Orioles minor league recap 5/17: Jackson Holliday denied chance at cycle in rain-shortened loss

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 9, Syracuse Mets 7

After falling behind early, the TIdes rallied to earn a walk-off win in Norfolk. DL Hall got the start for the Tides, and pitched two perfect innings with two Ks to open the game. The Tides’ flame-throwing lefty ran into some troubles in the third inning. A walk, a hit by pitch and a single saw Hall load the bases with only one out. Mets second baseman Ronny Mauricio then singled to drive home the game’s first two runs. Hall would finish out the inning without allowing any more runs, but that would end his evening, in what was apparently a planned short evening for Hall.

Things would get worse before they got better for Norfolk. Dillon Tate relieved Hall and allowed six hits and four runs while only getting one out. The rough outing leaves Tate’s ERA at 15.43 in three appearances for the Tides, as he continues to try and work his way back to Baltimore. Trailing 6-0, the Tides started their comeback with a Josh Lester solo HR to left in the bottom of the fourth. Norfolk would add two more in the sixth inning, when Jordan Westburg followed up a Connor Norby single and Lester walk with a double to right that scored Norby. Lewin Diaz then brought Lester home on an RBI groundout to cut the lead to 6-3. Norfolk would allow another run on a solo homer in the top of the seventh, but got it right back in the bottom inning when Anthony Bemboom scored on fielding error by Mauricio.

All of this set up for the game’s dramatic conclusion. In the eighth inning, Daz Cameron led off with a double and later came around to score on a Maverick Handley single. That run brought the score to 7-5, but Cameron wasn’t done contributing to the comeback. Norby reached on a throwing error to lead off the bottom of the ninth, then Lester walked and Westburg doubled, scoring Norby and bringing the score to 7-6. Then, with two on and one out, Cameron stepped to the plate and launched a three-run, walk off home run to left.

Box Score

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 4, Altoona Curve (Pirates) 3

Walkoff wins were a theme in the Orioles minor league system Tuesday, as Bowie also was a walkoff winner against Altoona. The Baysox took an early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Heston Kjerstad doubled to right to drive in César Prieto. Things then took an unlucky turn in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Baysox shortstop Anthony Servideo couldn’t field a ball cleanly and allowed Curve right fielder Matt Frazier to reach and the inning to continue. Former No.1 overall pick Henry Davis then immediately punished this error, launching a three-run HR to right center to give Altoona a 3-1 lead.

That lead would be short lived, as John Rhodes hit a two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth. Rhodes immediately came around to score on a Mark Kolozsvary two-run homer the very next batter, tying the game at three all. The game remained tied at 3-3 into the bottom of the ninth inning. Prieto led off the last frame with a double that dropped between the Curve’s shortstop and left fielder. Kjerstad then moved Prieto over to third on a ground out to second base, and the Baysox’ second baseman ended the game when he came around to score on a wild pitch.

Tides’ starter Justin Armbruester gave Norfolk a solid six innings, only allowing four hits, but didn’t factor into the decision thanks to the three unearned charged against him. The win was certainly a welcome sight for the Baysox players and fans alike, after they dropped five out of six last week in Harrisburg.

Box Score

High-A: Winston Salem Dash (White Sox) 8, Aberdeen IronBirds 7 (F/5)

The IronBirds didn’t have a chance to make a comeback in this one, as their loss to Winston Salem was cut short due to rain after five innings. However, if you’re one of the many that likes to check the Aberdeen recap for your daily Jackson Holliday update, then you’re in luck. The former No.1 overall pick put together perhaps the best game of his professional career Tuesday, despite only playing five innings.

Holliday started the scoring in the top of the first inning by launching a 2-2 breaking ball over the right field fence for a two-run homer. The IronBirds’ shortstop picked up two more RBIs in the top of the third, this time doubling to left to plate Isaac Bellony and Max Wagner. Holliday would later come around to score on a Jud Fabian single to give the IronBirds an early 5-0 lead. The Dash put a big dent in that lead in the bottom of the third, as they hit a grand slam to tighten things up at 5-4.

Holliday had one more act of brilliance to offer, though. After Isaac De Leon doubled to lead off the top of the foiuth, and Wagner walked, Holliday tripled to right field to bring both home and bring the Aberdeen lead back up to 7-4. However, the Dash would rally to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth before the rain forced the game into an early stoppage. Holliday finished the game a single short of the cycle in just three ABs, drove in or scored all seven of Aberdeen’s runs and boosted his High-A OPS to 1.093. Safe to say that, with a performance like this, Holliday shouldn’t be playing in High-A much longer.

Box Score

Low-A: Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 1

Delmarva struggled to get its offense going Tuesday night in their loss to Charleston. Despite registering seven hits, the Shorebirds couldn’t push across a run until the seventh inning, at which point Delmarva was already down 3-1. The Shorebirds did put runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the first inning, but outfielder Stiven Acevedo grounded out to third base to end the scoring threat. Delmarva had a first and third opportunity again in the top of the third, this time with only one out. However, shortstop Carter Young struck out swinging and Elio Prado was thrown out trying to steal second, ending that scoring opportunity without a run.

Base path blunders were a theme on the night for the Shorebirds, as they were caught stealing three times—twice on strike ’em out, throw ’em out double plays. The Shorebirds registered no extra-base hits and their only run scored on a potential double play ball that first baseman Victor Gonzalez beat out at first base. Overall, the offense seemed stuck in second gear all night and Delmarva never made a real comeback attempt.

Tuesday night was also a forgettable day at the plate for Low-A’s top prospect Samuel Basallo. The 18-year-old catcher from the Dominican Republic went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Box Score

Wednesday’s scheduled games

• Norfolk Tides vs. Syracuse Mets, 6:35pm ET. Chris Vallimont vs. TBD
• Bowie Baysox vs. Altoona Curve, 6:35pm ET. TBD vs. Sean Sullivan
• Aberdeen IronBirds at Winston Salem Dash, 7pm ET. TBD vs. TBD
• Delmarva Shorebirds at Charleston RiverDogs, 7:05pm ET. Deivy Cruz vs. Kikito Severino