Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 1, Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 0 — 10 inn.
Runs were hard to come by in this one, as nobody scored until the Tides walked it off in the bottom of the 10th. Christian Encarnacion-Strand did the honors with a bases-loaded single to right to drive in Maikol Hernández and send the Tides fans home happy. Encarnacion-Strand had two of Norfolk’s six hits, and Creed Willems had two others. All six hits were singles. Leadoff man Jud Fabian reached base thrice on a hit and two walks.
Six Tides pitchers combined for the 10-inning shutout. Starter Cameron
Weston handled the first 3.2 innings, striking out six, and five relievers each worked at least one scoreless inning. That group included rehabbing O’s lefty Dietrich Enns, who tossed a perfect sixth. Southpaw Josh Walker earned the win with two scoreless frames, stranding the go-ahead run at third base with nobody out in the 10th.
Double-A: Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 10, Chesapeake Baysox 8
In stark contrast to the Tides, the Baysox played a game that featured 18 runs and 28 baserunners. The Baysox fell behind by five runs after a six-run Akron fourth inning, then stormed back with seven unanswered to take an 8-6 lead, only to let the RubberDucks score the game’s final four runs to conclude a roller coaster of a game.
Chesapeake got no help from the top of the lineup — with #1 and #2 hitters Brandon Butterworth and Aron Estrada going 0-for-9 — but plenty of production from the bottom. The #8 hitter Tavian Josenberger was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs, and two RBIs, and #9 man Frederick Bencosme was 2-for-4 and drove in three.
All four Baysox pitchers allowed at least one run, but they have their defense to blame for a lot of it. Akron scored six unearned runs thanks to three Baysox errors. Both the second baseman Estrada and third baseman Carter Young committed errors in the top of the ninth that led to Akron’s tie-breaking two-run rally. Earlier, a miscue by Butterworth at short cost starter Sebastian Gongora three unearned runs. Jose Espada, just sent down from the Orioles’ bullpen yesterday, pitched 1.1 innings for Chesapeake and gave up two runs.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 7, Frederick Keys 3
What a performance by Frederick starter Juaron Watts-Brown, the Orioles’ acquisition in last year’s Seranthony Domínguez trade. The right-hander pitched five scoreless, hitless innings with eight strikeouts, retiring 15 of the 16 batters he faced. Watts-Brown is on a rehab assignment from Chesapeake, and he sure looks like he’s about ready to head back to Double-A.
Unfortunately, as soon as Watts-Brown left the game, things spiraled quickly. Towering lefty prospect Boston Bateman got blasted for seven runs (five earned) and nine hits in just 2.1 innings. He also committed two balks. Ugly.
It wasn’t a banner day for the Frederick offense overall, with 11 strikeouts and just one walk, but the two highly touted 2025 draft picks — Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy — each homered. Orioles fans could get used to seeing that. Vance Honeycutt took an 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Nate George did not play.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Wilson Warbirds (Brewers) 2
This marked the professional debut for left-hander Caden Hunter, the Orioles’ sixth-round pick last year, and he had his ups and downs. In 2.2 innings, he held the Warbirds to one hit, but also walked three. The only run on his ledger was an unearned one. Christian Rodriguez picked up the win with 3.2 innings of long relief, striking out seven and giving up just an unearned run.
Catcher Johnny Tincher, signed as a minor league free agent earlier this week, made his organizational debut and smacked a home run and drove in four. Not a bad first impression. His dinger was Delmarva’s only extra-base hit, but the Shorebirds made the most of their six singles, five walks, and four stolen bases to tally a seven-run game.
Saturday’s scheduled games:
- Norfolk: vs. Memphis, 6:35 PM. Starter: Cade Povich (0-1, 5.40)
- Chesapeake: vs. Akron, 2:05 PM. Starter: Christian Heberholz (0-1, 9.39)
- Frederick: vs. Wilmington, 6:00 PM. Starter: Twine Palmer (0-1, 6.75)
- Delmarva: vs. Wilson, 7:05 PM. Starter: Kailen Hamson (0-2, 11.25)
