The Tides secured their win in comeback fashion, while the Baysox, IronBirds and Shorebirds also suffered losses on Tuesday.
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 7, Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 5
Jeremiah Jackson went yard twice and Samuel Basallo added a long ball of his own as the Tides game from behind for a series-opening win in Memphis.
The Redbirds got out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a solo HR and a three-run blast in the bottom of the second. That lead would remain intact until the top of the 4th, when Jackson and Basallo hit back-to-back solo shots to cut the Redbirds’ advantage in half.
Jackson and Basallo sparked another rally in the 6th that saw Norfolk take its first lead of the game. With two outs, Jackson launched his second solo HR. Basallo then followed it up with a single to right, advancing to second on an error by the RF.
Basallo moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a Vimael Machín double. Back-to-back singles from Jud Fabian and Livan Soto scored two more runs and completed Norfolk’s five-run rally.
The only negative from the come-from-behind win was the struggles of Heston Kjerstad. The recently demoted OF went 0-for-5 with 4 Ks. Kjerstad is 1-for-10 since being optioned to Norfolk.
Double-A: Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 6, Chesapeake Baysox 1
Blake Money was given a rude welcome in his Double-A debut, as the SeaWolves used a five-run 3rd to take the series opener.
Money, the Orioles’ 12th-round pick in the 2023 draft, got the bump up to Chesapeake after a ]3.57 ERA and 65 Ks in 53 innings at Aberdeen. Erie sought to ruin his Baysox debut early, as Money gave up a triple to the first batter he faced. Erie got its first run two batters later on an RBI double, and finished the 1st up 1-0.
The 23-year-old RHP rebounded in the 2nd, striking out two before getting a line out to end the frame. That rebound was short-lived as things got out of hand in the 3rd. Erie started the inning with a walk, double, single and double, and the Baysox found themselves down 3-0 with no outs.
Money came back to get two outs on a flyout and K, but then allowed a three-run homer as the SeaWolves established a six-run lead. The Baysox starter finished with a final line of 3 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB and 4 K.
The Baysox’ only run came in the 8th thanks to a lead-off triple from Reed Trimble. Two batters later, Douglas Hodo III hit a sac fly to bring home Trimble and end Erie’s shutout bid. Chesapeake’s only other hits came via an Enrique Bradield Jr. double and two Max Wagner singles.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 10, Aberdeen IronBirds 2
The IronBirds gave up four runs in the 8th and five runs in the 9th as they turned a would-be hard-fought win into a crushing defeat.
Trailing 1-0 after an unearned run in the top of the 1st, the IronBirds struck back for two runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to some aggressive base running. With two outs, Aaron Estrada singled and stole second. Austin Overn singled to move Estrada to third.
Overn then attempted to steal second, and a throwing error from Brooklyn’s catcher allowed Estrada to score. Overn broke for third and another throwing error allowed him to score as well.
That 2-1 lead held until the 8th, when Aberdeen’s bullpen completely fell apart. With two outs and a runner on first and third, Dominic Freeberger unleashed a wild pitch to move the trail runner to second. Freeberger then gave up a two-run single, an RBI double and after two more wild pitches, Brooklyn led 5-2.
Alejandro Méndez took over for Freeberger in the 9th, but things only got worse for Aberdeen. Méndez allowed four hits and three walks as the Cyclones put another five runs on the board to put the game out of reach.
Low-A: Hickory Crawdads (Rangers) 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 4
After racing out to a 4-0 lead, the Shorebirds allowed the Crawdads to claw their way back into the game, ultimately giving up three runs in the 8th to seal a Hickory win.
Yasmil Bucce got Delmarva on the board first with a solo HR in 1st, his team-leading 6th long ball of the season. The 20-year-old catcher from Venezuela also leads the Shorebirds in RBIs (35), OPS (.879) and hits (54).
Bucce would pad that lead even further in the 2nd. With two outs, Maikol Hernández walked before a Fernando Peguero single and Nate George walk loaded the bases. Bucce delivered a two-run single and later scored on a Thomas Sosa double as Delmarva opened up a four-run lead.
That lead shrank to 4-3 after two unearned runs in the 3rd and another unearned Hickory tally in the 5th. That narrow lead would hold until the 8th, when Adrián Delgado entered with a runner on first and one out. Instead of keeping things in check, Delgado allowed a two-run homer on the first pitch he threw to give Hickory the lead. Two singles and a wild pitch later, the Crawdads had a two run advantage they wouldn’t relinquish.
Wednesday’s Scheduled Games
Norfolk Tides at Memphis Redbirds, 1:05pm ET (Cameron Weston vs. Quinn Mathews)
Chesapeake Baysox at Erie SeaWolves, 1:05pm ET (Ryan Long vs. TBD)
Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Brooklyn Cyclones, 7:05pm ET (Juan Rojas vs. Nate Dohm)
Delmarva Shorebirds at Hickory Crawdads, 12:05pm ET (Yeiber Cartaya vs. TBD)