Joe Gunkel on the mound tonight for Bowie in decisive Game 5 (Bowie leads 7-2)

BOWIE, Md. - After playing 150 games between the regular season and postseason, the Double-A Bowie Baysox have one more left to play tonight. It's being billed as the biggest game in the 23-year history of the franchise.

Tonight at 6:05 p.m., Bowie hosts Reading in the fifth and deciding game of the Eastern League Championship Series. The Baysox crushed the Fightin Phils 9-1 on Friday night to force the final game, where the winner claims the league title.

Bowie, which had never even won a playoff series before last week, can win its first league championship tonight. It would be the first by an Orioles affiliate since the Single-A Frederick Keys won the 2011 Carolina League title behind Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop.

Outfielder Quincy Latimore continued his strong postseason with two RBIs last night. He is batting .364 with three homers and 12 RBIs in eight playoff games.

"Just going up there and doing what I've done all season," Latimore said. "That hit I got (Friday) with the bases loaded, I love that situation. I want to get the big hit. I want to drive the guys in. Luckily I came through."

Latimore's 12 RBIs lead all players in the Eastern League playoffs and are five more than second place. His teammates come next, as Garabez Rosa and Mike Yastrzemski have seven playoff RBIs each.

Right-hander Joe Gunkel (8-4, 2.59 ERA) gets the start tonight for Bowie on three days' rest. He went six innings in Game 1 on Tuesday and gave up nine hits and three runs to Reading, the highest-scoring team in the league. After throwing 87 pitches that night, we'll see how deep he can get in this game.

"We don't know how long he can go," Bowie manager Gary Kendall said last night. "(Nick) Additon said he's available, (Chris) Lee said he's available. Whoever is getting them out stays in."

Both teams are a bit short of pitching in this series, which has featured five games in five days. Right-hander Reinier Roibal (6-1, 1.66 ERA) starts for Reading. He pitched a scoreless inning of relief versus Bowie on Thursday night and he has made just five starts this year, but none since July 16.

After Friday's win, Kendall expressed confidence that his team has one more win in them

"I kind of like where we are at," he said. "These guys really want it and I know our staff does. I'm real excited for them and real excited for the Bowie franchise. You start the year and you think about getting to this point, especially against such a good club. They're a good club over there. Last game of the Eastern League is (tonight) and we get to play in it. We're really fortunate."

Check back on this blog for in-game updates tonight and you can follow me on Twitter (@masnSteve) for updates. Plus there will be a full story wrapping up tonight's game later on MASNSports.com.

Gunkel escapes big jam: Gunkel pitched out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the top of the third. He got Eastern League MVP Brock Stassi to pop out on a 3-2 pitch. He needed 26 pitches in the third, however, and is at 58 for the game. It's 0-0 in the last of the third.

But then gives up a homer: Reading's Cameron Perkins hit the first pitch of the top of the fourth for a homer to left to give Reading a 1-0 lead. It was his first playoff homer after he hit 11 in 100 regular-season games. Bowie had two hits, but failed to score in its first three at-bats.

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette is here tonight watching Bowie.

Baysox get lead: Bowie answered right back on Garabez Rosa's two-run homer in the last of the fourth to lead 2-1. It was his second homer of the postseason. Meanwhile, Game 2 starter Nick Additon has come on to pitch for Bowie after Gunkel allowed one run over four innings.

Rosa again: Rosa hit another solo homer in the sixth as Bowie's lead grew to 3-1. He homered just four times in the regular-season in 368 at-bats and once in the playoffs before tonight.

Reading retaliates: Rene Garcia homered for Reading in the seventh, cutting Bowie's lead to 3-2.

Breathing room: Latimore hit a a two-run double in the Bowie seventh for a 5-2 lead. Additon pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the Baysox, who are three outs away from their first Eastern League championship.

To the ninth: The Baysox added two more runs in the eighth and now lead 7-2.