Coby Mayo made a rehab appearance with Aberdeen, and Creed Willems launched a walk-off dinger for the IronBirds.
Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 5, Norfolk Tides 3
The Tides attempted to rally with three runs in the eighth, but the comeback fell short. Billy Cook drove in Norfolk’s first run with a two-out single, and Daniel Johnson trimmed the deficit to one with a two-run double.
Connor Norby went 1-for-3 with a walk from the leadoff spot. Heston Kjerstad failed to record a hit in four trips, and Hudson Haskin finished 1-for-4. Johnson’s two-run double represented Norfolk’s only extra-base hit of the day.
Chayce McDermott did not appear to have his best stuff but still pitched into the seventh. McDermott allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits over 6.2 innings. The 25-year-old walked four batters and only struck out three.
Nick Vespi allowed a pair of hits and struck out two during an inning of work.
Double-A: Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) 5, Bowie Baysox 2
Trace Bright allowed four runs (three earned) over the first four innings. Harrisburg scored its first run on a double-steal, and Bright allowed three more runs in the third. The 23-year-old allowed six hits, struck out four and walked one.
Ryan Long pitched the remainder of the game and turned in a respectable performance. Long did not record a strikeout, but he limited Harrisburg to one run on a pair of hits.
Jud Fabian and Silas Ardoin accounted for the only Bowie runs with solo homers. Both Fabian and Ardoin finished 2-for-4, and Fabian’s blast marked his 11th on the season.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 8, Hickory Crawdads (Rangers) 6
The IronBirds trailed by three entering the ninth inning before rallying to force extras. Mac Horvath got the party started with a solo homer. Creed Willems doubled, Douglas Hodo singled, and both runners moved into scoring position on a grounder to first base.
Maxwell Costes delivered a clutch base hit to even the score at four. Hickory struck first with a pair of runs in the tenth, but Willems provided the most exciting moment of the day with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning.
“Fire me up, Creed Willems!”
Empty the bullpen. Clear the dugout. Launch the helmet.
All in a day’s walk-off for the @Orioles prospect to seal an @IronBirds W ☑️ pic.twitter.com/yVZIOxMpTi
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 14, 2024
Willems finished 3-for-5 on the night, and Horvath complimented his homer with a double. Enrique Bradfield Jr. went 1-for-4 with a walk, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored.
The thrilling victory nearly overshadowed a rehab appearance by Coby Mayo. Mayo (fractured rib) doubled and walked in three trips during his return.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) 0
Leadoff hitter Thomas Sosa reached base in all five plate appearance. Sosa recorded a pair of doubles and walked three times with three runs scored. Aron Estrada followed Sosa with a double and two singles. Estrada and Sosa scored five of Delmarva’s six runs with Anderson De Los Santos (1-for-3, BB) adding the other. Angel Tejada finished 1-for-4.
Jacob Cravey, Trey Gibson and Jared Beck combined for the shutout. Cravey struck out seven batters over four innings, and Gibson K’d six over 3.2 frames. Beck earned the save by recording three of four outs via strikeout.
Friday’s scheduled games
- Norfolk: vs. Memphis, 6:35 PM. Starter: Brandon Young (1-0, 5.25 ERA)
- Bowie: at Harrisburg, 7:00 PM. Starter: Kyle Brnovich (4-2, 4.26 ERA)
- Aberdeen: vs. Hickory, 7:05 PM. Starter: Jackson Baumeister (1-1, 1.88 ERA)
- Delmarva: vs. Kannapolis, 7:05 PM. Starter: Blake Money (0-3, 4.83 ERA)