Orioles prospects 5/27: Stewart and Hays homer again

Columbus (Indians) 8, Norfolk Tides 5

Although the Tides had 14 hits in the game, more than the nine they allowed to the Clippers, they could not buy a clutch hit, going 0-10 with runners in scoring position in the game. It takes some work to fail that thoroughly. Kind of impressive they managed to score five runs in that case. Robert Andino went 4-4 in the game, but that just wasn’t enough to get anything going.

Steve Johnson started the game for the Tides and gave up four runs in 2.1 innings. Edwin Jackson, who will be next up in the “beat writers talk about him way too much before he opts out” category now that Michael Bourn is gone, gave up two runs in 2.2 innings. One of the O’s Alec Asher-like acquisitions, Andrew Faulkner, gave up two runs in two innings and now has a 7.11 ERA for the season.

Bowie Baysox 7, Akron (Indians) 2

The Double-A Baysox did not have Norfolk’s problem getting a clutch hit, as they went 4-11 with RISP in the game. Most of their offense came from long-time O’s minor leaguers Garabez Rosa and Austin Wynns. 2015 first round pick D.J. Stewart was 1-4, hitting his eighth homer of the season.

Bowie starter David Hess held the Rubber Ducks to just one run in five innings, although he was lucky to do so: Akron had four hits and five walks against Hess, who also struck out five batters. Shout out to Maryland’s own Ryan Meisinger for a scoreless ninth inning. The 23-year-old now has a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings this season.

Frederick Keys 6, Buies Creek (Astros) 0

Keys pitchers gave up just two hits to the Astros, which is always a good way to win a baseball game. Scoring six runs helps too, in part thanks to the two-run homer hit by center fielder Austin Hays. That was Hays’s tenth home run of the season - last year’s third round pick is now batting .316/.351/.569 through 43 games this year.

Frederick’s starter, Ofelky Peralta, somehow managed to keep the Astros scoreless despite giving up seven walks (yes, seven!) in only four innings of work. As you’d expect from someone so wild, his pitch count was elevated: 88 pitches in those four innings. Peralta now has the dubious distinction of walking one batter per innings pitched this year: 36 walks in 36 innings pitched.

Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Lakewood (Phillies) 1

The starter pitched well, the offense got a bunch of runs, and the Shorebirds won. That’s the way to do it. Right fielder Jake Ring, the 2016 31st round pick, has been the star of the Delmarva offense this year and that continued on Saturday, with Ring going 3-5 and scoring two runs in the game.

Ring’s season batting line: .321/.371/.600. He’s old for Low-A, but dang, find a way to give the guy a chance higher up. Preston Palmeiro, son of Rafael, was also 3-5 in the game with a pair of doubles and two runs driven in.

Shorebirds starter Lucas Humpal pitched seven strong innings, holding the Blue Claws to a run on four hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. The lone run scored on a home run.

Complete box scores from Saturday’s games can be found here.

Sunday’s Scheduled Games

• Norfolk: at Columbus, 2:05. Starter: Jordan “Win One For The” Kipper
• Bowie: at Akron, 6:35. Starter: Tanner “Great” Scott
• Frederick: vs. Buies Creek, 6:00 (Cowboy Monkey Rodeo AND Hootie/Darius Rucker music-themed fireworks). Starter: Reid “Money Can’t Buy Me” Love
• Delmarva: at Lakewood, 7:05. Starter: Travis “Two If By” Seabrooke