Rochester Red Wings (Twins) 16, Norfolk Tides 3
Norfolk’s pitching performance was, um, not the best one in the history of baseball. The Tides were blistered for an unsightly 22 hits and 16 runs, both season worsts, en route to their most lopsided loss of the season. For what it’s worth, the three pitchers who got blistered were non-prospects who aren’t expected to be a key part of the Orioles’ future: starter Tyler Herb (who gave up seven runs and 10 hits) and relievers Matt Wotherspoon (six runs, eight hits) and Francisco Jimenez (three runs, four hits). Red Wings designated hitter Wilin Rosario hit three home runs in this game, one off each pitcher.
For most of the game, the Tides’ offense was just as hapless as their pitching. They were shut out through seven innings without managing an extra-base hit, but they showed late signs of life when Christopher Bostick hit a homer off former Oriole Preston Guilmet in the ninth. Austin Hays, DJ Stewart, and Ryan Mountcastle each went 1-for-4, as did Mark Trumbo, who is starting a new rehab assignment after his last one was cut short in early June. I’ll be honest — I didn’t expect to ever see Trumbo take the field in the Orioles’ organization again.
Old friend alert: 2014-15 O’s outfielder Alejandro De Aza is still hanging around. He batted seventh for Rochester in this game and went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Bowie Baysox at Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) — POSTPONED
The Bowie/Richmond contest was called off because of wet grounds and rescheduled for Aug. 10.
Frederick Keys 3, Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs) 2
Zach Jarrett played the hero for the Keys, as his two-run single in the bottom of the seventh turned a deficit into a lead. It was one of just six hits for Frederick, but that turned out to be enough. Cadyn Grenier, the Orioles’ competitive balance round pick in the 2018 draft, went 0-for-3 and is 2-for-15 since his promotion to Frederick.
Rehabbing Oriole Nate Karns, who I keep forgetting exists, looked sharp. He worked two scoreless innings and allowed just one baserunner while notching one strikeout. Brenan Hanifee worked as the “follower” to Karns’ opener, allowing just two runs in six innings, though he issued three walks and didn’t strike out anyone. Hanifee picked up the win, making him 7-9, and Diogenes Almengo worked a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.
Aberdeen Ironbirds 9, Lowell Spinners (Red Sox) 0
It was all Aberdeen in this one, as the first-place Ironbirds improved to 23-15 with their seventh shutout victory of the year. A tag team of Dan Hammer (three innings), Houston Roth (3.1 innings), and Brian Gonzalez (2.2 innings) combined to blank the Spinners. Each had three or more strikeouts, and none issued a walk. Nice! Hammer was the Orioles’ 13th round pick in the 2019 draft and Roth their 29th rounder. Gonzalez, their 2014 third rounder, normally pitches for Bowie but is on a rehab assignment in Aberdeen.
All but one member of the Ironbirds’ starting lineup was a 2019 draftee. So far, the biggest stars have been seventh-rounder Johnny Rizer and 21st-rounder Toby Welk. Rizer went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and leads the team with his three homers, 19 RBIs, and .537 SLG. Welk, meanwhile, roped three hits, giving him a team-best .385 average as well as a .920 OPS. The Ironbirds went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Adley Rutschman update: The Orioles’ top prospect appeared in his third and fourth professional games for the Gulf Coast League Orioles. He started the first game of a doubleheader as the DH and went 0-for-2 with an intentional walk, then pinch-hit in the second game and delivered an RBI single. Rutschman is 3-for-11 with a homer and two RBIs so far, and he’s expected to report to Aberdeen this week.
Complete box scores from Tuesday’s games can be found here.
Wednesday’s scheduled games:
- Norfolk at Rochester, 7:05 PM. Starter: Chandler Shepherd (0-8, 8.20)
- Bowie at Richmond, 12:05 PM. Starter: Dean Kremer (6-4, 3.34)
- Frederick vs. Myrtle Beach, 7:00 PM. Starter: Cameron Bishop (0-8, 5.14)
- Delmarva vs. Greenville (doubleheader), 5:35 PM. Starters: Hector Guance (7-3, 3.79), TBD
- Aberdeen vs. Lowell, 7:05 PM. Starter: TBD