Orioles minor league recap 6/7: Colby Rasmus continues feeble rehab

Columbus Clippers (Indians) 3, Norfolk Tides 2

Left-handed starter John Means tied his career-high by striking out 10 batters in just five innings of work while allowing two runs on six hits, no walks and two hit batters. Ryan Meisinger and Paul Fry tossed 3.1 combined scoreless innings from the ‘pen. Matt Wotherspoon entered to finish the ninth inning of a tie game and stayed on in the 10th. With the runner starting the extra frame on second base, the Clippers singled and walked to load the bases. Following strike outs by the next two hitters, Francisco Mejia walked-off with a base hit up the middle.

The Tides offense got started early with a one-out, solo home run from Steve Wilkerson in the first inning. It was the second baseman’s first bomb of the year since returning from suspension. Their only other run came in the fourth inning when Drew Dosch led off with a double and then came around to score on a Mike Yastrzemski single.

Cedric Mullins had an 0-for-3 night with a walk and a strikeout. Renato Nunez was 2-for-5 with a double and a strikeout. Yastrzemski was 2-for-5. And Caleb Joseph went 1-for-4 to go along with two strikeouts.

Portland SeaDogs (Red Sox) 5, Bowie Baysox 1

Bowie slightly outhit Portland in this one (6 to 5), but it was the SeaDogs that brought the power. Lucas Long started for the Baysox and gave up all five of those runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings. In that time, he struck out two and walked two. The first two runs came in the second inning off of a double with runners on first and second. The next two runs came in the fourth on a solo home run and then a triple followed by a sacrifice fly. The final run came home in the seventh inning after a lead-off walk, a passed ball and yet another sac fly.

Jay Flaa was the only reliever used by Bowie. He did allow that inherited runner to score when he entered the game in the seventh, but was quite good apart from that. Over 1.2 innings, he walked one and struck out three.

The Baysox only run was scored in the fourth inning on an Ademar Rifaela single to right field. It brought home Corban Joseph, who had reached on a double and moved to third on a single from Ryan Mountcastle. Rifaela’s 2-for-4 night was the team’s only multi-hit performance. Anthony Santander went 0-for-4 and had Bowie’s only strikeout. That’s right, an Orioles affiliate saw strike three just once in nine whole innings. But don’t worry, they only walked once too (Erick Salcedo).

Potomac Nationals (Walgreens) 6, Frederick Keys 1

Welcome back to the Ryan McKenna show! The centerfielder had another multi-hit day. This time, it was just of the 2-for-4 variety with a pair of singles and a walk. Preston Palmeiro and Jomar Reyes each had 2-for-4 games as well. The only RBI of the day came from Alexis Torres in the top of the second inning.

Colby Rasmus continued his rehab, and he remains hitless in four games down on the farm with a walk and six strikeouts. He took an 0-for-4 with a strikeout in this Keys loss. Can’t wait to see him roaming the Orioles outfield soon! Why be bad when you can be completely terrible instead?

Alex Wells had a tough outing on the mound. Over five innings, he allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits, three walks and two strikeouts. His season ERA now sits at 3.99. Steven Climek tossed the final three innings and gave up just one run on three hits and five strikeouts.

Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins) 4, Delmarva Shorebirds 1

It was not the finest offensive performance from the Shorebirds here. The lineup combined for one run, five hits, no walks and 11 strikeouts. Branden Becker and Will Robertson both had two hits. Becker had the team’s only RBI, a single which scored Robertson after he had the team’s only extra-base hit (a double) in the sixth inning. Delmarva’s only other hit was a single from Zach Jarrett. Seamus Curran went 0-for-4 with three K’s. Kirvin Moesquit added two strikeouts in his 0-for-4 evening.

The pitching workload was almost evenly split between starter Brenan Hanifee and reliever Cameron Ming. Hanifee lasted 4.2 innings and gave up two runs while striking out four, walking none and allowing seven hits. Ming took over and had a similar fate. In his 4.1 innings of work, he also permitted two runs to score on three hits, two walks and five strikeouts.

Box scores for all of the O’s minor league teams

Thursday’s games

• Tides at Columbus, 12:05 p.m. ET. Starter: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (3-2, 3.45 ERA)
• Baysox at Portland, a.m. ET. Starter: LHP Brian Gonzalez (0-2, 10.97 ERA)
• Keys at Potomac, 705 p.m. ET. Starter: RHP Michael Baumann (2-0, 1.45 ERA)
• Shorebirds vs Greensboro, 7:05 p.m. ET. Starter: LHP Cameron Bishop (4-3, 3.50 ERA)