The O’s 2023 ace helped propel Bowie to a dominant win, while Norfolk, Aberdeen and Delmarva all suffered heartbreaking defeats.
Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 4, Norfolk Tides 3
The Tides offense didn’t wake up until the eighth inning, tying things with a three spot in that frame, but then gave up a walkoff in the ninth. No one scored any runs through the first three innings, and the teams managed only three hits combined. Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs, Jacksonville CF Victor Mesa Jr. launched a curveball over the center field fence for a solo home run.
Jacksonville doubled its lead in the fifth. Jumbo Shrimp LF Jonathan Davis reached on a fielder’s choice and 3B Jonah Davis doubled to center field to score the other Davis from third. Jacksonville then scored for the third straight inning in the sixth. Mesa Jr. singled and Griffin Conine (son of former Oriole Jeff Conine) walked to move him into scoring position. Davis then came up clutch again, bouncing a single into LF to bring home Mesa Jr. and make things 3-0.
After stranding runners in scoring position in the third, fifth and seventh, the Tides’ offense finally broke through in the top of the 8th. Coby Mayo led off the inning getting hit by a pitch to give Norfolk its first leadoff base runner. After strikeouts by Kyle Stowers and Peyton Burdick, Ryan McKenna finally ignited the rally. The outfielder singled to bring Mayo home from second, and then Livan Soto launched a two-run homer to right-center to tie the game at three.
WE’VE GOT A TIE GAME!
Livan Soto knots it up with a home run in his Norfolk debut!!#RisingTide pic.twitter.com/9Qd7YZ9vES
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) April 16, 2024
After going three-up three-down in the top of the ninth, Norfolk looked to force extras. Unfortunately, Jumbo Shrimp RF Dane Myers hit a one out double, and then Mesa Jr. victimized Norfolk once again with a walkoff single. The loss wasted a good start from Chayce McDermott, who threw five innings, allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six. Offensively the Tides were led by a 2-4 effort from Soto and three singles from catcher Maverick Handley.
Double-A: Bowie Baysox 10, Altoona Curve (Pirates) 4
Kyle Bradish cruised through three innings in his first rehab start and the Baysox offense scored early and often in a comfortable victory. Bradish had an easy first inning in his first start since his UCL sprain in the spring. He got the first two batters he faced to ground out, and then picked up his first K of the afternoon to end the inning.
In the top of the second, Bradish gave up his only hit of the afternoon on a one-out single by Altoona SS Tsung-Che Chung. The Orioles 2023 ace then got the next batter to ground into a fielder’s choice before once again ending the inning on a punchout. Bradish finished off his evening by sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around a groundout in the third. His final line was as good as any member of Bridland could have hoped for: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 Ks and only one ball that left the infield.
Offensively, some of the Orioles top prospects led an explosive evening for Bowie. Dylan Beavers got the Baysox on the board first, launching a two-out solo HR to RF in the bottom of the first. Bowie really took control of the game with three more runs in the third. Samuel Basallo and Billy Cook singled to give the Baysox runners at first and third with two outs. Frederick Bencosme then tripled in the right field corner to clear the bases and give Bowie a 3-0 lead. TT Bowens followed with a single to drive home Bencosme and grow the Bowie lead to four.
Heads up! Beavers bomb coming! pic.twitter.com/fC9LU93D7l
— Bowie Baysox (@BowieBaysox) April 16, 2024
After the Curve tied up the game in the top of the seventh, the Baysox had another offensive explosion in the bottom of the inning. Basallo led off the inning with a solo HR to right. Beavers and Cook then reached on a single and a walk, before Beavers came around to score when Altoona’s catcher airmailed a throw to third on a double steal attempt.
Ladies and gentlemen…the first Double-A homer for Samuel Basallo! pic.twitter.com/4WDIhzbEqU
— Bowie Baysox (@BowieBaysox) April 17, 2024
Bencosme followed that up with a single to bring home Cook, and Bowens cleared the bases with a two-run HR to right-center. After giving up a four-run lead, the Baysox now had a five-run lead at 9-4. Bowie tacked on another run in the eighth to score double-digit runs for the third time this season.
High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 2
The IronBirds suffered heartbreak at the hands of the Renegades tuesday, throwing away a late lead in the bottom of the ninth. Runs were hard to come by early on, as neither team got on the board until the fourth. After Aberdeen starter Zach Fruit gave up only one hit and a walk in the first three frames, Hudson Valley finally got to him with two outs in the fourth frame. Renegades 1B Josh Moyan worked a walk, then LF Garrett Martin launched a triple to center to bring home the first run of the game.
Aberdeen tied the game in the sixth thanks to two members of the 2023 draft class. Enrique Bradfield Jr. led off the inning with a double on a slow roller to left field. Bradfield then advanced to third on a balk, allowing Tavian Josenberger to drive him home on a sac fly to right. The IronBirds then took the lead in the seventh thanks to a solo HR from Creed Willems. The long ball was Willems’ fifth of the season and fourth in his last five games.
Creed Willems with a left-on-left blast. His 5th of the year. He’s hitting .385 now. pic.twitter.com/NBnOd1yAvi
— The Verge- An Orioles MiLB Podcast (@TheVergePod) April 17, 2024
The IronBirds held that 2-1 lead until the ninth inning, when they sent in Luis Sánchez for the save. Sánchez’s lack of control became his undoing as he hit the first batter he faced, moved him to second on a wild pitch and then loaded the bases on another HBP and walk. Needing just one more out to seal the win, Sánchez completely lost his command, walking in two runs to hand the victory to Hudson Valley.
Low-A: Down East Wood Ducks 1, Delmarva Shorebirds 0
In a true pitchers duel, the Shorebirds took the L after giving up only two hits and an unearned run. The Wood Ducks scored the lone run in the game in the bottom of the second without registering a single hit in the inning. Shortstop Danyer Cueva walked to lead off the inning. Cueva moved to second after CF Marcus Smith reached on an error by Shorebirds 3B Anderson De Los Santos. After another walk to load the bases, Down East RF Tommy Specht lofted a fly ball to CF to bring home the run.
Offensively, the Shorebirds out hit the Wood Ducks 5-2, but could never push a run across. Their best threat came in the third, when a single, double and walk saw Delmarva load the bases with two outs. However, De Los Santos couldn’t atone for his early error, grounding out to short to leave all the runners stranded. The Shorebirds would get a runner on second again in both the sixth and seventh, but both times they could barely get the ball out of the infield and left the runners stranded.
The quiet day from the bats took away from an excellent start by right-hander Nestor German. The Orioles 11th-round draft pick in 2023, the Seattle native was unhittable Tuesday night throwing four innings, giving up only three walks and striking out six. The 22-year-old has now thrown seven scoreless innings with nine Ks in two appearances this season.
Wednesday’s Games
Norfolk Tides at Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 7:05pm ET. (John Means vs. TBD)
Bowie Baysox vs. Altoona Curve, 11:05am ET. (Seth Johnson vs. Nick Dombrowski)
Aberdeen IronBirds at Hudson Valley Renegades, 6:35pm ET. (Cameron Weston vs. Jackson Fristoe)
Delmarva Shorebirds at Down East Wood Ducks, 11:00am ET. (Jacob Cravey vs. TBD)