Norfolk Tides 1, Durham (Rays) 0
In general, a good way to win a baseball game is to give up only two hits the whole game. That was what the Tides pulled off on Saturday against the Bulls. In fact, Durham did not have any at-bats with runners in scoring position for the entire game. That is also a good way to win a game.
Tides starter Ariel Miranda spun the brilliant outing, striking out nine Bulls over seven innings, giving up only a hit and a walk in that time. Even those seven shutout innings only lower his season ERA to 4.80, so it probably doesn’t mean much unless it starts a new trend. Miranda, a lefty, could pitch his way into the picture... if he pitches his way into the picture.
Not a whole lot to write home about for the Tides offense either as they only got six hits all game. Trey Mancini and Christian Walker were both hitless.
Erie (Tigers) 5, Bowie Baysox 4 (10 innings)
Pipped at the line, so to speak. The game was tied 3-3 going into the ninth and both Bowie and Erie scored runs in the ninth inning to send it to extras. Erie grabbed a run in the bottom of the tenth inning for a walkoff win.
Adrian Marin, who is batting higher in the order for some reason, went 2-4 in the game and also drew a walk. Catcher Chance Sisco was 1-4 and had two stolen bases go against him. Not much else interesting here. Bowie’s position players are mostly a depressing assortment.
Frederick Keys 4, Lynchburg (Indians) 3
The Keys scored four runs in the second inning and that proved to be enough to last them for the rest of the game. Rehabbing big leaguer Caleb Joseph, who can hit but is not yet cleared to catch, was 2-4 and drove in one of the Keys runs. The dude Jonah Heim was 1-4 with a double and he drove in a run as well.
Frederick’s starter was Franderlin Romero, acquired recently for two international bonus slots the Orioles weren’t going to use anyway. Romero allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk in 5.1 innings of work. He’s yet to be charged with a loss since the trade. Two solo home runs amounted to most of the damage.
A pair of Tanners pitched in relief of Romero. Really! First came a scoreless inning from Tanner Chleborad, the 2014 16th round pick, followed by 2.2 innings from 2014 sixth rounder Tanner Scott, who had a Good Tanner Scott kind of game, striking out four batters and only walking one. Scott grabbed his second save.
Hickory (Rangers) 1, Delmarva Shorebirds 0 (Game 1)
In some of the minor leagues, there’s a first half champion. Delmarva has done well this year and took it down to the wire but this lost game eliminated them from contention. Still, they’re 41-27 in the first half - not too shabby indeed.
Not much to say about the first game. Each team had only three hits. Francisco Jimenez took the six inning complete game loss. Minor league doubleheaders are only scheduled for seven innings per game, you may or may not recall. Jimenez only allowed four baserunners, yet that was still too many.
Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Hickory (Rangers) 2 (Game 2)
A better game for the Shorebirds, though it’s too little, too late. Neither Ryan Mountcastle nor D.J. Stewart played in the second game. Both were hitless in the first game. A three run first inning was enough to hold Delmarva for the rest of the way. Baltimore’s own Alex Murphy was 1-3 in the second half.
Aberdeen IronBirds 3, Hudson Valley (Rays) 2
Only the second game of the year for the short-season affiliate - and the first one they won. This team is not yet as interesting as it will be shortly. The college players drafted this year are expected to make their way onto this roster once they’ve signed and gotten acclimated.
What it does have is a number of the 2015 high school draftees, including a full outfield - fourth rounder Ryan McKenna, fifth rounder Jason Heinrich, and ninth rounder Jaylen Ferguson. Heinrich was 1-3 with a walk in the game and scored two of the IronBirds runs.
Once Cody Sedlock, Keegan Akin, Matthias Dietz, and Austin Hays roll up to Aberdeen, it might actually be a team worth watching.
2013 fifth rounder Travis Seabrooke is back at Aberdeen after posting a 4.95 ERA here last year. Better luck this time, Travis. The 6’6” lefty missed the 2014 season due to a knee injury so development-wise he’s still got time.
Anyway, Seabrooke tossed 5.2 innings in this game, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk. He’d only thrown 64 pitches in that time - nice efficiency.
For complete box scores from all of these games, including the adventures of the two Orioles affiliates in the Dominican Summer League, check out here.
Today’s Scheduled Games
- Norfolk: vs. Durham, 1:05 (apron giveaway). Starter: Joe “The Gunk” Gunkel
- Bowie: at Erie, 1:35. Starter: John “Ends Justify The” Means
- Frederick: vs. Lynchburg. Starter: TBD
- Delmarva: at Hickory, 5:00. Starter: A different TBD
- Aberdeen: at Staten Island, 4:00. Starter: Yet another TBD