Orioles minor league recap 6/12: Heston Kjerstad shines in a night of losses

Not a single affiliate won last night, but there were still some good performances on the farm.

Triple-A: Nashville Sounds (Brewers) 4, Norfolk Tides 2

Back from the IL and freshly optioned to the Tides, Spenser Watkins had a fine return. In three innings, Watkins gave up just one single while striking out two. He needed just 38 pitches.

Cameron Bishop followed Watkins and gave up two unearned runs thanks in part to a rough inning in the field by the Tides. After a leadoff single, Bishop got a ground ball to third but Jacob Westburg (#6 ranked prospect) didn’t catch the ball at second. Later in the inning Kyle Stowers (#8) made a throwing error on a ball hit to the outfield but Shed Long was able to nab a runner at home for the final out. The Sounds’ other two runs scored on Conner Greene’s watch.

It took until the 8th inning for the Tides to get on the board, which they did via a home run from Westburg, his second a triple-A. Westburg also tripled in his first at-bat of the game. Their second and final run came via sac fly. Anthony Bemboom knocked in Stowers, who had walked. He had three walks in the game!

Gunnar Henderson (#3-T) singled and walked in the game, but also made a throwing error. And Terrin Vavra (#12) singled and doubled.

Box Score

Double-A: Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) 2, Bowie Baysox 1 – F/10

Drew Rom (#15) started the game for the Baysox and although he gave up just one unearned run, he wasn’t able to complete four innings. After loading the bases in the fourth with two outs, he was pulled in favor of relief pitcher Noah Denoyer. Denoyer got the final out and Rom’s pitching line was 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. He threw 85 pitches.

Denoyer had another strong outing with 3.1 innings in relief. He gave up one single, walked one, and struck out seven.

The only run the Baysox scored in the game came on a home run from J.D. Mundy. They managed just five hits in the game. Among ranked players, Joey Ortiz (#14) and César Prieto (#16) each singled with Prieto adding a walk.

Harrisburg walked off in the bottom of the 10th when Griffin McLarty gave up a single that knocked in the Manfred Man.

Box Score

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 10, Aberdeen IronBirds 3

They can’t win every time, I guess. The IronBirds’ five-game winning streak was snapped with a blowout loss despite the team getting 12 hits.

Connor Gillispie pitched four good innings with one run allowed. He walked two and struck out three, but his bullpen gave up nine runs in their four innings of work. Control was a big problem; the staff gave up nine walks.

Connor Norby (#11) had two hits out of the leadoff spot, including an FUHR in the top of the ninth inning. Colton Cowser’s (#3-T) lone hit was a double and and Coby Mayo (#7) had a single and a walk. TT Bowens and Collin Burns both had multi-hit games. Unfortunately the 12 hits didn’t result in more runs.

Box Score

Low-A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros) 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 2

Due to rain, this game didn’t start until 9 p.m., and as such the powers that be decided it would only be seven innings. It ended up taking the full seven innings to be decided, when Fayetteville scored four runs on a grand slam to take a 6-2 lead. Ouch.

Loss notwithstanding, the big news of the game was Heston Kjerstad (#10). The right fielder had a great night at the plate with a single, a double, and walk. The only other batter with two hits was Trendon Craig, who doubled in Kjerstad for the first one. The other run came in on a single from Mishael Deson. Creed Willems also had a double and a walk.

Starting pitcher Shane Davis gave up two runs, both in the second inning and both on bases-loaded walks. Conor Grady gave up the game-losing salami.

Box Score

Sunday’s Scheduled Games

• Norfolk: at Nashville, 3:05 PM. Starter: Zac Lowther (1-4, 8.33 ERA)
• Bowie: at Harrisburg, 1:00 PM. Starter: Zach Peek (0-2, 3.71 ERA)
• Aberdeen: at Brooklyn, 2:00 PM. Starter: Peter Van Loon (5-0, 3.41 ERA)
• Delmarva: vs Fayetteville, 2:05 PM. Starter: Edgar Portes (0-0, 5.68 ERA)