Taylor Jordan goes to 6-0 as Harrisburg defeats Bowie 3-1 (updated)

BOWIE, Md. - Double-A Harrisburg right-hander Taylor Jordan allowed his first earned run in four games, but remained solid on the hill with eight strong innings, defeating Bowie 3-1 at Prince George's Stadium. Jordan recorded his sixth consecutive Double-A victory to no losses, allowing three hits, one earned run, two walks and three strikeouts. He tossed 96 pitches, 64 for strikes. Manager Matt Lecroy said it was another solid outing for the young right-hander. "He pitched out of two jams," Lecroy said. "He mixes pitches up for strikes, threw the ball well inside and let his defense do the work out there. Right now he is zoned in and that is a good thing to watch. He gives us a chance to win every ball game." Jordan has now thrown 17 innings in his past two starts, allowing just one run. He gave up just two hits in the first four innings. "I was keeping the ball up early on, but then I started to get the ball down which resulted in more ground balls," Jordan said. "I was getting the feel for my changeup as the game progressed. In the early innings, I don't think I had a feel for it because that is one of my better pitches and I was throwing it for balls a lot. Then it started to come back to me." The Senators scored a run on a wild pitch in the fourth and two runs in the sixth. Sean Nicol and Sandy Leon provided RBIs in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-1. Pitching coach Paul Menhart said the 24-year-old Jordan is in a good place right now, knowing when to change the pace to mix up the hitters. He knows how to get out of rough spots on his own which is very difficult to learn. "One of his best attributes is his ability to slow the game down," Menhart said. "He is the epitome of a guy who takes the game pitch by pitch and he doesn't ever waver from that. He hasn't failed to the point where it has affected him for the next pitch. So, that is a testament to his mentality out there. He just wants to battle each and every pitch." Jordan's toughest jam came in the bottom of the fifth. Bowie's Seth Loman led off with a single and Aaron Baker was walked on four pitches. A sacrifice advanced the runners to second and third. A Josh Horton grounder to second baseman Ricky Hague scored the run when Hague's throw home and tag by Leon on Loman was not in time. Jordan struck out Ty Kelly and then got Niuman Romero to ground out to end the threat. Jordan said he focused on his catcher to get through the jam. "I trust Sandy (Leon) with whatever he calls, he always calls a good game for me. I just try to execute the pitches. It worked out with only one run." Jordan has accumulated 38 innings in the last five games, including 17 frames in his past two starts. He has won all five of those starts. "I am trying to go as long as I can," Jordan said. "That is my main goal. I just want to put up zeroes. I try to get after them early, I don't like walking people. I don't like to get behind in counts so I just try to let them hit it and see what happens." He is now 8-1 overall this season, and his Double-A ERA is now 0.73. Aaron Barrett allowed double in ninth, but earned his 13th save.