Elsewhere, Aberdeen’s Moisés Chace and Delmarva’s Michael Forret turned in standout pitching performances.
Triple-A: Scranton/WB RailRiders (NYY) 6, Norfolk Tides 5
A bottom-of-the-ninth rally fell just short as the Tides dropped a sixth consecutive game to the Scranton. Certainly this was a series to forget. Starter Justin Armbruester (#20) got a(r)mbushed in the second inning, giving up a three-run home run to Josh Breaux. He’d give up one more run over 3.1 innings, not his most dominant day. Nolan Hoffman and Luis González were bulletproof after him, but Bryan Baker gave up the game-winning runs on a second home run for Scranton’s Breaux. Wandisson Charles escaped without damage.
The Tides put together a respectable day at the plate, with five runs on eight hits, but just three went for extra bases. Two good performances came from Connor Norby (#6), who stayed hot with a 2-for-5 day with an RBI, and the surprising Errol Robinson, who went 2-for-4. Coby Mayo (#3), Kyle Stowers and Maverick Handley each went 1-for-4 with a run driven in.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 7, Bowie Baysox 4
The Baysox were down 7-1 before mounting a three-run eighth-inning rally that still fell well short. They’d scored early, getting a bases-loaded single in the second inning from Anthony Servideo before the bats fell silent until the eighth, when TT Bowens hit an Earl Weaver special. Still, the Baysox managed ten hits on the day, including two each from Bowens, Samuel Basallo (#2) and Frederick Bencosme.
Starter Trace Bright was okay, allowing a run during each of the second, third and fourth innings, two of them on home runs. In relief, Ryan Hennen was even more susceptible, giving up four in two innings. Cade Strowd pitched one scoreless.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 10, Wilmington Blue Rocks (WAS) 4
Any suspense this game might have had was bludgeoned to death in a seven-run first inning for Aberdeen against Wilmington’s hapless Riley Cornelio, who didn’t manage to get two outs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. (#5) kicked off the party with a triple. Two walks later, Matthew Etzel singled and Creed Willems (#29) knocked in a run on a sac fly. It was still just 2-1 Aberdeen. After that, Ryan Higgins, Jalen Vasquez and Reed Trimble all had hits and scored before Bradfield got to the plate again, singled, and stole second. The IronBirds made it 8-1 in the second inning on a Jalen Vasquez triple. Can’t ask for much more than that. On Sunday, every IronBirds hitter except one reached base.
The IronBirds’ staff could have been forgiven for taking this one easy, but for the most part, a bullpen collective pitched cleanly. Juan Núñez (#26) threw two innings and allowed one run, and Deivy Cruz threw one scoreless inning. Moisés Chace was superb, throwing four scoreless with six strikeouts. Juan de los Santos gave up a three-run bomb in the eighth, but Hayden Nierman pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding two runners with a pair of strikeouts
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Salem Red Sox 1
Starter Michael Forret shoved, and Delmarva zipped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back. The 20-year-old fourteenth-rounder last year threw five scoreless hitless innings and struck out seven, walking just one. He was relieved by Riley Cooper, who allowed one run in 3.2 IP while adding five strikeouts of his own. Brayer Sánchez got the final out of the game—yet another K.
It was a big day at the plate for Stiven Acevedo, who went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, including one a home run in the eighth inning. Aneudis Mordán drove in one more and speedster Angel Tejada manufactured a run with his speed, stealing third base and taking home on a throwing error by the opposing pitcher. The Shorebirds, for their part, made zero errors on the day.
Tuesday’s Schedule
- Norfolk @ Jacksonville, 11:05 am. Starter: TBD
- Bowie vs. Altoona, 6:05 pm. Starter: TBD
- Aberdeen @ Hudson Valley, 6:35 pm. Starter: TBD
- Delmarva @ Down East, 6:00 pm. Starter: TBD