Orioles minor league recap 6/28: Light-hitting Rifaela spurs Tides to win

Norfolk Tides 7, Durham (Tampa Bay) 6

Ademar Rifaela was batting .105 going into Thursday night. As it turned out, the Norfolk left fielder had a surprise ready for his team.

Rifaela hit his first home run of the season in the first inning, then swatted his second for an insurance run in the eighth to lead the Tides to the win. The second home run proved vital, since Durham rallied for a run in the ninth.

Zach Vincej also homered for Norfolk, his sixth, while Engelb Vielma and Christopher Bostick (three hits) each had a pair of doubles. Jesus Sucre and Mason Williams each had a pair of hits, while the Ryan Mountcastle watch continued with a 1-for-5 day at the plate.

Luis Ysla was the lucky duck on the mound, getting the win despite allowing five runs in 5.2 innings. He did strike out seven.

Bowie Baysox 5, Akron (Indians) 2

Dean Kremer, the Orioles’ No. 9 prospect, pitched five innings while allowing five hits and one run to lead the Baysox to victory. One of the prospects obtained in the Manny Machado trade, Kremer also struck out three and is now 3-4 with a 3.96 ERA.

Michael Baumann, the club’s 24th-ranked prospect, pitched the final four innings for the save and was just as sharp, allowing three hits and no runs while striking out six. It was his second appearance since getting called up from Frederick, and he still sports a spotless 0.00 ERA.

Carlos Perez and Preston Palmeiro both homered for Bowie, with Perez’s being a three-run shot that helped him to a four-RBI day. Mason McCoy went 2-for-4 and upped his average to .335; between Bowie and Frederick, the shortstop is batting .351 with 110 hits in 73 games.

Jesmuel Valentin also had two hits. No. 21 prospect Rylan Bannon (0-for-4) and No. 7 Ryan McKenna (0-for-2) went hitless.

Frederick Keys 4, Wilmington (Royals) 1

Daniel Fajardo had a two-run home run during a three-run seventh that broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Keys to the win.

Cameron Bishop had an excellent start for the Keys, allowing one runs on six hits while striking out eight in six innings, while Diogenes Almengo (two innings) and Tim Naughton had scoreless relief outings.

Robbie Thorburn had two hits for Frederick, and J.C. Escarra had the only other RBI.

Delmarva Shorebirds 3, Hagerstown (Nationals) 1, 10 inn.

J.C. Encarnacion had a bases-loaded single and Nick Horvath followed with a sacks-full walk to lead the Shorebirds over the Suns in 10 innings.

Encarnacion, the team’s No. 13 prospect, went 3-for-5 on the night, while Cadyn Grenier went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run. Seamus Curran had a pair of hits, while Adam Hall went 1-for-4 and is batting .321.

Ryan Wilson allowed no runs on only two hits in six innings, while Matthew Hammonds pitched the final two innings, both scoreless, for the win. Reed Hayes took a tough-luck blown save, allowing only an unearned run, a walk and a hit in two innings of work.

Brooklyn (Mets) 4, Aberdeen Ironbirds 3, 10 inn.

Orioles farm teams fell just shy of a 5-for-5 sweep. Jose Miguel Medina’s RBI double in the 10th lifted the Cyclones to the extra-inning win in Aberdeen.

Joseph Ortiz went 3-for-5 for Aberdeen, while Johnny Rizer continued a hot start to the season with a pair of hits, including a double. He’s now batting .371 with a 1.120 OPS.

Jordan Cannon tripled, while on the mound, Dallas Litscher started and went four innings while allowing one run and striking out three. He allowed five hits and one walk.

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

Friday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk: vs. Charlotte (White Sox), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Chandler Shepherd (0-6, 8.12). Note: The game will start after the resumption of a suspended game between the two teams from May 5.
• Bowie: vs. Akron (Indians), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Bruce Zimmermann (2-2, 2.72 ERA)
• Frederick: vs. Wilmington (Royals), 7 p.m. Starter: David Lebron (2-2, 3.94 ERA)
• Delmarva: at Hagerstown (Nationals), 7L05 p.m. Starter: Hector Guance (4-3, 3.76 ERA)
• Aberdeen: at Tri-City (Astros), 7 p.m. Starter: TBD