Triple-A: Durham Bulls (TBR) 6, Norfolk Tides 2 – Game 1
Levi Wells started and gave up two runs in four innings, one each in the third and fourth innings. He had traffic on the bases in all four innings, however. He allowed two baserunners on in each inning, including a home run. He gave up five hits, walked two, and hit one.
The Tides had just two hits in the game, both solo home runs. Vimael Machín hit his seventh homer of the year and José Barrero his 11th. As a team they struck out 14 times and didn’t have a single walk. Barrero was the only player
in the lineup who did not strike out. Rehabbing Jordan Westburg served as the DH and struck out three times.
The game was tied until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Jose Espada fell apart with a little help from his defense. Espada allowed four runs, two earned. He only gave up one hit, but he walked three, and two batters reached on an error.
Former Oriole Cooper Hummel walked twice and had an RBI double for Durham. You may remember him from his single plate appearance on May 30th.
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Durham Bulls 1 – Game 2
Game two was kinder to the Tides. They prevailed despite being outhit 12-6 by the Bulls. It was a bullpen game for Norfolk. Scott Blewett and Colin Selby pitched a scoreless inning each before Thaddeus Ward took over with four innings of his own to pick up the win. Ward gave up seven hits but just one run. He struck out six. Keagen Gillies finished to get the save.
Durham’s starting pitcher, Santiago Suarez, is just 20 years old. The #11 prospect for the Rays allowed five hits and a walk in six innings. Two of those hits were home runs, one from the rehabbing Gary Sánchez and the other from Vimael Machín. Machín also threw a runner out at home, so it was a nice day for him overall.
Double-A: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 2, Chesapeake Baysox 1
It was a fantastic night for 23-year-old Blake Money. In his ninth start for the Baysox he put together his best start of the year. In seven shutout innings, Money allowed just four singles without walking a batter. He struck out 10. At one point, he retired 12 batters in a row.
The Baysox only run came in the third inning. Carter Young singled and came around to score when New Hampshire’s pitcher made a throwing error on a grounder from Aron Estrada. Estrada landed on second base on the play.
The long run held until the bottom of the ninth. Carter Rustad had a 1-2-3 eighth inning and was lifted in the ninth after allowing two baserunners. Reliever Micah Ashman couldn’t strand the runners, and the Fisher Cats walked it off.
Today’s Schedule
- Norfolk @ Durham, 1:05. Starter: Carson Ragsdale
- Chesapeake @ New Hampshire, 1:35. Starter: Zach Fruit
Today is the final day of the season for the Baysox. The Tides have one more week, a home series against Jacksonville.
