Orioles minor league recap 8/7: Stowers walks off, Povich makes a good impression

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Nashville Sounds (Brewers) 2

It was a good time in Norfolk last night with a final play that featured three players that many fans are desperate to see in Baltimore. With Gunnar Henderson (#2 prospect via MLB Pipeline) and Jordan Westburg (#5) on base via single and walk, respectively, Kyle Stowers (#7) launched a double to center field to score both and give the Tides the walk-off win.

Stowers’s ninth-inning heroics were part of a three-hit game in which he hit two doubles and picked up all three of the team’s RBI. Henderson also had a very nice night at the plate, reaching four times with two singles, a walk, and a HBP. Westburg did not have a hit in the game but did walk twice.

Big Mike Baumann (#13) started for the Tides and went five innings. He struck out seven and gave up just one run, but also walked three. Logan Allen allowed the second Sounds’ run, and every 12 year old’s favorite player, Louis Head, vultured the win with a scoreless top of the ninth.

Box Score

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 8, Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) 0

The Baysox smacked around the Senators for eight runs despite having just two extra base hits. J.D. Mundy’s only hit in the game was a three-run homer and Connor Norby (#10) doubled and scored in the eighth inning.

Colton Cowser (#3) continued his onslaught of double-A pitching with three singles and three RBI; his OPS is now 1.099. Red hot Joey Ortiz (#15) “only” reached base twice with a single and a walk. John Rhodes (#22) also picked up a single and a walk, but prospects Hudson Haskin (#16) and Cesar Prieto (#11) went hitless. Haskin did walk twice, though!

Norby, Rhodes, and Haskin also got an OBP bump thanks to being hit by the Senators’ starting pitcher, Tim Cate. Get it together, dude.

On the bump was Justin Armbruester, who picked up the win with five outstanding innings. Armbruester retired the first eight batters he faced and ultimately gave up just three hits, all singles. He struck out six and is giving me good return on the investment I made in learning how to spell his name.

The Baysox have won seven in a row and have played themselves back up to .500.

Box Score

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 3, Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 0

Happy Cade Povich Day, everyone! Povich (#26) made his debut in the Orioles’ organization and couldn’t have made a better first impression. He struck out the first five batters he faced and had a perfect game until a Coby Mayo (#6) error with one out in the fifth inning. The lone hit he allowed came with two outs in the sixth, and he responded by getting a first-pitch ground out to end the inning and his night. 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K.

Did we win the Jorge López trade? Early returns look promising.

On offense, only Darell Hernaiz (#29) had a multi-hit night, with two singles from the top of the lineup. Heston Kjerstad (#9) went 1-for-4 with an RBI single while Billy Cook had the big blow with a two-run triple. The rehabbing Mayo doubled in four plate appearances.

Box Score

Low-A: Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 1

The lone losers in the organization last night, the Shorebirds had just four hits in the game and didn’t manage their lone run until the bottom of the ninth. In that inning, Luis Valdez started the inning with a triple and then scored on a balk.

The three remaining hits came from Mishael Deson, who also picked up the team’s only walk in the game.

Starting pitcher Juan De Los Santos took the loss with three innings pitched and two runs allowed (one earned). The trio of relief pitchers who followed did not fare much better. All three allowed runs of their own.

Box Score

Sunday’s Scheduled Games

• Norfolk: vs Nashville, 4:05. Starter: D.L. Hall
• Bowie: @ Harrisburg, 1:00. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen: vs Wilmington, 2:05. Starter: Dan Hammer
• Delmarva: vs Augusta, 5:05. Starter: Conor Grady