncharacteristically walked five batters after not issuing a walk in his first two starts of the year. Casadiego got the final five outs for his first save of the season. Rodriguez paced the offense with a 3-4 night, driving in two runs and finishing just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Pinckney also had a big game in his 2008 debut, going 2-4 with a homer and a double.

The Aeros will try to salvage a split in this four-game series Sunday, with an afternoon start time of 2:05 p.m. Left-hander Chuck Lofgren (0-1, 6.92 ERA) will take the ball for Akron against Bowie's Chorye Spoone (2-0, 3.00 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 1:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.