Ian Locke
Toledo’s Christin Stewart broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the eighth inning to power the Mud Hens to a 3-0 win over Norfolk Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park.
Stewart, who is now tied for the International League lead with 18 home runs, connected off of Eddie Gamboa to give the Hens their only extra-base hit of the contest. Stewart homered twice in the series, helping the Mud Hens take two of three in the set.
Artie Lewicki (5-5) earned the win with a dazzling effort, holding the Tides to one hit and one walk over seven shutout innings of work. He struck out nine and faced just one batter over the minimum, throwing 64 of his 93 pitches for strikes.
After falling behind 3-0, Norfolk nearly took the lead in the bottom half of the eighth inning, when the Tides loaded the bases with two outs against reliever Paul Voelker. Cedric Mullins hit a deep fly ball to right field, but Mike Gerber made the catch at the base of the wall as Mullins’ grand slam bid came up just short. The Tides then put two runners on in the ninth frame, but Zac Houston pitched out of the jam to record his fifth save of the season.
Norfolk starter Matt Wotherspoon had to settle for a no-decision after a terrific outing in which he allowed just one hit over five shutout innings. Wotherspoon struck out five and issued just one walk, throwing 44 of his 70 pitches for strikes. The University of Pittsburgh product faced just three batters over the minimum through his five innings of work, lowering his ERA to 3.05 through 16 games (four starts) at Harbor Park this season.
Luis Gonzalez (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing a run on two hits over 2.1 innings of relief. He struck out four and walked a batter and now owns a 2.16 ERA through four relief outings with the Tides.
Adam Pohl
Harrisburg, PA – The Baysox dropped a doubleheader to Harrisburg Sunday evening from FNB Field as two tight contests both went to the Senators. Harrisburg held off a late Baysox rally in the opener 5-4 and walked off in the nightcap as Bowie fell, 4-3.
Game One – Harrisburg 5, Bowie 4
Dillon Tate made his Orioles organizational debut making his first start since July 5th. He struggled early allowing two runs in the first inning, albeit just one earned. After a bounce back second inning in which he struck out the side in order, Tate allowed two runs in the third inning. Senators Raudy Read doubled home two runs to push Harrisburg on top 4-1.
Tate finished the day having allowed five runs, four earned in 5 and 1/3rd innings. He threw 86 pitches, 56 for strikes.
Bowie trailed 5-1 to the seventh and final inning. An inning that provided a stirring comeback attempt. Aderlin Rodriguez hit a hard groundball off of the shortstop Carter Kieboom ruled an error. Consecutive walks followed to load the bases. With one down, Martin Cervenka than laced a bases clearing double to right-center field. The drive moved Bowie within 5-4 and moved Cervenka to second base.
In came reliever Dakota Bacus. Corban Joseph nearly tied the game in a pinch hitting role. He hit a hard groundball near the first base line. Senators Dan Gamache dove to glove and got the out with Cervenka getting third base. Ryan McKenna then struck out in a six-pitch at bat to end the game.
Game Two – Harrisburg 4, Bowie 3
Dean Kremer made his second start with Bowie in the Orioles system and started out strong with four scoreless innings. The Baysox rewarded him with an early lead.
The Baysox got a run on three hits in the first and then rallied again in the third inning. Ademar Rifaela doubled over the right fielder’s head on the first pitch of the frame. Next up was McKenna who tripled over the head of the centerfielder to the wall. Rifaela scored and McKenna would one batter later on a sac fly from Corban Joseph. Bowie led 3-0.
But Kremer struggled a bit with command to start the fifth inning. He walked the first two batters and got behind Khayyan Norfork and a 3-1 fastball was hit for a game-tying three-run home run to left field to tie the game at 3.
Each team threatened to score following before the game’s bizarre conclusion. Harrisburg’s Hunter Jones was at first base with two down in the seventh inning. He took off to attempt to steal second and the throw went into center. It then went skidding under the glove of McKenna and Jones came all the way around to score the winning run. SS Anderson Feliz and McKenna were both given errors.
Geoff Arnold
KEYS WIN MARATHON DOUBLEHEADER
FREDERICK PREVAILS IN GAME TWO WITH THREE-RUN 12TH
KINSTON, NC-The Frederick Keys swept the Down East Wood Ducks in a doubleheader that took more than 6:30 hours to complete on Sunday at Grainger Stadium. Taking game two by a 9-8 score, the Keys needed 12 innings and 3 hours and 38 minutes to come away with a one-run victory, after winning game one 3-2. Thanks to the twinbill sweep, the Keys also earned a sweep of the three-game series and went 6-0 on the roadtrip. Frederick’s current six-game win streak is the club’s second-longest of the year.
In the 12th inning of game two, Frederick (51-56, 16-22) took the lead for good against Josh Altmann. Normally a position player, the right-hander came on for the fifth time after Locke St. John pitched the 11th. Starting with T.J. Nichting at second, Altmann (0-1) walked Cole Billingsley and then intentionally walked Preston Palmeiro after the count went to 2-0. From there, a wild pitch scored Nichting and Jomar Reyes added a two-run single to make it 9-6.
Down East (46-62, 11-27) pulled within one in the bottom of the 12th on a RBI singles by Josh Altmann and Yanio Perez off Francisco Jimenez. However, LeDarious Clark struck out and Brendon Davis flied out to deep rightfield to end the game.
Both sides exchanged a pair of runs in the 11th inning. With the bases loaded, Daniel Fajardo singled to center off St. John to plate two to make it 6-4, before a Davis double and a wild pitch by Jimenez (1-2) enabled Down East to force a 12th inning.
Each side exchanged a run in the eighth, after an Altmann two-run homer in the sixth tied the game. The Keys enjoyed a 3-1 lead through 5.5 innings. A Nichting single in the third scored Fajardo from second in the third inning, while Frederick received an RBI single from Fajardo and were assisted by an error in the fifth that led to a run. Down East managed only a triple by Leody Taveras and an RBI groundout by Leblanc until the sixth.
Jimenez earned the win, allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out five. Altmann was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on a hit in the 12th.
In game one, the Keys scored three times in the seventh to earn the win. With Nichting at first, Collin Woody singled to shallow right off Sal Mendez on a ball that landed between Leblanc and Altmann. That brought home Nichting from first. Woody moved to second on the throw home and came around on a double by Billingsley. One batter later, an error by Leblanc at second made it 3-1.
Down East put men at the corners in the seventh, after a Ricky Valencia double and a single by Andretty Cordero, by an RBI groundout was all that the Wood Ducks could muster against Tyler Erwin.
The Wood Ducks took the lead temporarily in the sixth on an RBI single by Altmann which scored Leody Taveras from third. Keys starter Zac Lowther (5.2 IP, 1R) and Woodies starter Rollie Lacy (5IP/0R) were locked in a pitcher’s duel for most of the game.
Steven Klimek (3-2) earned the win for the Keys delivering 0.1 of an inning, while Mendez (1-1) suffered the loss. The southpaw gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits in two innings. Erwin allowed one run in the seventh to earn his 14th save.
Will DeBoer
‘BIRDS BLANKED IN K-TOWN FINALE
Delmarva endures eighth shutout loss since break
KANNAPOLIS, NC – The Delmarva Shorebirds’ offensive engine stalled once again in a 6-0 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators on Sunday evening at Intimidators Stadium.
Yosmer Solorzano (2-6) spearheaded the clean sheet for the Intimidators (20-16, 59-44), allowing just one hit over five innings while walking none and striking out one. Brenan Hanifee (7-5) suffered the loss for the Shorebirds (19-16, 54-48), giving up four runs on four hits over five innings. Jhoan Qiujada earned his first save with four scoreless frames, giving up just a pair of singles.
Kannapolis broke the ice in the bottom of the second. Tate Blackman led off with a double to right center and took third on a groundout. Justin Yurchak then got one in the air to the left field corner, bringing home Blackman to make it 1-0.
The Intimidators put some more distance between them and their guests in the third. Even Skoug drew a one-out walk, then after a groundout, Luis Curbelo belted an RBI double. Curbelo moved up on a wild pitch, and Craig Dedelow worked a walk to put men on the corners. Hanifee committed a balk to force in Curbelo, and Blackman laced his second double in as many innings, chasing home Dedelow to put Kannapolis up 4-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, a Yurchak single and Johan Cruz double put men on the corners with nobody out. Skoug hit a sac fly two batters later to score Yurchak, and Cruz eventually came in on a wild pitch and error, giving the game its final margin.
Mason McCoy went 2-for-4, and Jean Carrillo had a single for Delmarva’s only three hits.
Blackman finished 2-for-4 wiht two doubles, a run, and an RBI to lead the Intimidators.
The shutout was the eighth that the Shorebirds have suffered since the All-Star Break and 12th overall.
Michael Lehr
ABERDEEN, MD: It was all Mahoning Valley in this ballgame today. The Scrappers hit a pair of homers and pitched extremely well to take the series finale against the IronBirds by the final score of 5-1.
PITCHERS DUEL: Jimmy Murphy and Alex Royalty were both solid in their starts today. Murphy, the IronBirds starter from Fordham, went 7.0 innings strong giving up 2 earned runs. He struck out four and walked one Scrappers hitter. He only gave up four hits but took the loss. His 7.0 innings pitched were the most for Murphy this season.
Alex Royalty was solid in his 3.0 innings pitched. The 8th rounder out of UNC Willmington did not give up a run and struck out three.
FREEMAN GOES DEEP: Jimmy Murphy didn’t make many mistakes today but the one he made to Tyler Freeman resulted in a bomb off the top of the roof of the visitor’s clubhouse in left field. It was Freeman’s first home run of the season. The second year pro out of California came into today leading the New York Penn League in average at .370. The homerun gave the Scrappers an ealry 1-0 lead.
YAHNIMAL: Willy Yahn has been the best run-producer this year for the ‘Birds. He continued his clutch hitting with a two-out RBI single. Scoring from second was JC Escarra, who reached after being hit by a pitch. The RBI was the 18th of the year for Yahn. He leads the ‘Birds in that category.
NELSON REMOVES DOUBT: Hosea Nelson came into the night leading the Scrappers in homeruns. He added to that lead with his 5th bomb of the season. He pounded a fastball to the bullpen in right-field. The two-run homer made it 5-1 Mahoning Valley.
‘BIRD WATCHING: Robbie Thorburn has been tremendous in the lead-off spot all season long for Aberdeen. That continued tonight with another multi-hit game for the 31st rounder out of UNC Willmingon. Thorburn has had a batting average that has hovered around that .300 mark all season long. He finished the night 3-for-4.