Notes From the Minors 5/9

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Written by Chris Slade

Christian Walker raised his average to .259 with a 3-for-4 game for the Tides. He is the Hangout Player of the Night.

Tides [AAA] Won 1 to 0

Zach Davies worked five scoreless innings.

Henry Urrutia went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot.

Baysox [AA] Lost 3 to 1

Branden Kline pitched a quality start (6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K).

Mike Yastrzemski doubled.

Keys [A+] Won 4 to 0

Jarrett Miller wiffed seven over five scoreless innings.

Johnny Reuttiger went 4-for-4 and drove in three.

Shorebirds [A] Lost 7 to 5

Jonah Heim went 2-for-4.

Matthew Grimes took the loss (4 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K).

http://www.orioleshangout.com/article/5098/minor-league-game-summaries-59

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Ian Locke

Chris Parmelee lined a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Tides to a 1-0 win over the Buffalo Bisons in front of 10,536 fans Saturday night at Harbor Park.

With one out in the 11th frame, Paul Janish opened the decisive inning with an infield single off of Bobby Korecky (1-1), then moved to second on a walk to Henry Urrutia. After Nolan Reimold was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Parmelee lined the first pitch he saw into right field to plate Janish and give Norfolk its second straight extra-inning walk-off win.

Four Norfolk hurlers combined on the seven-hit shutout, with Chaz Roe (3-1) earning the win with two innings of relief. The shutout was the fifth of the season for the Tides, who now own the best ERA in the International League with a 2.58 mark.

Tides starter Zach Davies turned in an impressive outing but was saddled with his fourth no-decision in six starts this year. Davies allowed just three hits over five shutout innings as he walked two and struck out five. The 22-year-old right-hander, who has not allowed a run over 11.2 innings against Buffalo this season, lowered his ERA to 2.30 on the year.

Former Tide Randy Wolf turned in an exceptional start for the Bisons, as he allowed just four hits over seven shutout frames. Wolf walked one and struck out three as he lowered his season ERA to an even 1.00 in six starts this year.

Christian Walker had three singles to lead Norfolk, which won for the third consecutive game. It was also the 16th one-run game for the Tides (16-13) this season.

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Geoff Arnold

Woodbridge, Va.-Johnny Ruettiger recorded his first four-hit game since 2012 and finished with three RBIs as the Frederick Keys shutout the Potomac Nationals 4-0 at Pfitzner Stadium on Saturday night. Going 4-for-4 for the night, Ruettiger triggered a pair of multi-run innings, while the duo of Jarett Miller and Dennis Torres limited the Nationals to just four hits on the game. It was the Frederick’s second shutout win of the year.

After Nationals starter John Simms retired the first six he faced, the Keys plated a pair of runs in the third. Anthony Caronia opened the inning with a single, setting up Ruettiger for his first RBI chance of the night. On Simms’ 2-1 pitch, the former Arizona State product hit a sharp groundball down the first base line into the rightfield corner. Caronia scored from first, while Ruettiger would score one batter later on a sac-fly by Gregory Lorenzo.

Tagged with the loss, the two runs would be the only Simms (0-3) allowed all game. Working a season-high six innings, he posted his first quality start, giving up two runs on four hits.

Entering Saturday’s outing having allowed one run in his previous 10 innings, Miller (2-0) continued the trend, albeit with a couple of challenging frames. The first inning was especially tough, as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. In a tight spot, Miller fought through, striking out Spencer Kieboom, Drew Ward and John Wooten to hold the Nationals off the board. On the night, the Palmetto State native would punch out a season-high seven.

After retiring 12 of the next 14 batters he faced, Miller would get a lift from his defense in the fifth. Following a groundout by Estarlin Martinez, Isaac Ballou walked and advanced to third on a single by Christopher Bostick. That sent up Stephen Perez who hit a shallow flyball to center. Ruettiger made the catch, while a wily Ballou tagged at third and was thrown out at home thanks to a strike to catcher Austin Wynns. It was Ruettiger’s second outfield assist of the year.

Earning his second victory of 2015, Miller tossed five shutout innings scattering four hits. In his last three starts, the right-hander has given up just one hit in his last 15 innings to trim his ERA from 6.92 to 3.54.

In the seventh, the Keys added two insurance runs thanks in part to a one of two Nationals errors in the inning. With one out, Wynns reached first on a throwing error by Perez at short. Caronia then doubled to left to put men at second and third for Ruettiger, who singled up the middle against a drawn-in infield.

Ahead 4-0, the orange and black got stellar relief from Dennis Torres, who retired 12 straight batters to pick up his first save. The four-inning stint was the longest by a Keys reliever this season and equaled the longest outing of Torres’ career.

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Douglass Newton

SALISBURY, Md. -- The Delmarva Shorebirds played in front of a packed house on Saturday night, rooting for another ninth inning comeback. Augusta held on for a 7-5 final score, with the night ending as the Shorebirds were unable to come through with the bases loaded.

The game started with plenty of action right out of the gates. Two-out extra base hits from John Riley and Skyler Ewing to put Augusta up 2-0 in the first inning. In the bottom half, Conor Bierfeldt hammered a three-run home run for a 3-2 Shorebirds lead. Two errors by Augusta in the second inning pushed the Delmarva lead to 4-2.

The GreenJackets took advantage of a few errors to race back in front. Cristian Paulino lined an RBI single to score Jonah Arenado who reached on a fielding miscue. Two more unearned runs scored on an RBI grounder by Ryan Jones, and a wild pitch to bring home John Riley. Shorebirds’ starter Matthew Grimes allowed another unearned run in the fourth inning, building a 6-4 Augusta lead.

Delmarva had several chances to take back the lead throughout the night. In the fourth, the Shorebirds loaded the bases with two outs. Alex Murphy drew a walk to force in a run, adding to his league-best RBI total, now at 27 runs driven in. However, Augusta went to the bullpen and Dusten Knight retired Conor Bierfeldt on a deep flyout to the warning track.

The Shorebirds stranded the tying run in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings. Jonah Arenado ripped a solo home run in the ninth for a 7-5 Augusta advatange. In the ninth, Delmarva loaded the bases with two walks and an error. Carlos Alvarado struck out Riley Palmer to dash the hopes of the sellout crowd at Perdue Stadium.

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Matt Wilson

RHP Branden Kline worked six solid innings but the Baysox could not get their offense rolling as they fell for a second consecutive night in Richmond. Saturday's final score was 3-1.

Bowie took the lead in the third inning. With one down SS Ozzie Martinez walked. He then scored on a misplayed fly ball with two outs off the bat of LF Mike Yastrzemski. Richmond centerfielder Javier Herrera broke back on the ball before racing in. His dive towards the infield was not enough and Martinez scored on the triple.

Richmond tied the game an inning later in the fourth as RF Mac Williamson doubled down the right field line on the first pitch of the inning. He scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by DH Ricky Oropesa.

The Flying Squirrels grabbed the lead in the sixth inning. Three consecutive singles started the frame, two of which infield hits, and the table was set. Richmond got two more sacrifice flies in the frame to take a 3-1 lead.

Bowie had its big chance in the top of the seventh inning. The Baysox loaded the bases with no outs. But Bowie failed to score. DH Quincy Latimore struck out, 2B Derrik Gibson grounded out with a force at the plate and SS Martinez lined out to center to end the threat.