ORIOLES MINOR LEAGUE RECAP 5/8: HAYS HOMERS IN REHAB START AS BAYSOX HANG 17 ON HUDSON VALLEY
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 9, Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 4
The Tides got out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and used a big seventh inning to secure the win over the Redbirds. Norfolk took a lead before recording an out, as Jackson Holliday led off the game with a single and then came home to score on a Connor Norby double. That lead grew from one to three two batters later, as Kyle Stowers launched a two-run homer run to deep right center. The Tides would tack on another run after a walk, hit by pitch and RBI single from Hudson Haskin.
Norfolk played a little small ball in the second to grow the lead. Maverick Handley singled to start the inning, and Holliday and Norby walked to load the bases. Stowers then sent another baseball for a ride, but this time it stayed in the yard, ending up as a sac fly.
That 5-0 lead usually would’ve been plenty for Tides’ ace Cade Povich, but the O’s best pitching prospect was a little less sharp on Tuesday. He worked around a double in the first to pitch a scoreless inning, put couldn’t do the same in the second. Former Orioles prospect César Prieto led off the inning with a double, and later came around to score on a double from 3B Jaren Young.
Povich put up scoreless innings in the third and fourth, but ran into some more trouble in the fifth. After a leadoff walk, former MLB All-Star Matt Carpenter took Povich deep to right center for a two-run blast. It speaks to how impressive Povich has been this season that his final line from Tuesday—5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 5 K—was by far his worst start of the season.
Memphis got another run in the sixth to cut the Norfolk lead to 5-4. This left the Tides in desperate need of some insurance runs, and Nick Maton was the man to deliver them. In the seventh, with Stowers on and two outs, Daniel Johnson singled and Haskin walked to load the bases. Maton then took a hanging slider and rocketed it over the right field fence for a game-sealing grand slam.
Double-A: Bowie Baysox 17, Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 1
Austin Hays homered in his first rehab start with Bowie and the entire Baysox offense got in on the fun as Bowie hammered the RubberDucks. The Baysox fell behind 1-0 after the top of the first, but Hays quickly put them in the lead. Samuel Basallo led off the bottom of the first with a double to left, and then Hays launched a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
If Hays’ homer cracked the floodgates, they fully broke open in the bottom of the 4th. Jud Fabian led off the inning with a single and then Akron reliever Trey Benton walked the bases loaded. The Baysox got their first couple of runs in the inning without a hit, as Fabian scored on a walk and another came home on a sac fly. Anthony Servideo then doubled to center to bring home two more runs and grow the lead to 6-1.
After that a comedy of errors ensued for the RubberDucks, as two runs scored on fielding errors by the Akron 1B and LF. TT Bowens then capped off the rally with a single to right that brought home the final two runs of the inning. All in all, the Baysox put up eight runs on only three hits and only one extra-base hit.
The runs continued to flow freely in the bottom of the 5th—but this time by more traditional means. Collin Burns led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Basallo walked and Hays singled to load the bases once again for Bowie. Dylan Beavers then hit a sac fly to left before Fabian launched a ball over the left field fence for a three-run homer.
Bowie’s last rally came in the bottom of the seventh. Already up 14-1, Beavers led off the inning with a walk and then Fabian hit his second homer of the game, this time a two-run shot to left field. Bowie’s 17th and final run came from Bowens and Servideo. The Baysox DH hit a ground rule double down the right field line and then came home to score on an RBI single from Servideo. All of this offense came in support of an excellent outing from starter Alex Pham, who went five innings, only allowing one hit and one run while striking out six.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 4, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) 3
After falling behind early, the IronBirds rallied back to score a come from behind of the Renegades. Early on, Aberdeen’s bats struggled mightily against Hudson Valley starter, Cam Schlittler. The 23-year-old former seventh-round pick held the IronBirds scoreless and hitless through the first five innings while also picking up seven Ks.
While Schlittler was shutting down the Aberdeen offense, the Renegades took an early lead thanks to a solo HR from C Jesus Rodriguez in the second. The Renegades would get two more runs off of Carter Baumler in the sixth to grow their lead to 3-0. Shortstop Jared Serna led off with a double before Rodriguez launched his second homer of the game, this time a two-run shot to left.
With a three-run lead, Hudson Valley decided to turn things over to the bullpen and that’s when the IronBird bats got going. Max Wagner, in his first game back from injury, led off the sixth with a solo HR to right center. Mac Horvath followed that up with a single and came around to score on a triple from Creed Willems. Tavian Josenberger then singled on a line drive to left, driving home Willems and tying the game at three.
Aberdeen then took advantage of Enrique Bradfield Jr.’s speed to take the lead in the seventh. Bradfield led off the inning with a line-drive double to left. The O’s No. 5 prospect then swiped third base and came home on a throwing error by Rodriguez. From there, Baumler and Juan De Los Santos worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to seal the IronBirds’ win.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 5, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) 3
The Shorebirds raced out to an early 4-0 lead and their bullpen locked down the victory, beating the Cannon Ballers for their seventh win of the season. Delmarva wasted no time getting on the board, putting up a three spot in the top of the first. Thomas Sosa led off the game with an infield single and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Braylin Tavera wasted no time bringing Sosa home, launching a triple to center field to give Delmarva a 1-0 lead. Angel Tejada then ripped the first pitch he saw into left field for a double, scoring Tavera and doubling the Delmarva lead. After Tejada stole second, Aneudis Mordán capped off the rally with a run-scoring single.
Delmarva further stretched the lead in the second. With two outs, Sosa launched a 1-2 pitch deep over the right field fence for his first minor league home run. The Orioles No. 22 prospect has struggled to adapt to a higher level of competition after spending last year at rookie ball. However, Tuesday may have been his breakout game, as he went 3-3 with the homer, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
The Cannon Ballers fought back with a three spot of their own in the bottom of the third. Facing Orioles 2023 12th-round pick Blake Money, Kannapolis put two runners on base after a one out walk and a single. Cannon Ballers 1B Ryan Galanie then launched a 1-1 pitch from Money over the left field fence to cut Delmarva’s lead to 4-3.
Suddenly in need of an insurance run, the Shorebirds got what they needed in the top of the fifth. Tavera got on with a one-out single and advanced to second on a balk. The Delmarva outfielder then stole third and scampered home on a throwing error by Kannapolis starter Drew McDaniel. From there, the Shorebirds’ bullpen brought home the win. Relievers Ty Weatherly, Jared Beck and Harif Frias combined for five shutout innings, while allowing only two hits and punching out seven.
Wednesday’s Scheduled Games
Norfolk Tides at Memphis Redbirds, 7:05pm ET (Justin Armbruester vs. TBD)
Bowie Baysox vs. Akron RubberDucks, 12:05pm ET (Ryan Long vs. Aaron Davenport)
Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Hudson Valley Renegades, 7:05pm ET (Juan Nuñez vs. Baron Stuart)
Delmarva Shorebirds at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 11:00AM ET (Luis De León vs. TBD)
2024-05-08T12:09:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd