Orioles minor league recap 6/5: Cowser homers; Kjerstad plays his Double-A finale

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 13, Gwinnett Stripers (ATL) 4

The only winners on Sunday, the Tides made it a good one behind a solid, if short outing from Spenser Watkins (3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 K). After Watkins, the Tides used six pitchers, most of whom did well. Kyle Dowdy got the win with a scoreless fourth. Eduardo Bazardo allowed a single run and Darwinzon Hernández coughed up two home runs in one inning. But with Norfolk scoring a run or more in every inning from the second to the seventh, it wasn’t too stressful.

This Colton Cowser guy, recently activated off the IL, looks to be in fine form already: he homered, doubled, and walked twice. Gunning for a call-up much?

https://twitter.com/BSLOnTheVerge/status/1665424620260827139?s=20

Lewin Díaz and Robbie Glendinning, acquired from the Royals on May 18 for cash, had massive Sundays with four runs driven in apiece. Connor Norby went 2-for-5 and walked. Daz Cameron also had two hits.

Box Score

Double-A: Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 14, Bowie Baysox 10

For the second day in a row, Bowie’s staff gave up 13 or more runs. Garrett Stallings (4 IP, 4.64 ERA) wasn’t bad, a three-run home run in the second his only real blemish. But Peter van Loon was extremely ineffective, coughing up five runs in just 0.2 innings, including a grand slam. Kade Strowd allowed three runs in 1.1 innings. Wandisson Charles also allowed three runs. The only Bowie pitcher who had a good outing was Easton Lucas, who struck out the side in the ninth.

At least the Baysox pummeled Harrisburg pitching, with seventeen hits in the game. Three were authored by Heston Kjerstad, who, CC reported yesterday, has since been promoted to Norfolk! This is awesome news for the 24-year-old, and the honor is highly deserved: in 46 games at Double-A, Kjerstad had a .310 average and .959 OPS.

In other hitting news, rehabbing outfielder Hudson Haskin’s rehab is going well: he went 3-for-5 and drove in a pair. Coby Mayo doubled to keep alive a 20-game on-base streak. César Prieto went 2-for-5. John Rhodes and Donta’ Williams had three hits apiece. Anthony Servideo had two hits, too.

Box Score

High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 9, Aberdeen IronBirds 0

Let’s keep this one short: Aberdeen got one-hit and allowed nine runs.

If you’re into bright spots and stuff, the one hit belonged to newcomer Creed Willems. Two other IronBirds baserunners were Jackson Holliday and Douglas Hodo, with a walk apiece. Otherwise, the prospects list of Max Wagner, Holliday, Jud Fabian and Dylan Beavers were held to a combined 0-for-13 line.

On the pitching side, Alex Pham took the loss (2-2, 2.90 ERA) with 3.2 innings where he allowed four runs. One scored after he left, when Dan Hammer threw an ill-timed wild pitch. Then another wild pitch scored Hudson Valley’s fifth, this time by Jake Lyons. Lyons and Graham Firoved allowed four more runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

Box Score

Low-A: Fredericksburg Nationals 4, Delmarva Shorebirds 3

This game was tied 3-3 until Fredericksburg walked it off with a double, HBP, walk and single against Delmarva’s Darlin Alcantara, who took the loss. Before that, Bradley Brehmer, a 6’6” right-hander selected in Round 12 of the 2022 draft, threw a nice five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while whiffing three and walking none. César Alvarez threw two, allowing an unearned run when he tried to pick off a runner at first with a runner on third and threw the ball away. D’oh.

As for the offense, the Shorebirds had eight hits and three walks, but they left 7 runners on base and were just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Samuel Basallo went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double. Carter Young had a throwing error from shortstop, but he also went 4-for-4. Stiven Acevedo reached base three times.

Box Score

Tuesday’s Schedule

• Norfolk @ Scranton/WB, 6:35. Starter: TBD
• Bowie @ Erie, 6:05: Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen vs Asheville, 7:05: Starter: TBD
• Delmarva vs Down East, 7:05. Starter: TBD