The top O’s prospect in the minors continued to pound the ball, delivering the game-winning hit in extras.
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Durham Bulls (TB) 2 — 10 inn.
The Tides went extras to take down the Bulls, and I’m happy to say that top prospect Samuel Basallo was prominently involved. The 20-year-old prodigy went 3-for-5 and drove in two of Norfolk’s runs, including the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th. I’m not saying the O’s should call him up to the majors right now, but he did have two more hits than the entire Orioles lineup did last night, so…
Tides starter Brandon Young had a nice bounceback outing after giving up four runs and 10 hits in his previous start. This time, he twirled 5.1 scoreless innings, holding the Bulls to three hits and a walk, and striking out four. The bullpen held a 2-0 lead until the eighth, when Bryan Baker coughed up a game-tying two-run homer to Kameron Misner.
The winning pitcher for the Tides was Nolan Hoffman, who worked two scoreless innings, stranding runners in scoring position in both the ninth and 10th. The losing pitcher was Joe Record, which sounds like a made-up name.
Double-A: Erie SeaWolves (DET) 5, Bowie Baysox 1
Bowie plated a run in the top of the first, and it was pretty much all downhill from there. The SeaWolves scored five unanswered to win this one going away. Leadoff man Enrique Bradfield Jr. accounted for the Baysox run, getting hit by a pitch to start the game and later scoring on a Creed Willems sac fly. The Baysox had plenty of other scoring opportunities but went a brutal 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Seven different hitters stranded men in scoring position with two outs. They truly are future Orioles!
Bradfield reached base three times, adding a hit and a walk to his HBP, and continued to flash his prodigious speed by notching his 72nd stolen base of the year in 84 attempts.
Starter Cameron Weston threw 80 pitches in his four innings of work, giving up three runs, five hits, and two walks. He finishes his season with a 3.41 ERA in 23 games (14 starts) with the Baysox, and a 2.97 ERA if you add in his four starts with High-A Aberdeen. Not too shabby, Cameron.
Saturday’s scheduled games:
- Norfolk: at Durham, 6:35 PM. Starter: Carlos Tavera (2-4, 8.36)
- Bowie: at Erie, 6:05 PM. Starter: Trace Bright (0-11, 4.24)