Orioles minor league recap 8/2: Banner day for Hall, pitchers down on the farm

Norfolk Tides 4, Gwinnett (Braves) 0

The Stripers are a full 23 games better than the Tides, but it sure didn’t matter on Thursday. Chandler Shepherd had a strong outing and Norfolk pulled off the shutout win on the road.

Shepherd’s performance got him off of what must have been an agonizing schneid. By allowing only three hits and no runs while striking out eight in 6.1 innings, Shepherd picked up his first win of the season (he’s now 1-9) and lowered his ERA to 7.68.

A big day went to Christopher Bostick, who had three hits in four at-bats, while Mason Williams and Zach Vincej drove in a pair of runs apiece and DJ Stewart (double) had the lone extra-base hit.

Tanner Scott, no doubt fueled by being so far away from Anaheim, the Angels and the 15th inning of baseball games, pitched the last 2.2 innings for the save. High-ranking prospect Ryan Mountcastle went 0-for-5 and left seven men on base, and if that doesn’t tell you how fickle a game baseball can be, nothing will.

Frederick Keys 2, Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 1

Was that Mountcastle update a bummer? Well, here comes the good news: DL Hall had himself a heck of a night.

The team’s No. 3 prospect looked like an ace Thursday, working six innings of three-hit, one-run ball while striking out 10 and picking up the win. Hall is now 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA with the Keys, and he’s fanned 111 batters in 75 innings (13.3 per 9) while allowing an opponents’ average of .193.

Scott Burke, Kieran Lovegrove and Diogenes Almengo protected the lead in relief. Burke struck out two in a perfect frame.

Robert Neustrom, Patrick Dorrian and Will Robertson had the Tides’ three hits, with Robertson’s leaving the yard in the fifth for his second home run of the season.

Aberdeen IronBirds 4, Mahoning Valley (Indians) 1

Toby Welk had a strong night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and his second home run of the season as the IronBirds prevailed.

Joseph Ortiz, Andrew Fregia (double) and Clay Fisher (double) had a pair of hits apiece. Adley Rutschman went 0-for-4, but did walk and score a run.

Pitching-wise, it was a team effort. Kevin Magee (2-5) went the first five innings and allowed one run while striking out eight, and Morgan McSweeney and Connor Gillispie pitched two scoreless innings of relief each.

Note: Delmarva’s game with Greenville was suspended in the top of the fifth with the Shorebirds ahead 4-0. The game will be finished before the scheduled game today.

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

Friday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk: vs. Durham (Rays), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Bruce Zimmermann (0-1, 11.25 ERA)
• Bowie: vs. Portland (Red Sox), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Michael Baumann (2-1, 1.16 ERA)
• Frederick: at Down East (Rangers), 7 p.m. Starter: Ofelky Peralta (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
• Delmarva: at Greenville (Red Sox), resumption of suspended game, followed by 7 p.m. scheduled start. Starter: Drew Rom (6-2, 2.35 ERA)
• Aberdeen: vs. Vermont (Athletics), 7:05 p.m. Starter: TBD