Triple-A: Durham Bulls (Rays) 5, Norfolk Tides 3
Well, this was a weird one. The Tides had only three hits in the entire game — but all three were solo homers, two by Reed Trimble and one by Jud Fabian. That allowed them to carry a 3-3 tie until the bottom of the ninth, when the Bulls walked it off on Tre’ Morgan’s two-run homer off Anthony Nunez.
Before that, Trey Gibson had a decent if unspectacular start, working five innings and giving up three runs, striking out seven. It was a step forward from Gibson’s four straight ugly outings. He figures
to get one more start before the end of the season. Cameron Foster and Houston Roth combined for three scoreless innings before Nunez’s stumble in the ninth.
We have a Jordan Westburg sighting! The O’s infielder began his rehab assignment with an 0-for-3 performance. Enrique Bradfield Jr. didn’t start but came in as a pinch-runner and stole a base.
Double-A: New Hampshire River Cats (Blue Jays) 5, Bowie Baysox 2
I have good news and bad news about Juaron Watts-Brown. The bad news is that he gave up four runs in four innings to his former teammates. The good news is that all four were unearned, so he pitched better than his box score line would indicate. With runners at second and third and two outs in the first, Watts-Brown got what appeared to be an inning-ending strikeout, but catcher Ethan Anderson made a throwing error to first trying to complete the play, scoring both runs. The next batter, Cade Doughty, crushed a two-run homer after the inning should have been over.
The game was essentially over after that four-run first, though the bullpen kept it close. Alex Pham worked a scoreless inning and Ryan Long two, though Tyson Neighbors gave up a run for the first time since joining the O’s organization at the trade deadline. But the Baysox offense couldn’t get much going. No Chesapeake batter had more than one hit. Adam Retzbach provided the only RBI with a single in the fifth, while their other run scored on an error.
Saturday’s scheduled games:
- Norfolk: doubleheader at Durham, 1:05 and 6:35 PM. Starters: Levi Wells (0-0, 7.59), TBD
- Chesapeake: at New Hampshire, 6:35 pM. Starter: Blake Money (4-5, 4.70)
