Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (CWS) 15, Norfolk Tides 3
Whoops. A day after Norfolk’s seven-home run block party, Charlotte returned the favor, scoring ten runs in the last four innings, on four homers of their own. Five Tides pitchers were victims of this assault: no one escaped with their ERA intact, although some had it worse than others. Starter Cameron Weston lasted three innings and gave up five runs. Enoli Paredes, new waiver pickup Eduarniel Núñez and Andrew Magno each allowed a run or more.
That meant—nobody’s favorite—a position player acting as closer: infielder Willy Vasquez served up three home runs in two innings of work.
On offense, the box score wasn’t all bad, though. Jackson Holliday, DH’ing, tripled in two AB’s and was removed early as part of his return to play progression. Heston Kjerstad went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.
Meanwhile, centerfielder Ryan Noda was removed from the game with a bruised right knee after a collision with the outfield wall. Bryan Ramos, who took his spot in the lineup, homered and walked.
Double-A: Akron RubberDucks (CLE) 10, Chesapeake Baysox 9
The Baysox had one of the wildest first innings you’ll see and still somehow lost. Chesapeake scored eight runs in 26 minutes, taking advantage of three Akron errors and five hits to plate six runs before an out was recorded. Griff O’Ferrall led off with a walk, a pickoff throw went wild to advance him, and he scored on a second throwing error. Anderson De Los Santos drove in Ethan Anderson with a double, then scored himself on a Frederick Bencosme single—and the carnage only continued from there.
Chesapeake’s Sebastian Gongora had himself an 8-0 lead to work with, and while he gave back four runs in 4.1 innings, this was still a winnable game. After him, Zane Barnhart pitched a clean 1.1 innings, but the rest of the Baysox bullpen couldn’t hold serve: Ben Vespi (yup, brother of Nick) allowed a pair of runs, and right-hander Michael Caldon let in six, four earned. Caldon loaded the bases with one out before allowing an Alfonsin Rosario single to tie things up, then left-hander Juan Rojas came on and issued a walk and a hit batsman to bring home two more. Christian Knapczyk’s sacrifice fly put Akron ahead 10-9, and the deed was done.
High-A: Frederick Keys 6, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 3
The one winner on the farm on Sunday, the Keys won their seventh straight, sweeping all six games of their road trip to Hudson Valley. The Keys were up 6-0 after three innings, and though starter Kiefer Lord allowed a two-run double in the fourth and Eccel Correa one more run in the sixth, that was as close as the Renegades got. Keys starter Lord had a cool nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings, by the way.
Catcher Colin Tuft was the offensive powerhouse on Sunday, going deep twice and driving in three. Braylin Tavera homered, too, his fourth of the season. Wehiwa Aloy also had a great game, with three hits and two RBIs. In less great news, outfielder Ike Irish was removed from the game after getting hit by a pitch on the right wrist, and Vance Honeycutt went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
Also out of Frederick, MASN reports that left-hander Joseph Dzierwa is being called up to Double-A Chesapeake.
Low-A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 7
A wild one in Salisbury. Delmarva built a 7-3 lead, but Fayetteville scored a run or more in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Who’s pitching in the Shorebirds bullpen, anyway?
Starter Caden Hunter took the ball for Delmarva, and he alone had a good outing, throwing four innings in which he allowed one run and struck out eight. But Bradley Brehmer, J.D. Hennen, Luis Beltrán and Junior Aybar collectively allowed six hits and nine walks (!!) in five innings. Aybar (0-1, 13.50 ERA) took the loss.
Andrés Nolaya was the offensive engine for the Shorebirds. He went 3-for-4 with four RBI, finishing a home run away from the cycle. Raylin Ramos wasn’t far behind: he went 3-for-3, walked, and scored three runs. Shortstop DJ Layton homered, his second of the season.
Today’s Schedule
- There are no scheduled games on Monday, May 18.
