Orioles minor league recap 7/2: Beavers launches a three-run HR in Norfolk loss

The IronBirds and Shorebirds both earned rain-shortened wins, while the Baysox game got suspended due to inclement weather.

Triple-A: Durham Bulls (Rays) 5, Norfolk Tides 4

Norfolk raced out to a 4-0 lead against the Bulls, but the bullpen couldn’t finish the job as Durham scored a comeback win.

Dylan Beavers helped start the scoring with a leadoff walk in the first. Tyler O’Neill bounced a softly hit single through the right side to move Beavers over to third. Samuel Basallo then put his normal charge into the ball, but the launch angle was too high, as the 108mph fly ball found the right fielder’s glove for a sac fly.

Beavers would balloon that lead in the 2nd thanks to his ninth long ball of the season. TT Bowens started the rally with a double and Livan Soto walked. Beavers then turned on a hanging, first-pitch slider, launching it over the right field fence for a three-run homer.

The runs dried up from there for Norfolk as Durham staged a comeback. The Bulls tied the game in the 6th thanks to a two-run HR off starter Roansy Contreras and a two-run double off reliever Levi Stoudt. The homer was the only blemish for Contreras, who finished with a final line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER and 5 K.

Grant Wolfram replaced Stoudt in the 7th, but couldn’t manage to keep the game tied. Wolfram gave up a lead-off single and allowed the runner to advance to second on his own throwing error. Former Padre Ha-Seong Kim then singled to center to drive the winning run home. The Tides would get the tying run on second in both the 8th and 9th, but could not bring either home.

Box Score

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 1, Richmond Fly Squirrels (Giants) 0 (3rd Inn.-SUS)

Reed Trimble hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game, and that was the only run on the scoreboard when the game was suspended due to the rain. The weather delay cut short a promising start for Neston German, who struck out two and only allowed one base runner over the first two innings. The game will resume later tonight before the Baysox’ regularly scheduled Game 2 vs. the Flying Squirrels.

Box Score

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pirates) 2 (F/6)

The IronBirds raced out to an early 3-0 lead and that advantage would hold up before the game was ended prematurely due to rain. Griff O’Ferrall led off the top of the 1st and then stole second to move into scoring position. Three batters late, the recently promoted Thomas Sosa singled home O’Ferrall to give Aberdeen a 1-0 lead. Austin Overn walked and Anderson De Los Santos doubled both home runners to triple the IronBirds’ advantage.

Aberdeen extendedd that lead in the 2nd thanks to a lead-off double from Aneudis Mordán and O’Ferrall RBI single to right to grow the IronBirds’ lead to 4-0. Sosa would add the final insurance run with his first High-A home run, blasting a solo shot to right center in the 3rd.

Those five runs backed a strong outing from starter Juan Rojas, who went 5 IP with 4 H, 2 ER and 5 K. The only trouble Rojas ran into was in the 3rd, when he gave up a one-out double followed by a two-run homer as Greensboro got on the scoreboard. The 3rd was the only inning Rojas allowed more than one baserunner. It was a nice bounce-back for Rojas, who had a 6.11 ERA over four starts in June.

The game was called after six innings due to rain, with Juan De Los Santos working a 1-2-3 6th inning to earn an unlikely save.

Box Score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Fredericksburg Nationals 3

The Shorebirds scored five runs in the 1st inning and held off a 9th inning rally from the Nationals to secure a series-opening win. Nate George and Yasmil Bucce started the top of the 1st with a HBP and walk, before Elis Cuevas singled to right to score George. Two batters later, Fernando Peguero reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Joshua Liranzo then unloaded the bases, bashing a grand slam to left center field to grow the Delmarva lead to 5-0.

Bucce would launch a solo HR in the 2nd to expand the Shorebird advantage to six. The home marked a return to form for the Shorebirds’ best hitter, who struggled somewhat in June, posting a .239/.353/.352 triple slash.

Delmarva’s starter, Jacob Cravey, delivered his best start of the season Tuesday, shutting down the Nationals across six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old matched a season-high with 7 Ks and only allowed one extra base hit. Cravey lowers his season ERA to 3.67 and now has 27 Ks over his last 25.1 innings.

Fredericksburg made a last desperate attempt at a comeback in the 9th. The Nationals loaded the bases on a trio of singles and then scored their first run on a HBP. Roismar Quintana then singled to drive in two more runs. Fredericksburg would load the bases again, but the game was called due to weather before they could finish the 9th.

Box Score

Wednesday’s Scheduled Games

Norfolk Tides vs. Durham Bulls, 6:35pm ET (TBD vs. TBD)

Chesapeake Baysox at Richmond Flying Squirrels, 5:30pm ET— Completion of July 1st Game

Chesapeake Baysox at Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6:35pm ET (Trey Gibson vs. Seth Lonsway)

Aberdeen IronBirds at Greensboro Grasshoppers, 6:30pm ET (Sebastian Gongora vs. TBD)

Delmarva Shorebirds vs. Fredericksburg Nationals, 7:05pm ET (Evan Yates vs. Davian Garcia)