Orioles minor league recap 6/11: Rutschman and Leyba homer, Sedlock shines again

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 6, Norfolk Tides 4

Starter Spenser Watkins cruised through the first three innings but hit a brick wall in the fourth. Watkins allowed three runs in the third and exited without retiring the side. Tom Eshelman allowed a pair of runs in three innings. Eshelman appeared to be an eventual bullpen candidate for the Orioles this season, but his 6.41 ERA does not make a strong case.

After announcing his arrival with a grand slam Wednesday night, Domingo Leyba went deep again. Leyba turned a 2-0 pitch into a no doubter to right field.

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 7, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) 4

Adley Rutschman went deep again. Rutschman stepped to the plate with a man on in the ninth inning and slapped the first pitch he saw over the left field fence. The opposite field homer made Rutschman the organizations minor league leader in home runs with nine.

Joseph Ortiz blasted a two-run shot in the seventh inning and finished 3-5 on the night. Terrin Vavra finished 0-3 but walked twice, and Cadyn Grenier went 2-4. Patrick Dorrian and J.C. Escarra combined for an 0-8 performance.

Cody Sedlock continued to build on a string of good performances. He allowed just one run through five innings. The former first-round pick struck out five, walked three and the lone run came via a solo shot.

High-A: Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) 7, Aberdeen IronBirds 1

Aberdeen starter Ryan Wilson allowed a three-run home run in the bottom of the first and the IronBirds never recovered. Wilson allowed a solo homer in the second and exited after the third. Kade Strowd tossed two scoreless innings, but Ryan Conroy allowed three runs later in the game.

Cody Roberts tallied the IronBirds’ only two hits in this one. Roberts singled to left in the top of the second and ripped a leadoff double in the seventh inning. Roberts eventually scored in the seventh on a ground out by Maverick Handley.

Low-A: Game 1: Delmarva Shorebirds 8, Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland) 2 (Completion of game started 6/9)

This game resumed in a scoreless tie at the start of the third inning. Unfortunately, the resumption of the game was postponed a few hours due to more rain. Delmarva eventually struck first and broke the game open later in the contest.

Gunnar Henderson finished 3-5 with a double and his first triple of the season. Henderson punched the ball to left center and showed off his speed before sliding head first into third base. Hudson Haskin also doubled in the contest and finished 2-4. Greg Cullen went 2-3 and also worked a walk.

Game 2: Delmarva Shorebirds vs Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland) PPD

The second originally scheduled game was unable to be completed due to more rain in Lynchburg. Plans to reschedule the game were not immediately released, but a doubleheader today could certainly be in the cards.

Complete box scores for Thursday’s games can be found here

Friday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 7:05. Starter: Zac Lowther (0-2, 7.15 ERA)
• Bowie: at Binghamton, 7:05. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen: at Bowling Green, 7:05. Starter: TBD
• Delmarva: at Lynchburg, TBD. Starter TBD