Ian Locke
Norfolk Fall out of Playoff Slot 1-0
Columbus made an early run hold up as the Clippers blanked the Tides 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park.
Norfolk starter Luis Ysla (0-1) turned in a strong effort in his Tides debut, allowing one run on two hits over five innings of work. Both hits he allowed came to the first two batters of the contest, as Brandon Barnes and Connor Marabell opened the game with back-to-back singles. Yu Chang then followed with a run-scoring double-play grounder to plate what would be the only run of the contest.
Ysla settled in after the first frame, facing just two batters over the minimum over his final four innings. He retired 11 consecutive batters at one point, and he ended his outing with four strikeouts and three walks while throwing 52 of his 86 pitches for strikes.
Norfolk pitching did not allow a hit after the first two batters of the game, as Ysla, Michael Kelly and Tim Melville combined to hold the Clippers hitless over the final eight innings. Melville worked two scoreless frames and has now turned in eight straight appearances without allowing an earned run.
Adam Plutko (7-3) and three Clippers relievers combined on the shutout, with the quartet combining to retire the final 18 batters of the contest. The four Columbus hurlers combined to strike out 11 while issuing just one walk.
With the loss, the Tides (61-56) are now 1.0 game behind Columbus (63-56) in the International League Wild Card standings. Norfolk has 23 games remaining this season, 16 of which will come on the road.
Ronny Veronesi
Zimmermann Dominates In 3-1 Baysox Debut
Three-run first inning helps lefty in Orioles org. debut
BOWIE, Md. – LHP Bruce Zimmermann held the Hartford Yard Goats to a run over five innings to help the Bowie Baysox sweep a rain-shortened series with a 3-1 win in six innings in front of 6,530 at Dunkin’ Donuts Park Sunday evening.
In his first start since July 27 with Double-A the Double-A Mississippi Braves, the lefty made his first start as a member of the Baltimore Orioles farm system. After allowing a first-inning run, Zimmermann scattered three hits over the final four innings, striking out er field. Hartford led off the fourth inning with a pair of singles, but Zimmermann retired Brian Mundell, Brandon Bednar and Nelson Molina in order to prevent any further offensive threats. Ramos would step into the box as the tying run in the fifth inning, but struck out on four pitches to make the first game official.
All of the Baysox (54-62) offense came in the first inning during an immediate three-run rally. Hartford starter Ryan Castellani walked four of the first five batters, with an Aderlin Rodriguez sacrifice fly being the only non-walk. The 70th RBI for the first baseman scored Ryan McKenna to put the visitors on top early. After a Yusniel Diaz walk, Anderson Feliz lined a RBI single to left field to plate Corban Joseph, while Rylan Bannon lifted the inning’s second sacrifice fly to center field to score Ryan Mountcastle.
Game two of the doubleheader was cancelled after a torrential storm that delayed action in game one for more than one hour. It will not be rescheduled.
Will DeBoer
Shorebirds lose 2-1 in the Tenth
COLUMBIA, SC – Zach Rheams’ walkoff bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Columbia Fireflies past the Delmarva Shorebirds 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Spirit Communications Park.
With the game tied at 1-1 and Hansel Moreno starting the inning at second base, Matt Winaker drew a one-out walk, then Scott Manea took a fastball off his shoulder to load the bases. On an 0-1 pitch, Rheams chipped his bat and laced one over the third base bag, bringing home Moreno with the winning run.
Conner O’Neil (6-0) earned the win in relief for the Fireflies (19-29, 53-62), holding the Shorebirds (24-24, 59-56) scoreless over three innings. Diogenes Almengo (1-1) endured the loss after giving up the unearned run in the 10th.
After a three-inning staring contest, the Shorebirds forced Columbia to blink in the top of the fourth. Seamus Curran drew a one-out walk, then two batters later Branden Becker cracked a double that one-hopped the wall in right. Curran trucked all the way around to score, and Becker ended up at third on an overthrow after giving his team a 1-0 lead.
The Fireflies drew even in the bottom of the fifth on a Moreno solo homer to right. The Fireflies had men in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings, but Delmarva skated by cleanly.
Becker led the Shorebird offense with his RBI double. Mason McCoy went 2-for-4, and Curran walked twice and scored.
Rheams finished 3-for-5, including the game-winning hit in the 10th. Moreno went 2-for-5 with a homer and both Columbia runs at the top of the order.
Pitching drew the headlines over the first nine innings for both sides. Delmarva’s Jhon Peluffolasted five innings under the blazing South Carolina sun, allowing one run on four hits while walking three and striking out two. Cameron Ming took the baton in the sixth and delivered four scoreless innings, including three straight frames of just eight pitches each.
Nicolas Debora turned in one of his best starts of the year for the Fireflies, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings, walking one and striking out a career-high 10.
Delmarva falls to 4-10 in extra-inning games this season; all three of the Shorebirds’ losses to Columbia this season have come in the 10th inning. In the Shorebirds three losses on this road trip they have scored just one run; they’ve scored 27 in the three wins.
Michael Lehr
Ironbirds split Double header
Fishkill, N.Y. – Two games flew by in upstate as the IronBirds and Hudson Valley Renegades faced off. Aberdeen lost game one on a controversial call, but took the second with a 4-2 win.
GAME 1:
STARTERS STEAL THE SHOW: Hector Guance and Easton McGee were dueling starter in game one. Both went six innings and only one run scored in the entire game. It came on an infield basehit for Tyler Frank and and Jordan Qsar’s RBI double got it done.
SNOOZER: From there absolutely nothing happened. Guance allowed just two baserunners until the 5th. In that inning three would reach but Cody Roberts caught Michael Smith stealing.
UMMMMM: Jean Carmona doubled with one out in the 7th and moved up to third on a J.C. Escarra fly out. Aberdeen was down to its final out, but the game tieing run was at third. Carmona came home on a ball passed the catcher Chris Betts. A play at the plate would end the game, with Carmona called out. Manager Kyle Moore argued the call which was controversial across the board, but the game ended in a 1-0 win for Hudson Valley.
GAME 2:
RETALIATION: A frustrated IronBirds crew struck first in game two. Adam Hall and Carmona would both single, with Roberts driving in Hall on with a double.
In the second the runs continued with a Guyien Xu single, Hall’s second hit and Carmona’s two RBI double. 3-0 ‘Birds through two.
THIRD INNING STRETCH: Aberdeen got another in the third. Irving Ortega drilled a tripple and scored on an error to make it 4-0 at the half way point.
Hudson Valley answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Gray Fenter gave up a double, a walk and an infield base hit. Bryce Brown scored on a fielders choice, and an error brought David Parrett home to make it 4-2.
RIDE IT OUT: The ‘Birds took that lead to the end, with Ryan Conroy dealing the final three outs and getting his fifth save.
UP NEXT: A breather. All NYPL teams have two days off with the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. Wednesday the ‘Birds will see the Lowell Spinners at 7:05 at home.
