The top four Orioles affiliates split their Friday night games
Triple-A: Jacksonville (Marlins) 6, Norfolk Tides 2
The uninterrupted streak of positive outings for pitching prospect DL Hall came to an end as he took the loss in this one when he surrendered a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his second inning of relief. Hall entered the game after a short start by righty Justin Armbruester, who got through 3.1 innings on 52 pitches. I don’t know what that was about. There’s nothing in the minor league Gameday about an injury delay before the replacement.
For Hall, he struck out four batters in 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and a walk in the same time frame. It’s going to be the strikeouts that make the difference for him, so at least there’s that positive.
Tides hitters managed just six hits across the whole game. That included a 1-4 night by rehabbing big leaguer Aaron Hicks, serving as the DH. Hicks is expected to join the Orioles in San Diego. Heston Kjerstad and Joey Ortiz had a hit apiece, while Connor Norby, Kyle Stowers, and Coby Mayo took 0-fors. Daz Cameron drove in both Norfolk runs.
Double-A: Bowie Baysox 9, Richmond (Giants) 7
Baseball’s #1 prospect Jackson Holliday was almost a one-man offense for the Baysox, picking up five of the team’s ten hits, scoring three runs, and driving in two. Holliday hit four singles as well as a triple, and is now OPSing 1.049 in 17 Double-A games. That dude is good.
Bowie managed this much offense despite hitting just 2-14 with RISP in the game and leaving eleven men on base. It’s not ideal, but they made it work. A four-run seventh inning rally that included Holliday’s two-run triple was what made the difference for them, as two Baysox relievers combined to allow three runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Starting pitcher Carlos Tavera allowed four runs over a 4.2 inning start where he walked five guys.
Outfielder John Rhodes was on base three times, hitting his 11th homer of the season and walking twice as well.
High-A: Brooklyn (Mets) 5, Aberdeen IronBirds 0
Not a whole lot to say about this one, as Aberdeen batters got just three hits in the game. Frederick Bencosme picked up two hits in his four times at the plate. Catcher Samuel Basallo had a hit in four at-bats, and threw out the one runner who attempted to steal, so he’s got that going for him. Basallo is now hitting .184 at this level, so there’s still some adjustment to be made for the young prospect who turns 19 tomorrow.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Carolina (Brewers) 1
The 2023 Orioles draft picks have started arriving at this level, and they are beautiful. First rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr. showed off the speed that’s his calling card, stealing three bases after getting on base three times with walks. Bradfield has stolen five bases in six pro games to date, and he’s drawn nine walks. That’s the good stuff.
It was Orioles third rounder Tavian Josenberger who delivered the big hits though, driving in five runs across the whole game, including a second inning bases-clearing double that drove in three on its own. Second rounder Mac Horvath also had a pair of hits in the game, and tenth round pick Matthew Etzel added a run-scoring hit as well.
Young pitching prospect Deivy Cruz made the start for the Shorebirds. The 19-year-old lefty added another good outing to his 2023 campaign, holding the Mudcats to just two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings. That’s some good work. He struck out three batters.
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Saturday’s Scheduled Games
- Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 6:35. Starter: Bruce Zimmermann
- Bowie: at Richmond, 6:05. Starter: TBD
- Aberdeen: at Brooklyn, 6:00. Starter: Juan Nuñez
- Delmarva: at Carolina, 5:00. Starter: Trey McGough