Orioles minors 7/18: Hot bats in Norfolk

Norfolk Tides 11, Buffalo Bisons 8

The Tides and Bisons (?) combined for six homers in this one, but a grand slam off the bat of Cuban defector Dariel Alvarez proved decisive. Alvarez was also credited with an outfield assist. Francisco Pena and Christian Walker both homered and doubled and Lil Yaz also homered, but Trey Mancini was oddly quiet. Tides struck out eleven times in this one, a total performance that no doubt made their big brothers proud.

Bowie Baysox 2, Binghamton Mets 5

After cruising through the first half of the season at Frederick, Conor Bierfeldt was 0-4 with three Ks in his AA debut. Nobody else on the Baysox seemed terribly interested in presenting much of a challenge to Mets journeyman hurler Tyler pill save for Chance Sisco and Drew Dosch. Sisco stroked a pair of singles to raise his season average to .327 and Dosch was 3-4 with a triple. Starter Matt Grimes wasn't all that bad (3 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR, 1K, 6 IP), but he wasn't all that great either.

Frederick Keys 10, Carolina Mudcats 3

Erick Salcedo has had a nice second half (.311/.327/.476) and was 4-6 out of the leadoff spot. Aderlin Rodriguez, though, has been the main engine of offensive productivity for most of the season and he was 3-4 with two doubles and a walk. Jonah Heim, Jomar Reyes and D.J. Stewart each singled. Lucas Long struck out four, but allowed a home run.

Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Augusta Greenjackets 6

Another reclamation project from the Dominican Summer League, Ricardo Andujar has been going bananas this month. The youngish shortstop hailing from Azua, DR has slashed .379/.446/.586 in 16 games, though it hasn't quite been enough to change the collective fortune of the Shorebirds. Oh, well.

The Greenjackets jumped all over Francisco Jimenez for 6RAE in a mere three innings, but longman.future starter Jesus Liranzo was able to shut things down with three innings of one hit, six strikeout relief. Liranzo has allowed four earned runs all season and struck out 38 batters in 30.2 innings.

Aberdeen Ironbirds 0, Staten Island Yankees 3

I sense a trend. The Ironbirds weren't able to muster much of an offense against the Yankees. With a single and a pair of walks, 2016 draftee Cole Billingsley increased his OBP on the season to .417. 2016 second rounder Keegan Akin fired three shutout innings in his second professional appearance.

Complete boxscores from these games and rookie league games are available here.

Today's probables

NOR: Mike Wright

BOW: Jayson Aquino

FRE: David Richardson