Orioles minor league recap 5/14: Norfolk wins a wild one behind Westburg and Cowser (again)

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 13, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 10

Do the Tides ever lose? After another offensive onslaught, they now sit at 28-9 on the season. They have an eight-game lead in their division.

Noah Denoyer started the game and left after one inning, having given up two runs. Not sure why he came out after just one, but it was a true bullpen game with eight pitchers, none of whom pitched more than 1.2 innings. One of those pitchers was recently demoted Keegan Akin, who fired one perfect frame.

The Tides offense scored 10 runs over the first three innings, helped along by Jordan Westburg’s (#6) 10th home run of the season. It was part of a two-hit, two-walk game for the man who is starting to look out of place in the minor leagues. Speaking of players I’d like to see in the majors soon, Colton Cowser (#5) reached base five times from the leadoff spot. Cowser had three hits, including a double, and also walked twice.

Connor Norby (#9) had two hits in the game, a single and a double. Josh Lester homered and had four RBI in his two-hit day.

Box Score

Double-A: Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 3, Bowie Baysox 2 - F/10

Starter Chayce McDermott (#18-T) gave up two runs in four innings with an ugly four walks and one home run. Wandisson Charles took the loss in the 10th in the most brutal way possible. He struck out the first two batters he faced, then got a ground ball to third baseman Coby Mayo (#8). Mayo threw the ball away and the Manfred Man scored from second to end the game.

The Baysox didn’t have many baserunners, just six hits and one walk. John Rhodes doubled in a run and Noelberth Romero hit a solo home run. Mayo and Heston Kjerstad (#10) both went 1-for-4 with a single.

Box Score

High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 6, Aberdeen IronBirds 2

Both IronBirds runs scored in the first inning on a triple from Frederick Bencosme (#20), who had two hits in the game. Jackson Holliday (#3) and Jud Fabian (#13) both went 1-for-4 with a single.

Starting pitcher Cooper Chandler pitched well, giving up five hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out five and walked zero. Just one of his three runs was earned as the fifth inning saw a fielding error, a wild pitch, and a catcher’s interference.

Box Score

Low-A: Down East Wood Ducks (TEX) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

The Shorebirds held a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth when pitcher Yaqui Rivera gave up two runs to blow the save. With two runners on base, Rivera gave up a single that allowed one to run, and then a throwing error from outfielder Stiven Acevedo allowed the winning run to come in. It was one of three Delmarva errors in the game

Starter Juan Nunez gave up two runs in five innings, but just one was earned. It was overall a nice night for him as he gave up four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

On offense, Samuel Basallo (#14) had just one hit, but it was a big one. He hit his fourth home run, a two-run shot, in the fifth inning. Acevedo reached base three times with a home run of his own.

Box Score

Today’s Games

• Norfolk @ Jacksonville, 3:05 pm. Starter: Drew Rom (#18-T)
• Bowie @ Harrisburg, 1:00 pm. Starter: Houston Roth
• Aberdeen vs. Hudson Valley, 2:05 pm. Starter: Jean Pinto
• Delmarva @ Down East, 1:00 pm. Starter: Alfred Vega