Orioles minor league recap 4/17: Tides keep rolling as Drew Rom sparkles

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 7, Nashville Sounds (MIL) 1

The first-place Norfolk Tides (10-4) clinched a series split against Nashville after dropping the first three games of the six-game set.

The Tides jumped out to an early lead when Joey Ortiz (back in the lineup) doubled in Colton Cowser (#5) in the third inning. Daz Cameron drove in their second run with a sac fly in the fourth. That would “tide” them over (see what I did there?) until the seventh, when they busted out for five runs.

Connor Norby (#9) grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Maverick Handley. A couple batters later, Ortiz hit a three-run little league home run! Next man up Josh Lester hit a home run of the ordinary kind to put Norfolk up 7-0.

Starter Drew Rom has been dominant thus far this season (2-0, 1.69 ERA, 3 G) and it was no different on Sunday. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out five.

After Rom, Eduard Bazardo and Darwinzon Hernández combined for three scoreless/hitless innings. Only Joey Krehbiel suffered damage, allowing a solo homer to the first guy he faced.

Box Score

Double-A: Akron RubberDucks (CLE) 4, Bowie Baysox 2

For once, Heston Kjerstad didn’t homer and the Baysox missed him. (Kjerstad did walk and single, so don’t be too worried.) They scored an early run on a throwing error and a second one late when César Prieto (2-for-5) singled home Gilbert Lara (2-for-3). In so doing, Prieto extended an eight-game hit streak. Coby Mayo took an 0-fer out of the No. 2 spot.

Despite the offensive struggles, the Baysox had to a chance to win thanks to a stellar outing by Garrett Stallings. The right-hander threw six innings of two-hit, scoreless ball, and has a 1.80 ERA in ten innings thus far.

Unfortunately Antonio Velez allowed two runs to send the game into extra innings and Nolan Hoffman coughed up two more to give Akron a win.

Box Score

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 4

Aberdeen notched just six hits while striking out thirteen times and committing three errors, but it enough for a win on Sunday. Adam Retzbach drove in two with a home run. The Ironbirds had already scored one run on a passed ball, and they’d score another on a wild pitch ahead of the game-winner in the ninth, with Luis Valdez driving home Ryan Higgins.

Kyle Vrbitsky allowed three runs in three innings on four hits and two walks. Alex Pham had a nice outing with four innings in which he allowed one run and whiffed five. Keagan Gillies got the win with two scoreless innings.

Frederick Bencosme (#20), Max Wagner (#16), and Reed Trimble went 0-for-10 between them.

Box Score

Low-A: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

The 4-5 Shorebirds fell short on Sunday, although they didn’t pitch a bad game.

Bradley Brehmer, drafted in the 12^th round of last year’s draft, allowed three runs (two earned) over four innings while striking out six. Kannapolis scored its first run on a throwing error/fielder’s choice but plated two in the second on a double by nicely-named Jordan Sprinkle.

The Shorebirds cut into the Kannapolis lead with a two-run third. Former Terrapin Maxwell Costes hit his first professional home run before Samuel Basallo’s RBI double (2-for-5) scored Jackson Holliday (#4). Holliday also drove in a run of his own in the seventh inning. He’s OPS’ing 1.068 and could be headed for a promotion soon.

Delmarva tied the game at 4 on Creed Willems’ fourth long ball of the season. The catcher is now hitting .444 on the season. Unfortunately Kannapolis scored the winning runs against Wyatt Cheney, and a late Shorebirds rally fell just short. Yaqui Rivera threw two scoreless innings of relief.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

There are no scheduled games for Monday. Tuesday’s scheduled games:

• Norfolk vs Red Wings, 6:05 pm. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen vs Blue Claws, *** pm. Starter: TBD
• Delmarva @ Nationals, 7:05 pm. Starter: TBD