Orioles minor league recap 7/19: Mountcastle homers, Kremer shines on the farm

Rochester (Twins) 9, Norfolk Tides 4

Ryan Mountcastle homered for the Tides, but four late runs for the Red Wings doomed any hopes for a Norfolk comeback.

Mountcastle’s home run was his 17th of the season, and was part of a 1-for-5 day. Mason Williams went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Austin Hays finished the game with a pair of doubles.

Tyler Herb started for the Tides and went four innings while allowing four runs on five hits. Norfolk had a 3-0 lead, but Rochester scored four in the fourth and one in the fifth to take the advantage. Norfolk added a run in the bottom of the fifth, but a run in the seventh and three in the ninth sealed the win for the Red Wings.

Bowie Baysox 1, Altoona (Pirates) 0

It was a pitchers’ duel down in Bowie, and Dean Kremer dazzled en route to the win. Kremer struck out eight and allowed six hits in seven innings of work, and is now 6-4 with a 3.34 ERA.

Jay Flaa relieved Kremer and got the save with two scoreless innings for Bowie.

The only run came in the seventh, when Carlos Perez doubled in Ryan McKenna. Perez and Ryan Ripken had doubles, and two of Bowie’s three hits for the game (McKenna’s single was the third hit). Mason McCoy went 0-for-4 and saw his average fall to .302.

Frederick Keys 8, Potomac (Nationals) 3; Potomac 4, Frederick 1

The Keys played some extra baseball, beating Potomac 8-3, and then falling to the Nationals in the second game, a makeup from Wednesday.

In the first game, Cadyn Grenier, making his first appearance for the Keys after being promoted from Delmarva, went 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs while leading the Frederick offense. Jomar Reyes (three hits, three RBI) and Patrick Dorrian (two hits) also homered for Bowie, while David Lebron (four innings, two runs) and Luis Perez (three scoreless innings) combined for the win.

In the second game, Blaine Knight suffered another loss, giving up four runs in 3.2 innings to fall to 0-7 with a 6.14 ERA since moving up from Delmarva. Dorrian went 2-for-3, and is now batting .316.

Delmarva Shorebirds 5, West Virginia (Mariners) 2

Down 1-0, Delmarva scored three in the fifth inning to take the lead for good en route to improving to 67-30.

The Shorebirds got a home run from No. 13 prospect J.C. Encarnacion (1-for-4, two runs, two RBI) while Jaylen Ferguson drove in a pair and Will Robertson and Alexis Torres had two hits apiece.

Gray Fenter pitched the first three innings, while Juan Echevarria, Jhon Peluffo and Reed Hayes finished the job out of the pen.

Aberdeen IronBirds 4, Connecticut (Tigers) 3; Connecticut 3, Aberdeen 2

The IronBirds walked off to win the resumption of a game originally scheduled for July 2, but fell to the Tigers in the regularly scheduled game.

In the first game, Zach Watson provided the decisive blow, a home run in the bottom of the ninth that gave Aberdeen the win. Jose King had two hits for the IronBirds, who scored twice in the fifth to tie the score, and Jack Kenley drove in a pair of runs.

In the second game, Aberdeen went up 2-0 in the second before Connecticut took the lead for good in the fourth. Andrew Fregia led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3, while Houston Roth, Jake Lyons, Dan Hammer (two innings apiece) and Connor Gillispie handled mound duties.

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

Friday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk: vs. Lehigh Valley (Phillies), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Luis Ysla (3-6, 5.65 ERA)
• Bowie: vs. Altoona (Pirates), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Zac Lowther (10-5, 2.54 ERA)
• Frederick: at Potomac (Nationals), 7:05 p.m. Starter: TBD
• Delmarva: at West Virginia (Mariners), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Drew Rom (6-1, 1.82 ERA)
• Aberdeen: vs. Connecticut (Tigers) (doubleheader), 5:05 p.m., after Game 1. Starter: TBD