Both Trace Bright and Kyle Brnovich allowed crooked numbers in the first inning. Frederick Bencosme launched a three-run homer, and Delmarva blew a late lead on the farm.
Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 7, Norfolk Tides 6
The Tides trailed by three before their first at bat. Kyle Brnovich allowed three runs in the top of the first, but the 27-year-old bounced back with three scoreless frames. Brnovich finished the day with 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 K.
Coby Mayo got Norfolk on the board with a two-run triple in the third, and Jud Fabian evened the score at three with a solo homer in the fourth. Mayo finished 2-for-4 with a walk, and Fabian added a walk to the long ball. Dylan Beavers finished 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a HBP.
The Tides nearly completed the comeback after falling behind 7-3. Beavers drove in a run with a ground ball in the eighth, and Norfolk loaded the bases in the ninth. Emmanuel Rivera plated the fifth run with a single to center, and the sixth run scored on a double play from Fabian. Terrin Vavra grounded out to end the game.
Double-A: Altoona Curve (Pirates) 8, Chesapeake Baysox 5
Trace Bright surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the first and coughed up three more in the third. The 24-year-old left after 3.1 innings with 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB and 4 K. Juan Nuñez allowed one run in two innings of relief.
Frederick Bencosme briefly provided Chesapeake the lead with an Earl Weaver special in the second. Jeremiah Jackson drove in the Baysox fourth run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Jackson capped Chesapeake’s scoring with a solo shot in the seventh inning.
The Baysox only tallied five hits in the contest. Creed Willems finished 1-for-3 with a double and two walks, and TT Bowens worked three free passes.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 2, Aberdeen IronBirds 1
Ty Weatherly bucked the trend of allowing crooked numbers in the first inning and delivered 4.1 innings of scoreless ball for the IronBirds. He limited Wilmington to only two hits, struck out six, and only walked one.
Wyatt Cheney allowed a run after replacing Weatherly in the fifth, and the Blue Rocks scored the go-ahead run after a throwing error in the seventh inning. Juan Rojas took the loss despite only allowing an unearned run over the final three frames.
Ryan Stafford plated Ethan Anderson on a sacrifice fly for Aberdeen’s only run in the fourth. The IronBirds managed only three hits on the night. Anderson doubled and took a walk, Vance Honeycutt singled in three trips, and Austin Overn managed a single after Anderson’s sac fly.
Low-A: Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) 9, Delmarva Shorebirds 5 F/10
Delmarva led 5-2 after eight innings, but Augusta forced extra innings with three runs in the ninth. Kenny Leiner blew the save in the ninth after a fielding error and a hit batsman with the bases loaded. Delmarva completely fell apart in the top of the ninth before going three-up, three-down to end the game.
Seven of Delmarva’s eight hits were singles with a Yasmil Bucce double representing the lone exception.
Friday’s Schedule
Norfolk: vs Memphis, Game 1, 5:35 pm. Starter: Cameron Weston (0-1, 4.96 ERA)
Norfolk: vs Memphis, Game 2, TBD Starter: Raúl Alcantara (0-1, 3.86 ERA)
Chesapeake: vs Altoona, 7:05 pm. Starter: Ryan Long (2-0, 2.63 ERA)
Aberdeen: at Wilmington, 6:35 pm. Starter: Blake Money (1-1, 2.92 ERA)
Delmarva: vs Augusta, 7:05 pm. Starter: Jacob Cravey (0-1, 2.03 ERA)