Orioles minor league recap 9/12: Sedlock outpitches Severino, Baysox tie series

Bowie Baysox 7, Trenton Thunder (Yankees) 2 — Eastern League Championship, Game 2

We are all square at one game apiece in the battle for the Eastern League title as former first-rounder Cody Sedlock and the Baysox outclassed rehabbing MLB starter Luis Severino and the Thunder.

Sedlock’s performance was even more impressive given how he opened the game. The first batter singled, and then he hit the second batter to put two runners aboard before recording an out. But he settled in and retired the next two batters before allowing an RBI single. That would prove to be the righty’s only run allowed all evening.

The University of Illinois product would go on to throw four more innings and surrendered just two additional baserunner’s in that time. Sedlock’s final line: five innings, one run, four hits, no walks, two strikeouts. Sure, not the most dominating performance but notable nonetheless.

His opponent on the mound, Severino, had a less enjoyable night. After sailing through the first two innings and looking like the top tier big league starter that he is (one hit, four strikeouts), things went awry in the third.

T.J. Nichting led off with a double, and he came around to score on a Cedric Mullins single, but not without some help from the Trenton defense. Nichting’s run came on a play at the plate that likely should have result in an out, but the Trenton catcher was unable to hold onto the throw. It would prove to be only the first miscue of the inning.

Yusniel Diaz strode up to the plate with two outs and laced a line drive triple over the head of the right fielder. Mullins scored easily, In an effort to nab Diaz at third, the right fielder overthrew the base and the ball landed in the stands, allowing Diaz to come home for a little league home run and give the Baysox a 3-1 lead.

Bowie extended the lead in the fourth inning. Ryan McKenna reached on a one-out triple and then came right back home on a Mason McCoy sacrifice fly, knocking Severino from the game after 64 pitches. The back-to-back top ten Cy Young finisher tossed 3.2 innings and allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits, no walks and four strikeouts. The Yankees will surely be happy with his lack of free passes and will attribute most of the blame for many of the runs to a lackluster Trenton defense behind him.

Miguel Yajure came on in Severino’s place, but would fare no better. Cedric Mullins led off the fifth inning with a six-pitch walk and then moved to second base on a steal. He crossed the plate a few batters later on a Carlos Perez ground out, making it a 5-1 advantage for the Baysox.

Things went a bit quiet until the eighth inning, when Bowie got back on the scoreboard. Perez and Jesmuel Valentin got aboard with a single and walk respectively. Following a McKenna strikeout, McCoy joined them on base with a base on balls of his own. Then Nichting struck the big blow with a two-run single to put the game out of reach by a score of 7-1.

It was not the most smooth of ninth innings for the Baysox bullpen. Cristian Alvarado began the frame but would not end it. He served up a a run on two hits and a walk and was removed before things could get worse. Steven Klimek came on as his replacement and made quick work of it, striking out the only batter he faced to close out the win.

There were a few standout performances in the Bowie win. Sedlock’s five innings on the mound were key. Nichting had a big day at the plate with three hits plus a stolen base. And Diaz added the triple and the RBI.

The series now moves to Prince George’s Stadium. Game three’s first pitch is 7 p.m. on Thursday. Alex Wells will start for the Baysox. He will be opposed by 2017 first rounder Clarke Schmidt.