Will the Orioles decide that’s enough to bring Bradish back for his next start?
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 5, Gwinnett (Atlanta) 1
In the bad years, whenever there was a particularly annoying Orioles loss, I’d always try to find some tonic in the minor league results. This is worth less now because the big league results matter more, but a game like last night’s means we have to try anyway.
Kyle Bradish completing a solid rehab outing is a good beginning to finding some consolation from Friday. He pitched five innings, allowing five hits, a walk, and a single run. He struck out six batters. He threw 77 pitches. Manager Brandon Hyde said on Wednesday that the Orioles would be looking for Bradish to go five innings and about 80 pitches, and there we are. The next turn coming up on regular rest would be Wednesday. Will the O’s do it?
Following Bradish as a piggyback bulk reliever was prospect Justin Armbruester, who’s taken some lumps so far this year largely as a result of walking too many dudes. He still walked too many dudes on Friday (three in four innings) but pitched a scoreless outing for the uncommonly-seen 3+ inning save. Armbruester struck out six and allowed just one hit.
For offense, the Tides got their five runs on just seven hits. Kyle Stowers hitting a two-run home run in the first inning – his eighth of the season for Norfolk – put the Tides on top for good and catcher Michael Pérez drove in two runs, including a solo shot in the seventh inning. Connor Norby was hitless in three tries and drew a walk. Coby Mayo did him one better with a 1-3 night that also included a walk. Mayo’s hit was a triple. I don’t know if it was a real triple or a bad outfield play triple.
Double-A: Richmond (Giants) 4, Bowie Baysox 2
The Baysox got just two hits in this game, so, y’know… that stinks. One of the two was hit by infield prospect Frederick Bencosme, an early hot hitter in the system who now has an .899 OPS. Bencosme also committed his eighth error of the year. That’s eight in 19 Baysox team games. Less than ideal.
The lack of run support put Baysox starter Trace Bright in the loss column despite a decent outing. Bright allowed a run in five innings, with four hits and three walks allowed. He struck out six of the 21 batters he faced and now has a 2.41 ERA for the season. Not bad.
Starting this game for the Flying Squirrels was a pitcher named Hayden Birdsong. Kind of a shame he’s not in the Orioles system, isn’t it? Birdsong tossed five hitless and shutout innings against the Baysox on Friday to lower his ERA to 1.65 for the season.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Jersey Shore (Phillies) 0
This was a two-pitcher combined shutout, so great work for Juan Nuñez (five innings, three hits, one walk, five strikeouts) and Moisés Chace (four innings, two hits, three walks, three strikeouts).
The big blow for the IronBirds was struck by prospect Creed Willems (first baseman in this game), whose lone hit in four tries was a three-run home run. Two Aberdeen batters had multi-hit games: Infielder Mac Horvath, who started slow but has done better lately, and outfielder Matthew Etzel, the tenth round pick last year who’s been a “this guy just hits” dude since arriving in the system. He also stole a base, his ninth of the year. I’m mildly curious.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Fredericksburg Nationals 4
Score another one for a starting pitching prospect in this game, because Delmarva lefty Luis De León had a great outing here, allowing only an unearned run to cross the plate in his 5.2 innings of work. The 21-year-old lefty gave up just one hit and walk each and struck out eight batters, which gives him 23 strikeouts in 16.1 innings so far this year. That’ll play.
Shorebirds fielders committed three errors in the game, which led to three of the four Fredericksburg runs being unearned. That’s Low-A baseball for you. The F-Nats had two errors of their own.
Offensively for Delmarva, this was an absolute track meet. Outfielder Stiven Acevedo stole four bases on a night where he also went 2-3 and drove in three runs. Yes. Braylin Tavera got on base twice – a hit and a walk – and stole a pair of bases. Two more Shorebirds stole a base. Going to go out on a limb and guess Fredericksburg’s catcher needs to work on some things.
Saturday’s Scheduled Games
- Norfolk: vs. Gwinnett, 6:35. Starter: Chayce McDermott
- Bowie: at Richmond, 6:05. Starter: TBD
- Aberdeen: vs. Jersey Shore, 7:05. Starter: Presumably a different TBD than Bowie
- Delmarva: vs. Fredericksburg, 7:05. Starter: Michael Forret