Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 5, Norfolk Tides 2
The Jumbo Shrimp scored one run in the 6th and two runs in the 8th to take Game 1 vs. the Tides on Tuesday.
Norfolk came into the 6th down 2-1, but quickly tied the game thanks to a leadoff solo homer from José Barrero. That tie was short-lived thanks to Jumbo Shrimp catcher Agustín Ramírez. The recently demoted Ramirez jumped on a first-pitch curveball from Norfolk starter Trace Bright, blasting it over the left field fence to give Jacksonville a 3-2 lead.
The long ball would then seal the win for
the Jumbo Shrimp in the 8th. With Hans Crouse on the mound for the Tides, Matthew Etzel turned around a 2-2 slider down and in, sending a solo homer over the right field fence to grow the lead to 4-2. Two batters later, Ramirez would strike again. Crouse hung a slider to the former big league backstop, who tomahawked it over the left field fence for this second homer of the game.
The Tides would bring the winning run to the plate four times in the 9th, only for Jud Fabian, Heston Kjerstad and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to all strike out and clinch the win for Jacksonville. CES provided the Tides’ only other run Tuesday night, blasting a 4th inning solo homer for his seventh home run in 26 games with Norfolk.
Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 6, Somerset Patriots 5
The Baysox scored three runs in the bottom of the 9th to walk off the Patriots and take the series opener in Bowie.
Chesapeake came into the bottom of the 9th down 5-3 after Somerset scored two runs in the 7th to take the lead. Thomas Sosa led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a single by Anderson De Los Santos. Fernandeo Peguero would then pinch run for Sosa and score on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 5-4. Frederick Bencosme then tied the game on a single up the middle to score Aron Estrada from second.
Tavian Josenberger then walked, before an Adam Retzbach groundout moved the runners to second and third. With two outs, Carter Young walked off the Patriots, punching a single into right field to score Bencosme.
Bencosme and catcher Ethan Anderson were the offensive stars for Chesapeake on Tuesday in their come-from-behind win. The outfielder let all Baysox with three hits, going 3-for-5 with three singles, two RBIs and the game-winning run. Anderson provided the power for the Baysox, going 2-for-5 with two solo home runs.
Chesapeake also got a strong outing from the Orioles’ top pitching prospect, Luis De León. The lefty pitched four innings, allowing only two hits and two runs while punching out five. It was the 23-year-old’s best start of the season, and he now has a 3.27 ERA in May with 14 Ks in 11 innings.
High-A: Greenville Drive 9, Frederick Keys 4
The Keys took a lead late into the game against the Drive, only to surrender eight runs in the 8th and give away the series opener against Greenville.
Frederick took an early lead thanks to some small ball in the 1st inning. The Keys started the bottom of the 1st by loading the bases on a leadoff hit by pitch and two walks. Elis Cuevas then hit a sac fly to center to give Frederick an early 1-0 lead, before Braylin Tavera doubled that advantage on an RBI single through the left side.
After a 4th inning Greenville home run cut the Keys’ advantage in half, catcher Colin Tuft restored their two-run cushion in the 6th. The Frederick backstop jumped on a 1-2 pitch over the middle of the plate and launched it over the right-center fence for a solo home run.
That 3-1 lead would evaporate in the 8th as pitchers Twine Palmer and Joe Glassey lost control of the game for Frederick. After Palmer struck out the first batter of the inning, he allowed five straight batters to reach via four singles and a walk, allowing Greenville to take a 5-3 lead. Greenville’s Isaiah Jackson then ended Palmer’s outing with a two-run homer to right to give the Drive a 7-3 advantage. Glassey then came in, gave up two runs on after a single, double and single, before finally ending the inning on a pop-up to the catcher.
Victor Figueroa would get one run back on a solo shot in the bottom of the 8th, continuing his hot start to the season that has him with 1.002 OPS and 33 RBIs. It was the only consolation Frederick could muster, though, as they wouldn’t get another hit the rest of the game.
Low-A: Wilson Warbirds 14, Delmarva Shorebirds 8
The Shorebirds gave up eight runs across the first two innings Tuesday, and could not recover in a lopsided loss to the Wardbirds.
It was an ugly start for highly-regarded prospect Esteban Mejia, with the 19-year-old finishing with a final line of 1.0+ IP, 3 H, 8 R (6 ER), 6 BB, 1 K and 2 HR. Mejia has perhaps the best stuff of any arm in the Orioles’ minor league system, but command is a big concern and it showed Tuesday.
The Warbirds scored two 1st-inning runs thanks to a bases-loaded passed ball and a bases-loaded walk. Mejia then allowed a three-run homer and solo homer in back-to-back at-bats in the 2nd, before leaving the game having thrown 57 pitches and only gotten three outs.
The Shorebirds would get as close as 8-6 thanks to a Stiven Martinez long ball in the 4th. After Edwin Amparo and Braylon Whitaker reached via walks, Martinez swatted a three-run homer to left to cut the Delmarva defecit to two runs. Seven of the Shorebirds’ eight runs came via the long ball Tuesday, as Martinez, Jose Perez, Junior Aybar and Andrés Noyala all went deep.
Wednesday’s scheduled games
Norfolk Tides at Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 12:05pm ET (Trey Gibson vs. Zach McCambley)
Chesapeake Baysox vs. Somerset Patriots, 6:35pm ET (Juaron Watts-Brown vs. Ben Hess)
Frederick Keys vs. Greenville Drive, 11:00am ET (Boston Bateman vs. Dylan Brown)
Delmarva Shorebirds at Wilson Warbirds, 7:05pm ET (Christian Rodriguez vs Jayden Dubanewicz)
