Orioles Minor League Rundown: 8-22-15

Toledo (Tigers) 6 Norfolk 4 (Game 1: 7 innings)

(LHP) Mike Belfiore made his return to the O's organization, facing off against his most recent employer. He hadn't pitched in 2 and a 1/2 weeks, so perhaps we can just attribute his 2 ER via 4 hits and 3 walks over 3 IP to be a result of some rust. Of course, the 5.60 ERA he posted over 22 starts and 126+ innings while with Toledo indicates that rust may be the least of his problems...Time will tell.  He posted a 3.18 ERA over 37 appearances and 76.1 innings while with the Tides in '13. A move back to the 'pen may do him some good.

Richard Rodriguez (over 3 IP as well) and Ceasar Cabral (in a more efficient manner of just 1 inning) each allowed 2 ER as well, so it was poo pitching all around for the Tides. The offense hit a bunch of singles, just 1 double, and didn't walk once. Mix in a couple of GIDPs and, well...Dariel Alvarez went 2 for 3. Christian Walker went 0 for 3 and K'd twice.

Toledo 1 Norfolk 2 (Game 2: 7 innings. Makeup from 6/27)

Looks like everyone was just getting a light workout in this one. (LHP) Dana Eveland K'd 4 and walked none over 4 innings. Julio Borbon hit a 2 run home run in the 3rd, and that sealed it up for the Tides. Alvarez went 1 for 3 with a 3-bagger. Walker went 1 for 2 with a walk and a CS.

Altoona (Pirates) 12 Bowie 8

The Curve put up 6 2-run innings in this one. Bowie scored 5 of their 8 runs in the 8th. (RHPs) Gene Escat and Jon Keller each coughed up 4 ER over a combined 5.1 innings. The usual suspects on offense did their work: Trey Mancini went 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 RBI. Chance Sisco went 0 for 2, but walked 3 times and scored twice. Corban Joseph put up a 4 for 5 with a double and a walk. Re-hab'n Steve Pearce got some hacks in, going 0 for 2 with a Sac Fly. As a matter of fact, on a night where the Baysox combined to draw 10 free passes Pearce was the only starter not to draw a walk for Bowie. Looks like he's ready to return to the O's...

Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 10 Frederick 5

If you like crap pitching, boy-o-boy was tonight your night. Other than two 3-run dingers (RHP) John Means had a pretty good night. Of course, giving up two 3-run dingers is...sub-optimal. 5+ IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 4 Ks were the means to his end on the night. (RHP) Dylan Rheault evidently took this as a challenge of some sort and declared 'anything Means can do, I can do better'. So he gave up two 2-run dingers in his 2 innings of work. Progress...?

On offense ( C ) Wynston Sawyer took a mean, mean stride and hit a 2 run homer of his own. Josh Hart took an 0 for 4.

Greenville (Red Sox) 4 Delmarva 5

JO! MAR! JO! MAR! JO! MAR! A double and a dinger for the baby bull led to 4 RsBI for Jomar on the night. weeeeeeee! Can't wait to see him with Frederick next year. (RHP) Matthew 'Rick' Grimes dispatched of 4 Greenville-ians via K over 6 IP while allowing 4 runs, 3 earned.

Brooklyn (Mets) 12 Aberdeen 9

Like with Bowie, another seemingly close game that was truly an early blowout with some later innings ruckus by the Ironbirds. Lazaro Leyva gave up 3 ER over 2 IP. Daniel Ayers added on another 5 runs (3 earned) in his 1 inning of work. Then for good measure Zach Albin tacked on another 4 runs (1 earned) over 3 IP. Kevin Grendell came on and put an end to the nonsense, K'ing 4 over 3 shutout innings.

The offense scored 6 of their runs after the 6th, when the score was already 12-3. (CF) Cedric Mullins went 2 for 3 and walked twice. D.J. Stewart went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. 2015 14th round pick (2B) Drew Turbin had himself a night, going 3 for 4 with a walk, a 2-run HR, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored.

Read 'em (the boxscores) and weep

Today's probables:

Norfolk: (RHP) Eddie Gamboa

Bowie: (RHP) Joe Gunkel

Frederick: (LHP) Mitch Horacek

Delmarva: (RHP) Josh Walker

Aberdeen: TBA