The farm teams split with losses by Norfolk and Delmarva and wins from Bowie and Aberdeen.
Triple-A: Memphis Red Birds (STL) 6, Norfolk Tides 1
Dean Kremer took a step toward coming back to the rotation with his first rehab outing since straining his triceps in late May. It went better than the box score indicates: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 3 K. Through three, Kremer had allowed one run on a walk, single and sac fly. He allowed two more runs to score in the fourth, then left after a Connor Norby error in the field, with two runners on, both of whom came around to score.
The Norfolk relief core was good after that: Tucker Davidson delivered length, with 4.1 scoreless innings (although he did allow the inherited runners to come home). Matt Krook gave up another run in the ninth on two hits.
The Tides had nine hits and just one run. Billy Cook brought most of the firepower, with a double and a solo homer (his seventh). His 2-for-4 outing pushes his average to .296 with an .882 OPS. Nick Maton had another nice day, going 2-for-2 with two walks. Connor Norby and Heston Kjerstad each singled and struck out three times.
Double-A: Bowie Baysox 8, Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 3
John Rhodes was a one-man wrecking crew on Sunday, driving in six of Bowie’s eight runs on five hits. Wowza. The fun started with a five-run fifth inning that put the Baysox on track for a win. That inning, Dylan Beavers and Matthew Etzel drove in a run apiece (single, groundout) to set the table for John Rhodes, who launched a three-run blast to blow open the game. He wouldn’t stop there, adding three RBI singles in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings. Talk about carrying your team.
Beavers finished 1-for-5. Etzel had a hit and two walks, plus three runs scored. TT Bowens and catcher Connor Pavolony (in for Samuel Basallo, who was removed from Saturday’s game with an ankle contusion) finished 2-for-5, and third baseman Ryan Higgins also had two hits.
Alex Pham allowed three runs, all in the fourth inning, to leave his pitching line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR. The eight strikeouts are nice. Lincoln Henzman and Ryan Hennen each threw two scoreless innings after Pham.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 15, Hickory Crawdads (TEX) 12
Every year, I wait for a game I can describe using the word “donnybrook,” and here was it. The pitching coaches must have been furious: Aberdeen pitchers surrendered 17 hits and Hickory pitchers gave up 12 walks. This back-and-forth affair started with Hickory going up 8-0 before the IronBirds exploded in the fourth inning, racing ahead for good with seven runs in seventh inning.
That included three home runs, two off the bat of slugger Coby Mayo, rehabbing after his rib injury. Mayo finished the day an encouraging 2-for-5 with 3 RBI and a walk. His OPS in four rehab games with High-A is 1.948 (haha). Shortstop Carter Young added a three-run blast of his own. Elío Prado doubled, walked twice and scored four runs. Creed Willems, Jalen Vasquez and Randy Florentino all reached three times.
Now to the pitching (gulp). Seven Aberdeen throwers have to take ownership of this one, although some look better than others: Peter van Loon (2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB), Moisés Chace (0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K) and Kyle Vrbitsky (2.0 IP, 4H, 2 ER, 3 K) had fairly rough days at the office. On the other hand, Luis Sánchez (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K), Cody Scroggins (1.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K), Logan Rinehart (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K) and Yaqui Rivera (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) looked fine.
Low-A: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 0
Starter Braxton Bragg, an eighth-round pickup in 2023, took the loss but didn’t pitch badly, allowing one run in 3.2 innings with five strikeouts. Then things got a little silly, as reliever Eddy Alberto allowed three runs, including on three walks. Jiorgeny Casimiri was responsible for one unearned run, courtesy of a throwing error by catcher Cole Urman, and same deal for tall guy Jared Beck, who conceded a run in the ninth on an Aron Estrada throwing error.
The Shorebirds put up six hits but no runs. The six were all singles: Thomas Sosa had one, ditto Reed Trimble and Aron Estrada. Outfielder Jake Cunningham singled twice and Urman singled and walked. Maikol Hernández went 0-for-4.
Tuesday’s Schedule
- Norfolk @ Lehigh Valley, 7:05. Starter: TBD
- Bowie vs. Altoona, 6:35: Starter: TBD
- Aberdeen @ Wilmington, 6:35: Starter: TBD
- Delmarva @ Fayetteville, 6:35. Starter: TBD