Charlotte (White Sox) 7, Norfolk Tides 6 (resumed from 7/5 suspended)
This game was suspended on Friday in the bottom of the first inning, with Norfolk leading 2-0 and Charlotte with two men on base and no one out. Keegan Akin gave up two straight singles before the game was suspended; he did not return the next day, though he still gets stuck with two earned runs because the “starter,” Tyler Herb, allowed those runs to score plus another four of his own in 5.1 innings.
In relief for the Tides, Hunter Harvey pitched a scoreless inning. It was hairy, as he walked three batters. Branden Kline walked a pair himself over 1.2 innings, picking up four strikeouts. The Knights walked off against Luis Gonzalez in the bottom of the ninth, and yes, that winning run reached base on a walk.
Former Yankees farmhand Mason Williams drove in three of Norfolk’s runs, including a two-run bomb when the game began on Friday. Ryan Mountcastle had a single and a double, and is now batting .306/.329/.506 in 78 games at this level. I understand why he’s not in Baltimore yet, but I’m looking forward to when he gets his chance.
Norfolk Tides 8, Charlotte (White Sox) 4 (7 innings)
With the two teams finishing the suspended game before this, the second game went seven innings, as is standard in the minors. Charlotte had one four-run inning and Norfolk had two, and this made the difference.
The Tides picked up their eight runs on eight hits, and no batter had more than one hit. It was the bottom of the Norfolk lineup that did most of the damage, with spring training Oriole Zach Vincej driving in three runs, very recently promoted second baseman Chris Clare driving in two more, and catcher Austin Wynns adding another.
Norfolk patched together a bullpen game that was good enough to win it, at least thanks to their offense scoring eight runs. Jay Flaa held the Knights scoreless for three innings after Sean Gilmartin gave up four runs in three innings, while South African righty Tayler Scott pitched a scoreless seventh to finish things off. Scott hasn’t allowed a run in 5.1 innings since joining the organization.
Bowie Baysox 3, Harrisburg (Walgreens) 1 (5 innings)
The rest of the game was called off during the bottom of the fifth inning due to rain.
Remember DJ Stewart? The rehabbing big leaguer has hit Bowie on his way back, and that was good for the Baysox in this game as Stewart’s first inning two-run homer proved to be the difference in the game. Bowie only had three hits. It was enough!
Baysox starter Alex Wells, the Australian lefty, went the abbreviated distance, allowing only an unearned run on two hits in five innings. Wells struck out six and is now sporting a 1.92 ERA this season, with 62 strikeouts and 18 walks in 79.2 innings - and he’s only allowed two home runs.
Carolina (Brewers) 8, Frederick Keys 3
Not much good to say about this one. Cody Sedlock gave up the full Tommy Hunter (five runs, all earned) in 4.2 innings. If you want to feel good about something, he struck out eight of the 23 batters that he faced, and even after this tough outing has a 2.53 ERA for the season.
Delmarva Shorebirds 12, Hagerstown (Walgreens) 3
The game was never really in doubt after the Shorebirds lit up the Suns for eight runs in the bottom of the first inning. In the whole game, Delmarva batters had 16 hits and drew five walks, so a lot of people got in on the party. That included shortstop Adam Hall, who was 1-3 with a pair of walks, 2018 fifth rounder Robert Neustrom, who went 2-4 with a walk and drove in a pair of runs, and two hits from Kevin Gausman trade piece Jean Carlos Encarnacion.
One more pitcher on the “too many walks” pile for Saturday, as starter Gray Fenter walked five batters in 4.2 innings - though he also struck out seven. That came with two runs allowed on four hits. Drew Rom piggybacked off of Fenter to close out the game, giving up just an unearned run in 4.1 innings.
The 19-year-old lefty, Rom, gave up just one hit and a walk while striking out seven of the 16 batters he faced. Rom rocks this year. The dude now has a 1.54 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched, has struck out 79 batters, and walked just 22. Oh, and he’s given up only one home run. If he’s not already on your radar to keep an eye on, you should put him there.
Aberdeen IronBirds 6, Brooklyn (Mets) 5
Aberdeen’s pitchers held the Cyclones to just four hits in the game, though things got interesting after an eighth inning error led to a pair of unearned runs. Aberdeen is 10-11 on the season, with several 2019 draft picks playing well so far, including third round pick Zach Watson, who was 1-4 with a run driven in and a stolen base in the game.
Complete box scores from Saturday’s games, including the adventures of the GCL Orioles and both DSL Orioles teams, can be found here.
Sunday’s Scheduled Games
- Norfolk: at Charlotte, 2:05. Starter: Tom Eshelman
- Bowie: vs. Harrisburg, 1:35. Starter: Dean Kremer
- Frederick: at Winston-Salem, 2:00. Starter: TBD
- Delmarva: vs. Hagerstown, 5:05. Starter: A different TBD
- Aberdeen: vs. Lowell, 4:05. Starter: Yet another TBD