Orioles minor league recap 8/4: Rutschman homers off MLB All-Star, Hernaiz hits walkoff on his birthday

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

Two pitchers from the Dylan Bundy trade, righties Kyle Bradish and Isaac Mattson, started and finished this game, and both struggled. Bradish was chased after four innings in which he walked four batters, struck out five, and surrendered two runs on three hits. Bradish, ranked the Orioles’ #12 prospect by MLB Pipeline, now has a 5.04 ERA and 5.2 walks per nine in 12 starts at Triple-A. Safe to say he’s a work in progress. Still, the Tides held the lead in the seventh until Lewin Diaz (who homered against the Orioles just last week) tied the game with an RBI single, and Mattson surrendered three runs in the eighth to lose it. He’s got a 9.53 ERA in 14 games at Norfolk.

Offensively, most of the Tides’ damage was done by the bottom of the order, with No. 8 and 9 hitters Mason McCoy and Ryan Ripken combining for five hits and three RBIs. The middle of the order was a black hole, as Jahmai Jones (#16 prospect) and Tyler Nevin (#21) each went 0-for-4.

Double-A: Somerset Patriots (Yankees) 8, Bowie Baysox 4

Adley Rutschman isn’t afraid of anyone, you guys. Even when you throw a legit major league pitcher at him — as Somerset did tonight with rehabbing Yankees two-time All-Star Luis Severino — he just goes out and bashes yet another home run. Rutschman’s first-inning, two-run blast was his 17th of the year. Even Severino had to be wondering, “Wait, why is this guy still in Double-A?”

The Patriots followed Severino with another rehabbing big leaguer, lefty Wandy Peralta...and Rutschman doubled off of him. Is there anything this guy can’t do? (On the negative side, Adley did make an errant pickoff throw. We’ll forgive him.) Fast-rising prospect Kyle Stowers (#22 on Pipeline) went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts, while Yusniel Diaz (#8), sent down from Norfolk to rehab his turf toe, was 0-for-4 with three whiffs. It was Diaz’s first game action since July 11.

Bowie’s other two runs came on a homer by center fielder Zach Watson, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a poor showing on the mound and in the field. Pitchers Gray Fenter, Ryan Conroy, and Steven Klimek were all scored upon — with Klimek allowing five runs to squander a late 4-3 lead — but their defense didn’t do them any favors, with the Baysox committing four errors.

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 8, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) 5

It was a hitting party for the IronBirds on this night, as every batter in the lineup reached base at least once. The club put 21 baserunners aboard via hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Three prospects joined in on the fun: Gunnar Henderson (#5) had two hits, two runs, and an RBI; #6 prospect Jordan Westburg was 1-for-4 with an RBI; and Hudson Haskin (#13) had two hits and a walk. In the field, Henderson and Westburg, playing shortstop and third base respectively, each committed a throwing error.

Of note, newly acquired right-hander Tyler Burch, picked up in last week’s Freddy Galvis trade, made his Orioles organizational debut. He worked one inning, giving up a run on two hits and a strikeout. The only one of Aberdeen’s four pitchers not to be scored upon was righty Shelton Perkins, who notched the win with 1.2 hitless innings of relief.

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Down East Wood Ducks (Rangers) 3

As Mark Brown pointed out in the minor league week in review, only one of the Orioles’ top 30 prospects per Pipeline is currently on the Shorebirds’ active roster. And wouldn’t you know it, that player — infielder Darell Hernaiz (#27) — was the hero in this game, delivering a walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. It was his only hit in five at-bats, but he certainly made it count. Oh, and it also happened to be his 20th birthday. Quite a way to celebrate.

Hernaiz drove in Lamar Sparks, who had an excellent night, reaching base four times, including a home run, and also stealing a base. Leadoff man Mason Janvrin swiped a bag and is a perfect 17-for-17 in steals this year, though he’s hitting just .197.

Recently promoted right-hander Jean Pinto, part of the Jose Iglesias trade return, made his second start for Delmarva and was outstanding, tossing six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, and striking out six while walking none. He’d have earned a win if not for three runs by the Wood Ducks in the seventh off reliever Jensen Elliott, all of which were unearned thanks to a pair of infield errors (one by Hernaiz). Still, all’s well that ends well.

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

Wednesday’s scheduled games:

• Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 5:05 PM (doubleheader). Gm 1 starter: Kevin Smith (1-3, 5.26); Gm 2 starter: TBD
• Bowie: at Somerset, 7:05 PM. Starter: Kyle Brnovich (0-0, 2.77)
• Aberdeen: at Jersey Shore, 7:05 PM. Starter: TBD
• Delmarva: vs. Down East, 7:05 PM. Starter: TBD