Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 6, Norfolk Tides 2
Trey Gibson was not particularly sharp over four innings last night. Gibson allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits, including a home run, a walk and three strikeouts. Baltimore’s second ranked pitching prospect (MLB Pipeline) allowed a leadoff homer in the second before relinquishing two more on a walk, a pair of singles and a double. José Barrero allowed a base runner to reach on a throwing error in the fourth inning, and the runner eventually came into score on a sacrifice fly.
Chayce McDermott
put together 1.2 scoreless innings but did issue a pair of walks. Alex Pham ran into some trouble in the seventh when Jordan—the Cardinals’ 26th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline—ripped his second homer of the evening.
Creed Willems drove in Norfolk’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Jhonkensy Noel delivered an RBI double later in the frame.
The game was delayed for rain in the bottom of the seventh inning. Neither team scored when play resumed.
Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 7, Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 4
Chesapeake took control of this one with a pair of crooked numbers. The Baysox trailed 1-0 after five innings before a three-run sixth. Ethan Anderson and Griff O’Ferrall both took one-out walks before Thomas Sosa slapped a go-ahead triple to left field. Carter Young followed with a run-scoring single that provided Chesapeake a two-run lead.
Hartford battled back to even the score at three, but the Baysox exploded for four runs in the eighth. O’Ferrall worked another walk before Sosa launched his first home run of the season. Young managed another base hit and came around to score when Aron Estrada walked with the bases loaded. Douglas Hodo III scored the team’s seventh run on a wild pitch.
Trace Bright looked the part of an Opening Day starter with 5.1 innings of one-run ball. Bright limited Hartford to one run on three hits. He did walk four batters, but he struck out nine during an impressive performance. Yaqui Rivera allowed the Yard Goats to tie things up on a two-run homer by Zach Kokoska.
Tyson Neighbors made things more interesting than it needed to be with three walks and one earned run in the ninth inning.
Anderson De Los Santos exited after being hit by a pitch. Young came off the bench for a 2-for-3 day.
Low-A: Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4
Delmarva battled back after falling behind by five, but the rally came up just short. Maikol Hernández trimmed the deficit to one with a two-out single in the ninth, but Félix Amparo lined out to end the game. Hernández finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
Cobb Hightower delivered a pair of RBI-singles during a 3-for-4 night. Hightower and Amparo combined for five of Delmarva’s eight hits. Right fielder Junior Aybar delivered Delmarva’s only extra-base hit with a double in the ninth.
Shorebirds starter Kiefer Lord allowed four runs over 4.1 frames. Salem jumped ahead early with a run in the first, but the majority of the damage came during a three-run third. Kailen Hamson allowed an unearned run in the fifth that ultimately proved to be the difference.
Friday’s Scheduled Games
Norfolk: at Memphis, 2:05 p.m. Starter: Dean Kremer (season debut)
Chesapeake: at Hartford (Rockies), 7:10 p.m. Starter: Christian Herberholz (season debut)
Frederick: at Hub City (Rangers), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Joseph Dzierwa (season debut)
Delmarva: at Salem (Red Sox), 6:35 p.m. Starter: Denton Biller (season debut)
