Machado struggle in the Eastern League? Not yet (updated, Baysox win)

BOWIE, Md. - Manny Machado admitted before tonight's game that he could face some struggles as a 19-year-old playing in the Double-A Eastern League. So far he isn't having any issues. On the first pitch he saw tonight, batting with one out and none on in the last of the second, Machado homered to left-center off Harrisburg starter Patrick Gilliam. Machado hit a liner that got out of here pretty quickly to give Bowie a 1-0 lead on opening night at Prince George's Stadium. Last year, between Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Frederick, Machado homered 11 times in 382 at-bats. Before the game, when asked how he would handle it here in Double-A if he struggled early on, he said, "If I go 0-for-50, I'll just keep pushing. This game, there is a lot of failure. I learned that last year. If I fail, I fail, that is part of the game." Looks like he won't go 0-for-50. Now we await his next act. Teammate Jonathan Schoop struck out looking with two men on in his first at-bat to end the last of the second. Bowie leads 1-0 after two and a half innings. Right-hander Tim Bascom has allowed two singles through three scoreless frames. He just struck out Rick Ankiel, who is here on a major league rehab assignment, to end the top of the third with a runner at second base. Update: Machado made it 2-for-2 when he smoked a line drive single to center leading off the second. He then stole second base but was thrown out when Gilliam fielded a comebacker and threw to second to get him. Machado finally made his first Double-A out with a flyout to end the last of the fifth. Bowie would score twice in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. Jonathan Schoop led off the frame with a double to right center for his first Baysox hit. He later scored on an error and a Robbie Widlansky RBI single made it 3-0. Right-hander Tim Bascom, tonight making his 43rd career Baysox start, has shut out the Senators on three hits to date. Rick Ankiel and Michael Morse, who are here on major league injury rehab assignments, have gone a combined 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk. Update 2: Bowie now leads 4-0 after seven innings. The latest run came on a Buck Britton solo homer in the seventh. Machado struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the seventh and is now 2-for-4. Bascom's final line: 6 IP, 3h, 0 runs, 1BB, 4 Ks. He threw 74 pitches. Tonight's attendance is 4,268. Now it's a final: The Baysox win 4-2 over Harrisburg on opening night. Machado and Britton homered. Manny went 2-for-4 and Schoop went 1-for-3. Bascom got the win with six shutout innings.