Orioles minor league recap 8/11: John Means returns!

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 5, Norfolk Tides 1

Heston Kjerstad drove in Connor Norby with a bloop single in the top of the first, but Norfolk did not score again. The Tides tallied nine hits but failed to scrape together another run. Norby, Kjerstad, Kyle Stowers and Anthony Bemboom all recorded multi-hit games. Norby, Stowers and Bemboom all doubled, and Kjerstad worked a walk.

Cade Povich took the loss after tossing five innings of two-run ball. Povich allowed both runs on a two-run homer in the second inning. The 23-year-old struck out four and walked a pair.

Mychal Givens replaced Povich and allowed three runs in the sixth. Givens surrendered a pair of hits and a walk. TJ McFarland and Logan Gillaspie worked clean innings at the end of the game.

Jerar Encarnacion tallied a pair of homers for Jacksonville.

Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) 5, Bowie Baysox 1

John Means returned to action with his first rehab start this season. The 30-year-old had not pitched in a competitive game since April 13, 2022. The lefty will likely need several rehab appearances, but he made an important first step today.

Means tossed two clean innings before allowing a leadoff single in the third. He retired batters with a strikeout, ground out and fly out in both complete innings. He threw 17 of 28 pitches for strikes and managed to knock the ball down on this nifty play below.

Nolan Hoffman replaced Means and worked a scoreless third, but Kyle Brnovich allowed five runs over four innings of bulk relief. He struck out six and did not walk a batter, but Richmond tagged him for four runs in the sixth.

John Rhodes recorded three of Bowie’s five hits. Rhodes drove in the only run with a single in the fifth. Max Wagner doubled, and Jud Fabian picked up the other base hit. Jackson Holliday and Dylan Beavers combined to go 0-for-8 with three strikeouts.

Single-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 0

The IronBirds finally ended their 13-game losing streak. Elio Prado launched a three-run home run to break the game open for Aberdeen in the seventh. Aberdeen scored its first run on a Jacob Teter single in the second.

Samuel Basallo went 2-for-5 while playing first base. Anthony Servideo tallied a pair of hits and scored on the single by Teter.

Kyle Virbitsky delivered five scoreless frames for Aberdeen. The Penn State product struck out five, walked one, and limited Brooklyn to only three hits. Virbitsky accompanied Cole Irvin in the deal that sent Darell Hernaiz to Oakland over the offseason.

Three relievers combined for four scoreless frames to clinch the shutout.

Low-A: Carolina Mudcats (Brewers) 12, Delmarva Shorebirds 3

Enrique Bradfield Jr. finished 1-for-3 from the leadoff spot and also worked a walk. The first rounder scored the first run of the game from first base on a double by Stiven Acevedo. Noelberth Romero launched a solo homer with two out in the fourth inning.

Juan Rojas sandwiched six earned around a pair of three-run outings by Yaqui Rivera and César Álvarez. Ángel Vargas tossed a scoreless eighth, for what it’s worth.

Friday’s Games:

• Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 7:05. SP: Justin Armbruester (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
• Bowie: at Richmond, 6:35. SP: TBD
• Aberdeen:at Brooklyn, 7:00. SP: TBD
• Delmarva: at Carolina, 7:00. SP: Deivy Cruz (7-2, 3.58 ERA)