Norfolk Tides 4, Toledo (Tigers) 2
The Tides entered the eighth inning of this game having only picked up one hit and they were out-hit by the Mud Hens by a 10-4 margin in the game. They scored all four of their runs in the inning.
They can thank Joe “The Gunk” Gunkel for keeping them in the game. Gunkel pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on eight hits and no walks. Hey, Kevin Gausman, take note! You don’t have to walk six guys! Gunkel also had four strikeouts. And it only took him 88 pitches to get through seven innings.
Bowie Baysox 4, Richmond (Giants) 1 (11 innings)
You don’t really expect a team to win by three runs in extra innings when Brian Matusz isn’t involved, but the Baysox were able to pick up a few runs, finally, in the 11th. Chance Sisco was 2-5 in the game and also threw out both of the runners who tried to steal on him - much better than the last time I wrote about him.
Credit to Jason Garcia for pitching in very un-Garcia-like fashion. It took Garcia only 72 pitches to get through five innings in which he gave up a run on six hits and a walk. Garcia also struck out three batters.
Potomac (Walgreens) 12, Frederick Keys 6
If you can believe it, this was a 6-5 game headed into the ninth inning. Michael Zouzalik is the goat for the Keys, giving up six runs on five hits and a walk without retiring even a single batter. Ouch.
It was a wild game all the way through, with the two teams combining for 31 hits and five errors. Last year’s first rounder, D.J. Stewart, was 1-4 with a double and also drew a walk. I keep waiting for him to have a big breakout two weeks and there hasn’t been one yet.
Delmarva Shorebirds 7, West Virginia (Pirates) 1
The late scoring went in the Orioles affiliate’s favor this time, with the Shorebirds grabbing five of their runs in the eighth and ninth innings. They out-hit the Power, 13-5, with Ryan Mountcastle going 2-5 and scoring a run both times he was on base.
Another good start for an O’s minor league starter here, with Cristian Alvarado holding West Virginia to a run on three hits and two walks on six innings of work. Alvarado grabbed five strikeouts in the game. That will work.
Aberdeen IronBirds 2, Lowell (Red Sox) 1
Not a very exciting game here, with the teams combining for only nine hits. Aberdeen also committed three errors in the game, in case anyone forgot that they were watching a short-season A-ball game.
Keegan Akin, the second round pick from this year, pitched the first three innings of the game. Akin held the Spinners to just three hits while he was in the game, and also struck out six batters. His professional debut has been impressive, though the O’s have yet to unleash him beyond three inning stints yet.
For complete box scores from Saturday’s action, including the adventures of the GCL and DSL Orioles teams, check out here.
Today’s Scheduled Games
- Norfolk: vs. Toledo, 6:05. Starter: Mike Wright
- Bowie: at Richmond, 12:05. Starter: John Means
- Frederick: vs. Potomac, 2:00. Starter: Jon Keller
- Delmarva: at West Virginia, 2:05. Starter: Brian Gonzalez
- Aberdeen: vs. Lowell, 5:35. Starter: Matthias Dietz