Orioles minor league recap 7/31: McDermott throws complete game in rain-shortened Tides win

Norfolk and Bowie were the winners Tuesday as the Baysox came from behind, while the Shorebirds lost in extras and the IronBirds got rained out.

Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (White Sox) 6, Norfolk Tides 4 (Completion of game from 6/30)

The Tides started their day by completing a game that got suspended in the ninth a month ago. The game resumed tied 4-4 with two outs in the bottom of the final frame. With runners on first and second, Nick Maton grounded out to second to send things to the 10th. In the top of the 10th, Nolan Hoffman got a leadoff groundout, but then walked the bases loaded. Hoffman then left a 2-2 sinker up in the zone to Danny Mendick, who lined it into left to drive home two. In the bottom of the 10th, the Tides went down in order to seal the win for Charlotte.

Box Score

Norfolk Tides 6, Charlotte Knights 2 (F/7- Rain)

The Tides won a rain-shortened game in Charlotte Tuesday thanks to an outstanding effort from starter Chayce McDermott. Fresh off his major league debut last week in Miami, the Orioles righty overpowered the Knights lineup from the first inning onward. He finished off the first frame with a pair of Ks. After a scoreless second, McDermott picked up another pair of Ks to kick off the third. The Orioles top pitching prospect would give up his first hit of the game to lead off the fourth, but responded by striking out the side, giving him seven Ks in his first four frames.

Charlotte finally broke through against McDermott in the fifth. Tim Elko led off the inning with a solo shot to left center that cut Norfolk’s lead to 2-1. The Knights then loaded the bases off a pair of singles and a walk, allowing Oscar Colás to tie the game on a single to right.

After Norfolk restored its lead in the sixth, McDermott locked back in for what would prove to be his final inning. He picked up his 10th strikeout of the game when he K’d Zach DeLoach to lead off the inning, and then finished his outing with a pop up and fly out. McDermott finished with a final line of 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB and 10K, picking up his sixth quality start of the season.

Offensively, the biggest difference maker was outfielder Shayne Fontana, who delivered the game winning hit in the top of the sixth. With the game tied at two, and runners on second and third, Fontana lifted a ball to left-center for a three-run homer. It was only the second homer of the season for the normally light-hitting outfielder, but it gave the Tides a 5-2 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. David Bañuelos added an insurance run on an RBI single in the seventh, and the rain washed away any chance at a Charlotte comeback.

Box Score

Double-A: Bowie Baysox 7, Somerset Patriots (Yankees) 6

The Baysox scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to earn a come-from-behind victory over the Patriots. Early on, it looked like this would be a Bowie rout. The Baysox scored twice in the first thanks to a flurry of singles and some aggressive baserunning. With one out, Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers hit back-to-back singles to give Bowie a runner in scoring position, and Silas Ardoin hit the third straight single to plate Basallo. Beavers and Ardoin then executed a double steal of third and second, setting up Beavers to score when Somerset starter Trystan Vrieling uncorked a wild pitch to TT Bowens.

With a 2-1 lead, Bowie tacked on more runs in the second. With two outs, Collin Burns reached on an infield single, setting the stage for Jud Fabian. The Bowie CF turned on a 2-1 pitch, launching it over the center field fence to give the Baysox a 4-1 lead.

However, that lead was short lived for Bowie. An RBI groundout followed by a two-run homer in the top of the third saw Somerset tie the game up at four apiece. The bats would then go quiet until the sixth inning, when the two teams traded runs. In the top half, Somerset took a 5-4 lead thanks to a pair of singles followed by an RBI double from SS Alexander Vargas. Bowie would tie the game back up at five in the bottom of the inning, with Bowens reaching on a single and coming around to score on a double from Frederick Bencosme.

That set the game up for its dramatic conclusion in the eighth and ninth. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Somerset 2B Anthony Siegler turned on a low pitch, blasting it over the wall in right-center for a HR that gave the Patriots a 6-5 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Baysox were down to their last out with the tying run on second base. However, instead of going for the tie, John Rhodes played for the win. The outfielder launched an 0-2 pitch deep into center field for a two-run shot that would put the Baysox ahead for good. Logan Rinehart worked a shutout ninth to seal the win for Bowie.

Box Score

High-A: Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) (PPD-Rain)

The IronBirds contest on Tuesday never got off the ground due to inclement weather in Aberdeen. They’ll make up the game as part of a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 4:35pm.

Low-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs) 9, Delmarva Shorebirds 8 (F/11)

The Shorebirds gave up a two-run lead in the eighth and then suffered extra-inning heartbreak in a loss to the Pelicans Tuesday. The game started as a back-and-forth affair, with the two teams trading early runs on the Eastern Shore. Delmarva opened the scoring in the second thanks to a leadoff double from Aron Estrada. The Shorebirds 2B would move to third on a wild pitch and then come home on a sac fly from Jake Cunningham. Stiven Acevedo followed the sac fly with a solo HR and the Shorebirds headed into the third with a 2-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived as the Myrtle Beach walked the bases loaded in the top of the third and then scored two runs on an RBI single from SS Cristian Hernandez. Both the Shorebirds and Pelicans would score two runs in the fourth and the two teams headed into the later innings deadlocked at 4-4. The Shorebirds finally retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh thanks to some timely hitting. Acevedo led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a Cole Urman single. After a fielding error loaded the bases, Thomas Sosa singled to left to drive home Acevedo and give Delmarva a 5-4 lead. Braylin Tavera then grounded into a run-scoring double play and after seven, the Shorebirds led 6-4.

From there, things only went downhill in Salisbury. A walk, and RBI triple and an RBI single saw the Pelicans tie the game once again in the eighth. Neither team could get anything going in the ninth, so the game went on to extras. Myrtle Beach’s Jacob Wetzel led off the top of the 10th with an RBI double that scored the Pelicans’ Manfred Man and gave them a 7-6 lead.

The Shorebirds then used a sac bunt and a sac fly to tied things at seven and send things to the 11th. Wetzel would again play the hero in the 11th, lacing a two-on, two-out triple into CF to plate two and put Myrtle Beach up 9-7. Estrada led off the bottom of the 11th with a run-scoring double to cut it to 9-8. After a sac bunt moved Estrada to third, the last two Shorebirds struck out to strand the runner and give the win to the Pelicans.

Box Score

Wednesday’s scheduled games

Norfolk Tides at Charlotte Knights, 7:04pm ET (Tucker Davidson vs. Sean Burke)

Bowie Baysox vs. Somerset Patriots, 12:05pm ET (Peter Van Loon vs. Bailey Dees)

Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Brooklyn Cyclones, Game 1, 4:35pm ET (Zach Fruit vs. Jack Wenninger)

Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Brooklyn Cyclones, Game 2 (TBD vs. Jonah Tong)

Delmarva Shorebirds vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 7:05pm ET (Eccel Correa vs. TBD)