Orioles minor league recap 6/16: Diaz fuels another Bowie win

Toledo (Tigers) 11, Norfolk Tides 4

As bad as the Orioles pitching staff has been at times this season, consider this frightening thought: There are worse pitchers waiting in Norfolk. Here, Luis Ysla gave up six runs in 3.2 innings, and in relief, Pedro Araujo allowed four runs in 3.1 innings. That is not great.

Tides batters were also not great, picking up just six hits. Despite 0-5 hitting with runners in scoring position, they still plated four runs - not an embarrassing showing, but not enough to make a game of it. Cedric Mullins was 1-3 with a walk and stole two bases. Ryan Mountcastle had a pair of singles. The first baseman and top O’s position player prospect (until Adley Rutschman signs) is hitting .310/.335/.525 in 58 games for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox 9, Trenton (Yankees) 4

Bowie scored three runs in the first, second, and sixth innings to roll on to victory. Of interest to the dedicated O’s prospect watcher, right fielder Yusniel Diaz was 2-4 and drove in three runs, while center fielder Ryan McKenna was 2-5 with three runs driven in when he hit his fifth homer of the year.

Even second baseman Mason McCoy got in on the act with a 2-5 night. The fringe prospect is now batting .322/.384/.436 in 35 games since being promoted to Bowie.

Starting for the Baysox was Australian lefty Alex Wells. Although he got the win, it wasn’t the most exciting of outings from the line score, as Wells gave up three runs on ten hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three batters. Wells’s 1.92 ERA in 10 starts this year does impress. Branden Kline, down at this level for some reason, threw a scoreless ninth.

Salem (Red Sox) 5, Frederick Keys 4

The two teams traded two-run innings through the game to take a 4-4 score into the ninth, where Salem ended up winning on a walkoff. NASCAR scion Zach Jarrett had three singles and drove in three of the four Keys runs. Center fielder Cole Billingsley, the best Keys performer at the plate left on the team since McCoy’s promotion, added a pair of hits and a walk. The 2016 19th round pick is batting .333/.407/.403 in 41 games.

Strikeout machine Michael Baumann started for the Keys. He struck out four in five innings and also walked four - not the worst, not the best. Baumann allowed two runs on two hits while in the game.

Delmarva Shorebirds 5, Hickory (Rangers) 1

The Shorebirds now have a 48-20 record on their season. They have fewer losses than their MLB club, the Orioles, have wins, which is really impressive when you think about it. Delmarva had just six hits, not usually a good way to win a game, especially considering they hit into four double plays. They gave up only three hits, though, so it worked out.

2017 33rd round pick Ryan Wilson was the Delmarva starter. He struck out seven over a six inning outing in which he gave up three hits and a walk, allowing the lone Crawdads run.

Hudson Valley (Rays) 6, Aberdeen IronBirds 1

The early days of the short-season New York-Penn League are not as exciting as later on, once more big college prospects have signed. The Orioles have signed 20 picks already but none higher than the fourth round, so no Rutschman or even Kyle Stowers or Zach Watson yet. What they do have is seventh round pick Johnny Rizer, who was 2-3 in his Aberdeen debut. The rest of the team had just four hits in the game.

Last year’s ninth rounder, Kevin Magee, took the mound to start the game. Magee got through 3.2 innings but only threw 60 pitches, so he was probably on a pitch count for his first outing. He gave up a run on two hits and a walk, striking out three batters.

Complete box scores from Saturday’s games, including the adventures of the two Orioles Dominican Summer League affiliates, can be found here.

Sunday’s Scheduled Games

• Norfolk: vs. Toledo, 1:05. Starter: Chandler Shepherd
• Bowie: vs. Trenton, 1:35. Starter: Dean Kremer
• Frederick: at Salem, 2:05. Starter: Cameron Bishop
• Delmarva: vs. Hickory, 2:05. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen: at Brooklyn, 4:00. Starter: A different TBD