Everyone but Delmarva won, with strong pitching performances up and down the line.
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Gwinnett Stripers (ATL) 1
Norfolk gave up one run early—on a solo homer by former Oriole Andrew Velazquez—but nothing after that. Starter Chayce McDermott (CC’s #10 prospect) was solid, locking down Gwinnett hitters with five innings where he struck out seven. Trey McGough, Nick Vespi and Matt Krook pitched a shutout after McDermott’s strong start.
The Tides’ offense was outhit, 8-5, but they timed the hits well. Heston Kjerstad (#15) had the biggest blow, a two-run homer in the bottom of the first behind a Connor Norby (#7) single. It was Kjerstad’s fourteenth of the season. Hudson Haskin knocked in a third run in the fourth inning on a sac fly. Jackson Holliday (#1) had a pinch-hit walk.
Double-A: Bowie Baysox 6, Somerset Patriots (NYY) 3
Kyle Brnovich had a monster outing on Sunday, throwing six shutout innings where he struck out seven. The “other Kyle” who came over from Los Angeles in 2019 in the Dylan Bundy trade, Brnovich has spent a lot of time on the IL but he’s 4-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 10 games this season.
Bowie scored six runs on eight hits. Two came off the bat of Dylan Beavers (#8), who also walked. Samuel Basallo (#2) singled, walked and scored. So did Jud Fabian (#14). John Rhodes (T-#27) had two hits and drove in a run.
Morgan McSweeney allowed three runs in 1.1 innings but Dylan Heid threw 1.2 scoreless to get the save.
High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 7, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 3
Aberdeen didn’t have to sweat this one, because their pitching was stellar. Like Bowie, IronBirds pitching kept Hudson Valley off the board until the eighth inning, and when the Renegades did score, it was on a throwing error by third baseman Maxwell Costes, a throwing error by pitcher Ronald Guzmán, and a Guzmán wild pitch. Starting pitcher Jackson Baumeister tossed 4.2 scoreless with just three hits allowed. Zach Fruit allowed one unearned run. Ronald Guzmán and Deivy Cruz closed out the ninth.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. (#6) had a great day, doubling home two runs and scoring one more on a throwing error after he swiped third base. Matthew Etzel doubled home two in the seventh and also stole two bags of his own. And Creed Willems hit a ground-rule RBI double.
Low-A: Carolina Mudcats (MIL) 13, Delmarva Shorebirds 12
It could have been worse, considering Delmarva fell down into a 10-2 hole as Eccel Correa’s fifth start went kind of disastrously. Correa allowed eight runs in 1.2 innings, walked three and struck out one.
But Delmarva evened the score, and even managed to surge ahead, 11-10, in the seventh inning. In their quest, they were aided by ten free passes courtesy of the Mudcats. The Shorebirds scored 12 runs on only six hits, but why take your bat off your shoulder if the opposing team is going to pitch like that?
Angel Tejada went 2-for-4 but kept being in the right place at the right time, with six RBI. Stiven Acevedo went 2-for-3 and scored 4 times. Angel Estrada finished 1-for-4 with a walk. Jake Cunningham had two RBIs.
Three more Delmarva pitchers each allowed a run or more, but Riley Cooper (5.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER) was excellent, giving his team length. Grabiel Salazar gave up two runs in 1.1 IP and Jared Beck got the loss with two earned runs in the ninth.
Tuesday’s Schedule
• Norfolk @ Scranton/Wilkes-Booth, 6:35. Starter: TBD
• Bowie vs. Binghamton, 6:35. Starter: TBD
• Aberdeen @ Brooklyn, 6:00. Starter: TBD
• Delmarva vs. Lynchburg, 7:05. Starter: TBD