Orioles minor league recap 8/23: Suárez sharp in rehab start

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 4, Charlotte Knights (White Sox) 1

Much attention has been paid to the rehab assignments of Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, but don’t forget that Albert Suárez is rehabbing, too. And he pitched quite well in this game, working five shutout innings and allowing just two hits. He’ll be a big upgrade to the O’s bullpen whenever he returns to the majors. Roansy Contreras worked the next 3.2 innings and Houston Roth got the last out for his third save.

Also rehabbing is Jorge Mateo, who went 1-for-4 as the shortstop and leadoff hitter. Eight

different Tides hitters collected a hit, but the biggest contributor was #9 hitter Jordyn Adams, who swatted his seventh homer and drove in three of Norfolk’s four runs. The only hitless Tide was Jud Fabian, but he contributed by walking twice and stealing two bases.

Box score

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 5, Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) 3

The Baysox won behind a well-rounded offensive attack. Every batter had at least one hit, and the top three hitters in the lineup — Douglas Hodo, Austin Overn, and Adam Retzbach — combined for seven. Overn also had four stolen bases and is a perfect 13-for-13 in steal attempts in his 13 games with the Baysox. Reed Trimble added a two-run triple.

Starter Levi Wells gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings. Trace Bright was a Bright spot in long relief, working 3.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, and Micah Ashman — acquired in the Charlie Morton trade — came up big in the ninth, escaping a bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play.

Box score

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 0

The IronBirds did not join in on the offensive production of the other Orioles affiliates on this night. They managed only one hit in the entire game, a Thomas Sosa leadoff double in the fifth, as Brooklyn starter Joel Diaz pitched seven shutout frames. A look at the Aberdeen lineup shows a lot of batting averages that start with “1,” which is…not what you want. Even the previously sizzling Nate George has had a rough adjustment to High-A, batting .182 with a .567 OPS in his first nine games at the level.

Starting pitcher Juan Rojas looked great; he didn’t allow a hit in his 4.2 scoreless innings. The Cyclones scored all three of their runs in the sixth inning off reliever Evan Yates. Cedric Mullins trade acquisition Chandler Marsh, pitching against his former Cyclones teammates, tossed a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.

Box score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) 2

Delmarva used some last at-bat dramatics to win this one, breaking a 2-2 tie by scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Wehiwa Aloy, the #31 pick in this year’s draft, led off the inning with his first professional home run. First round pick Ike Irish singled, stole second, and later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Cobb Hightower. Raylin Ramos completed the four-run rally with a single that drove home two.

Three Shorebirds pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts: eight by starter Carson Dorsey, five by Sayer Diederich, and four by Deivy Cruz, who fanned all four batters he faced. Dorsey allowed only one hit in his five innings, but walked four.

Box score