Jones' bat cools off and Bowie's playoff chances takes a big hit

That great second half Adam Jones was having has been slightly derailed in recent games. Jones picked up a hit in last night's game against Tampa, but is just 1-for-18 over his last five games and is batting .083 (3-for-36) over his last 11 games without a homer and just two RBIs. This has all dropped Jones' batting average from .299 to .284. Maybe Jones could use a day or two of rest. Perhaps he is still hampered by the chest muscle injury that sent him to the hospital in Minnesota. He has not hit much since. If Buck Showalter wants to sit him out a day or two, he's got two center field options on his bench right now with Matt Angle and Kyle Hudson. Maybe just the mere act of me mentioning his recent struggles will ensure he has a three-hit afternoon against the Rays. The Double-A Bowie Baysox offense continues to scuffle and Bowie's playoff chances took a big hit with a loss last night and Richmond's extra-innings win. Now Bowie is 1 1/2 games back with two to play for a playoff spot. They basically need to win their last two while Richmond loses its final two to get in the Eastern League playoffs and play at Harrisburg on Wednesday night. The Baysox have lost five of six games scoring just nine runs. Over a longer stretch, Bowie is 6-14 over its past 20 games. In Saturday's 4-1 loss to Erie, Bowie had just three hits but drew seven walks and two batters were hit. But Bowie went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 on base. Mike Ballard (7-3, 3.56) pitches today at 2:05 at home for Bowie while Richmond plays at Altoona tonight at 6:05. Norfolk scored five runs in the last of the ninth to tie Durham and win 7-6 in 10 innings last night. In that big last of the ninth, Blake Davis had an RBI single and Josh Bell a sac fly. Down to their last out, Brandon Snyder hit a three-run homer for a 6-6 tie. Orioles 10th-round pick, right-hander Tyler Wilson, pitched well again as Aberdeen blanked Hudson Valley, 1-0. He gave up just three hits and no walks over six innings with six strikeouts. Wilson is 0-0 with a 2.10 ERA in six Aberdeen starts and allowed two runs or less in each one. Over 30 innings, he has given up 19 hits with four walks to 24 strikeouts and has an opponent batting average of .176. This after his college season where he went 10-0, 2.24 for Virginia helping the Cavaliers reach the College World Series. Aberdeen, 24-50, plays at Hudson Valley tonight in its season finale.