Orioles minor league rundown: playoff edition

Bowie Baysox 3, Reading Fightin Phils 9

It's bad enough that the Fightin Phils are already the nickname of a nickname, but their jerseys say "Fightins", which would make that the nickname of a nickname of a nickname. I think. Anyways, turnabout is fair play, as they say, and a night after laying a smackdown on the self-styled Fightins, the lads from Reading secured a bit of vengeance in the form a sound whupping of their own.

Early season acquisition Chris Lee got the start for the Baysox. Lee began the year in A ball in the Houston organization and was actually one of four Baysox pitchers this evening that began the year in a lower level. In fact, Donnie Hart and Stefan Crichton both began the season in Delmarva. Lee wasn't able to keep the Fightin Phils down, though, and he allowed four runs in four innings. The Baysox needed three pitchers to get through a disastrous sixth inning which saw the FIghtins put five runs on the board and pit the game out of reach.

Fightins starter Jake Thompson induced eleven groundouts and seemed to generally keep Baysox hitters off balance. Corban Joseph and Trey Mancini were both held without a hit (though Joseph drew a walk) and Quincy Latimore was held to a single. Defensive replacement Tucker Nathans homered in the bottom of the ninth, but it wouldn't be quite rihgt to say that the Baysox mounted a rally.

David Hess will start Friday's game as the Baysox look to avoid elimination.