The starting pitching for Norfolk and Delmarva was a lot less good, as Chayce McDermott suffered a blowout.
Triple-A: Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 13, Norfolk Tides 4
Despite the lopsided box score, there were some good things coming out of Norfolk on Sunday. A rehabbing Colton Cowser singled, scored, and doubled home two runs. With a .545 average and 1.524 OPS in 11 Triple-A AB’s this season, Cowser seems pretty healed from a broken thumb. Call him up already: the Orioles’ offense could use him! Speaking of offense, catcher Samuel Basallo homered, his tenth of the season. Vimael Machín, Dylan Beavers and Jud Fabian had a single apiece. Jordan Westburg went 0-for-4.
As for the pitching, well… Chayce McDermott fans, shield your eyes. The righty allowed nine runs in two innings, his fourth straight outing with three earned runs or more. In fairness, six IronPig runs scored after McDermott left, including on a third-inning grand slam off Preston Johnson, hurting the Tides relief efforts more than he helped today. But there’s no sugarcoating it: McDermott’s command was way off: in just one inning, he walked four batters, hit another, and also threw a run-scoring wild pitch.
The righty McDermott was only activated on May 4 after a lat strain, and based on these results appears to be less than 100%. After that start, the rest of the pitching box score feels a bit meh, whatevs, but Colin Selby, Grant Wolfram and Corbin Martin combined for four shutout innings and six strikeouts, four by Wolfram.
Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 5, Chesapeake Baysox 3
All of the scoring came in or after the sixth inning: Binghamton plated two off tiring starter Braxton Bragg before Chesapeake responded with three quick runs, but unfortunately, Baysox closer Yaqui Rivera had a crappy day, allowing four hits and three runs in the ninth inning to take both a loss and a blown save.
The good news is yet another excellent start for the 24-year-old Bragg, one of the best pitching stories in the organization this year. Through his first five innings, Bragg allowed just two baserunners and struck out six before surrendering a two-run single in the sixth. 6.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K, good for a 1.82 ERA in 10 games this season? We’ll take it.
The Baysox offense was a little flat, with six hits, two walks, and fourteen strikeouts at the hands of seven Binghamton pitchers. In fact, everyone in the starting lineup whiffed once except Frederick Bencosme. Reed Trimble homered, Douglas Hodo walked, singled and drove in a run, and Jeremiah Jackson went 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit double.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 4, Aberdeen IronBirds 3
Another bullpen collapse by an O’s affiliate, as Brooklyn scored two ninth-inning runs on two separate throwing errors. It was a rather uncool way to celebrate a gem by starter Trey Gibson (1-2, 9 G, 5.12 ERA, 1.19 WHIP), who threw six innings, gave up just two hits and zero walks, and struck out 13! Gibson’s only blemish was a two-run home run.
In relief, Kyle Virbitsky (1.80 ERA) was good, with 1.2 scoreless innings and two strikeouts, but Eccel Correa took the loss in tragicomic fashion: one run crossed the plate on a throwing error by first baseman Aneudis Mordán, then another on a throwing error by third baseman Anderson de los Santos! Ugly. At least Correa’s ERA (2.70) still looks nice.
The IronBirds obviously could have done more on offense, and finished 2-for-14 with RISP. Griff O’Ferrall had two hits and scored. Catcher Ethan Anderson drove in two runs on a single, RBI groundout and a walk. Centerfielder Austin Overn stole three bases. DH Jalen Vasquez singled twice, walked, and stole a base.
Low-A: Hickory Crawdads 13, Delmarva Shorebirds 5
Delmarva’s ugly starting pitching mirrored Norfolk’s, as Hickory blasted off for four runs in the second inning off starter Adrián Heredia and eight more off him and reliever Kenny Leiner in the third. Like Norfolk, the back-end bullpen did what it could to not worsen the situation: Deivy Cruz, Ryan Cabarcas and Adrián Delgado held the line over the final 5.2 innings.
Down 12-1 after three, the Shorebirds at least managed to score five runs. Outfielder Kevin Guerrero (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI), was involved in practically all the offense. He reached on a run-scoring throwing error in the first, hit a two-run home run, and scored on an RBI single from Braylin Tavera (2-for-3, R, RBI) late in the game. Yasmil Bucce, who’s been hot lately, walked and drove in a run.
Today’s Schedule
There are no scheduled games for Monday, June 1.