Orioles minor league recap 7/28: Norfolk, Bowie pitch well, others do not

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Durham Bulls (Rays) 1

Most of the time, if the 1-8 spots in a team’s starting lineup all go 0-for the entire game and the team’s only two hits are from its #9 hitter, that team is going to lose. However, the Tides managed to get two batters to walk in front of #9 batter Mason McCoy in the fifth inning, and McCoy responded by hitting his fourth home run of the season. This plated all three Norfolk runs in one swing. McCoy stole a base too, his sixth.

Tides pitchers were able to have that three-run home run stand up for the win by holding the Bulls to just six hits. Erstwhile Oriole Konner Wade struck out six batters in six innings, allowing a run on three hits. Backflip master Dusten Knight closed out the game for his sixth save of the season by pitching a pair of scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

Knight has a 0.71 ERA for the Tides. It seems like only a matter of time before Mike Elias cycles the fourth player in the unusually spelled first name quartet (Knight and Wade, plus current Orioles Spenser Watkins and Conner Greene) up to Baltimore.

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 6, Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) 1

Bowie got all of the runs it needed with three runs in the first inning. “Old Toby” Welk popped a two-run home run, his seventh in 29 games since getting promoted to Bowie. Welk, playing first base, had two hits and a walk on the night and also stole a base. His Bowie batting line is .231/.331/.500.

Cadyn Grenier led the way for Bowie’s offense with three hits. Mega-prospect Adley Rutschman was on base twice, with a single and a walk. He scored two of Bowie’s six runs.

It was a fine pitched game from Baysox hurlers as well. Starting pitcher Cody Sedlock struck out seven batters over five innings. He threw only 80 pitches, so he might have had a sixth inning in him if the Orioles weren’t holding their guys to about 80 pitches. Sedlock gave up a run on six hits and a walk. He’s had ups and downs this year; this good start leaves his ERA at 4.41.

High-A: Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) 9, Aberdeen IronBirds 3

21-year-old Ignacio Feliz, a minor league Rule 5 pick, earned a promotion from Delmarva with a 1.05 ERA there. It’s been a rougher time coming up to the High-A level. Feliz, making his second start on Tuesday, gave up six runs in three innings, including two home runs. That leaves him with a 15.00 ERA with Aberdeen. Another recently-promoted player, Ryan Watson, gave up three runs in two innings.

IronBirds batters didn’t end up with very many scoring chances; though they had seven hits and drew four walks, they had someone in scoring position for just four at-bats. Gunnar Henderson walked twice and had a hit. The 20-year-old’s batting line was brutal at this level early on, and it’s looking pretty good now through 30 games: .245/.374/.415. Fellow infielder Jordan Westburg was on base twice. Hudson Haskin took an 0-4, now with a .525 OPS at Aberdeen.

Low-A: Fredericksburg Nationals 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 1

The best Delmarva hitters all got promoted up the ladder and things are a bit more sad down there now. They had just three hits in the game and they only scored their one run as a result of one of Fredericksburg’s three errors. Lamar Sparks took an 0-for, as did Jean Carmona.

This game marked the full-season level debut for Jean Pinto, one of two players acquired for Jose Iglesias last winter. There were good things for Pinto, like eight strikeouts in four innings. Then, there were bad things, which was basically the rest. Pinto ended up allowing four runs, three earned, in four innings. Wildness did him in: He only gave up two hits, but he walked three and also hit a batter.

FCL and DSL Orioles

Orioles Black held on for a 7-6 win against the Twins affiliate. Last year’s fourth round pick, Coby Mayo, added three hits to his tally, including a double, to up his OPS to .977. 2019 July 2 signee Stiven Acevedo also racked up three hits, giving the outfielder an .845 OPS in 16 games.

Orioles Orange won a 9-4 affair over Pirates Black. It was a track meet for the Orange team, as they stole seven bases. Two of these were stolen by rehabbing 40-man player Richie Martin.

In the Dominican, Orioles 1 and Orioles 2 both dropped their games. The highlight was delayed 2020 July 2 signing (actually January 2021) Samuel Basallo hitting his first professional homer. May there be many more to come.

Complete box scores from the US-based affiliates can be found here. Florida Complex League scores are here, and DSL scores are here.

Wednesday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk: vs. Durham, 5:05. Doubleheader starters: Kyle Bradish, Kevin Smith.
• Bowie: at Richmond, 12:05. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen: vs. Bowling Green, 7:05. Starter: Brandon Young
• Delmarva: at Fredericksburg, 7:05. Starter: TBD