Orioles minor league recap 8/9: Mullins goes 2-5 in blowout loss for Bowie

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 11, Norfolk Tides 2

After putting up eight scoreless innings in his last start, Garrett Stallings and the Tides fell flat Tuesday night in a lopsided loss to the Jumbo Shrimp. It was clear early on that Stallings didn’t have his best stuff against Jacksonville. After stranding a runner at third in the first, the 26-year-old right-hander gave up a leadoff double in the second, which later turned into Jacksonville’s first run on a two-out RBI single. Things got worse in the third inning, as Stallings gave up three straight singles to lead off the frame, which the Jumbo Shrimp turned into two runs and a 3-0 lead.

The wheels then truly fell off Stallings’ outing in the fourth inning, as a leadoff double, a walk and back-to-back singles saw the Jacksonville lead balloon to 5-0. Jumbo Shrimp 1B Troy Johnston then put the final nail in Stallings’ and Norfolk’s coffin when he blasted a three-run homer to right to give Jacksonville a 8-0 lead heading into the fifth inning.

Once Stallings exited the game after four disastrous innings, the two Triple-A heavyweights played to a draw over the last five innings. Trailing 9-0, Norfolk finally got on the board in the sixth when Heston Kjerstad lined a ball to center that snuck under the glove of the diving CF for an inside-the-park HR. The Tides added another consolation run in the eighth on back-to-back-to-back singles from Connor Norby, Kjerstad and Joey Ortiz. However, those consolation runs proved to be all for naught thanks to a two-run inning from Jacksonville in the top of the ninth.

Box Score

Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) 10, Bowie Baysox 2

Bowie suffered a similarly lopsided defeat against Richmond, as a seven-run sixth inning propelled the Flying Squirrels to victory. The Baysox took an early lead in the top of the second inning on outfielder Jud Fabian’s leadoff HR to left field. That lead was short lived, however, as the Flying Squirrels responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second. After striking out the first batter, starter Alex Pham gave up a bunt single and a walk before Richmond 1B Logan Wyatt launched a three-run homer to right.

Richmond’s lead stayed at 3-1 into the bottom of the sixth, when the Flying Squirrels truly broke the game open. Ignacio Feliz relieved Pham and started off the inning with a walk, before back-to-back singles brought home Richmond’s fourth run. Feliz then gave up three more RBI singles mixed in with a HBP and wild pitch, allowing Richmond’s lead to balloon to 9-1. Manager Kyle Moore then lifted Feliz with one out and two on, and then Richmond’s 10th run came off of an error from reliever Connor Loeprich.

Bowie got one run back in the ninth, as 2B Greg Cullen led off the inning with a double to left and later came around to score on a single from 1B Maxwell Costes. However, the offense was far too little, far too late, to make the game competitive. The good news out of Richmond is that Cedric Mullins went 2-5 as he continues his rehab assignment, while 3B Max Wagner and Costes both collected hits in their first games with the Baysox.

Box Score

Single-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 2

The IronBirds took an early lead against Brooklyn Tuesday, but after that the bats went silent in the Cyclones’ come-from-behind win. After three scoreless innings from both teams, the IronBirds finally got on the board in the top of the fourth. Infielder Carter Young, in his first game at Aberdeen, started the rally with a one-out single to center. Brooklyn then walked the bases loaded and Aberdeen got two runs on walks to LF Jacob Teter and 3B Anthony Servideo.

Those, however, would be the last runs the IronBirds scored. Brooklyn tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run inning. Aberdeen starter Daniel Lloyd gave up a one-out single and then a two-out, two-run HR to Cyclones’ RF Stanley Consuegra. Brooklyn almost took the lead in the fourth, but the would-be third run of the inning was thrown out at home to end the frame. However, they wasted no time in taking the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as C Drake Osborn led off the inning with a solo HR left field to make things 3-2.

Aberdeen had a chance to tie things in the sixth after a one-out double from DH Tim Susnara put a runner in scoring position. A fly out and a strikeout stranded Susnara at second and saw Aberdeen’s best scoring threat go to waste. No IronBirds runner advanced past first base from the seventh inning on as their bats fell largely quiet to close out the game.

Box Score

Low-A: Carolina Mudcats (Brewers) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 1

The Shorebirds bats never came alive Tuesday night, as they were one-hit in a loss to Carolina. The Mudcats raced out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first off a bases-loaded sac fly followed by an RBI single. That early advantage would prove too much for Delmarva in one of its worst offensive games of the season.

Outfielder Mathew Etzel led off the top of the 2nd with a solo HR to right center—his first hit in A ball. However, that was the one and only hit the Shorebirds could muster Tuesday. After the homer, Carolina set down the next 15 Shorebirds batters in a row, before CF Tavian Josenberger ended that streak with a lead off walk in the top of the seventh. Delmarva did get a runner in scoring position after two walks and a double steal in the eighth inning, but couldn’t get a ball out of the infield to bring a run home.

The Mudcats added their third run of the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out RBI single. Carolina then truly put the game to bed in the seventh thanks to a two-run HR from C Jose Sibrian. Overall the Mudcats racked up 12 hits to Delmarva’s one and had four players in their lineup with 2+ hits.

Box Score

Wednesday’s Scheduled Games

• Norfolk Tides at Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 7:05pm ET. Chayce McDermott vs. TBD
• Bowie Baysox at Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6:35pm ET. TBD vs. Spencer Bivens
• Aberdeen IronBirds at Brooklyn Cylcones, 12pm ET. Trace Bright vs. Jordany Ventura
• Delmarva Shorebirds at Carolina Mudcats, 7pm ET. Raúl Rangel vs. Brian Fitzpatrick