Orioles minor league recap 8/15: Cadyn Grenier’s two home runs power Bowie to a doubleheader split

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides, Memphis Redbirds PPD

More rain. This one will be made up as part of a double-header today.

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 10, Richmond Flying Squirrels 9 (Game 1)

The hits were flying for Bowie in Game 1 of a Saturday doubleheader. Down 9-5 in the bottom of the inning, the Baysox mounted a five-run comeback led off by a pair of singles, a three-run homer by Cadyn Grenier (his second of the game), a single, a walk, and a Patrick Dorrian two-run double. A thrilling night at the ballpark.

The offensive barrage helped overcome a rough start for Blaine Knight (3-4, 5.04 ERA), a third-round pick in 2018. Knight pitched 2.2 innings and allowed six runs, most of the damage coming in a six-run third inning where he couldn’t stop the Flying Squirrels hitters’ attack. Luis Pérez (1-3, 5.79) relieved him with 3.1 OKish innings in which three more Richmond runs scored. Tyler Erwin (3-2, 4.78 ERA) got the win for pitching a lockdown seventh.

With 15 hits spread around, it was a great day for basically every Baysox hitter: everyone reached at least once and six guys had two or more hits. Amidst all the hitting, Cadyn Grenier (.241 AVG, .716 OPS) stood out with a 3-for-4, two-homer, 4-RBI day. Outfielders and 2019 draftees Kyle Stowers and Zach Watson both had two hits apiece. Patrick Dorrian (.249 AVG, .874 OPS) went 2-for-4 with the walkoff double and Seth Mejías-Brean (.333 AVG, 1.033 OPS) also went 2-for-4. Shayne Fontana went 0-for-2 but walked twice and scored the winning run.

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 1, Richmond Flying Squirrels 10 (Game 2)

A Game 2 to forget, with Richmond scoring five runs against the starter, two in the fourth, and three more in the last two innings. Cody Sedlock (5-3, 4.60 ERA) had a rough outing, walking in a run in the first and allowing two long balls in the second to leave his team in a 5-0 hole. Logan Gillaspie, Steven Klimek, and Tim Naughton each got touched up for a run or more.

The Baysox struck out 10 times, their only run coming on a Johnny Rizer solo knock.

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 1, Asheville Tourists 9

Not a marquee day for Aberdeen, either. Starter Brandon Young looked sharp in his third start for the IronBirds, with just a run allowed in five innings and 10 strikeouts. But he was followed by an ineffective Morgan McSweeney who, with four runs allowed in just one inning, allowed the game to get out of reach.

Aberdeen notched 8 hits but struck out 13 times. J.D. Mundy drove in the solo run with an RBI single in the fifth. Andrew Daschbach had a nice 2-for-4 day. Jordan Westburg went 1-for-5 and Gunnar Henderson went 1-for-4 with a throwing error.

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 1, Lynchburg Hillcats 6

Delmarva didn’t do much to support Jake Lyons (2-3, 4.25 ERA), who got the loss with three runs allowed in four innings. Shorebirds relievers then proceeded to lose the strike zone, as Carlos del Rosario walked four in a single inning and Ricky Ramirez allowed two Lynchburg runs to score on wild pitches.

A TT Bowens homer accounted for the lone Shorebirds run. Delmarva had just five hits, and two players racked up all of them: Bowens, who went 2-for-4, and Lamar Sparks, who hit three singles.

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

Sunday’s scheduled games:

Norfolk vs. Memphis, 1:05 PM (Game 1). Starter: TBD (probably Konner Wade)

Norfolk vs. Memphis, 4:05 PM (Game 2). Starter: TBD

Bowie vs. Richmond, 1:35 PM. Starter: Gray Fenter (4-2, 6.75 ERA)

Aberdeen vs. Asheville, 2:05 PM. Starter: Conner Loeprich (0-2, 10.80 ERA)

Delmarva at Lynchburg, 5:00 PM. Starter: TBD