Notes From the Minors 5/15

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Douglass Newton

Shorebirds Rally for Another Comeback Win

Three-run sixth inning pushes Delmarva over top

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Delmarva Shorebirds earned another road win in Greensboro with a 6-4 victory at NewBridge Bank Park on Friday night. The Shorebirds (18-16) rallied for three runs in the sixth for yet another comeback win.

Delmarva got off to a hot start against Greensboro starter Tyler Kolek. In the first inning, Conor Bierfeldt skied a sacrifice fly and Jomar Reyes lined an RBI single for a 2-0 lead against the Marlins? top prospect.

The Grasshoppers battled back against Shorebirds? starter Matthew Grimes. Mason Davis hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. In the second, Greensboro tied the game at two runs apiece with an RBI single by Zach Sullivan. The Hoppers finally leapt in front on an RBI single by Arturo Rodriguez in the fifth inning.

The Shorebirds immediately responded in the top of the sixth inning. Bierfeldt drew a walk and Reyes sliced a single to run Kolek out of the game. Now facing James Buckelew, Riley Palmer chopped an infield single over the mound to load the bases. Elier Leyva forced in the tying run with a bases-loaded walk. Delmarva took the lead on a cueshot infield single by Jonah Heim and added another run on an RBI groundout from Guillermo Salas.

In the seventh inning, Bierfeldt capped off his night with a deep drive to left field. The solo home run, his fourth of the season, put the Shorebirds on top 6-3. Bierfeldt is now tied with teammate Alex Murphy for the league lead in RBIs with 28.

Stefan Crichton allowed one run in three innings of relief, stranding the tying run on first base in the eighth inning. Garrett Cortright wrapped up the victory in the ninth, earning his first save of the year. Grimes improved to 3-1 with the win, while Kolek fell to 3-2.

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Geoff Arnold

KEMP SHINES AS KEYS WIN 12TH HOME GAME

NATIONALS GO HITLESS WITH RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION

FREDERICK, Md.-Jeff Kemp scored the go-ahead run for the Frederick Keys in the bottom of the sixth, while he hit a two-run homer to provide some insurance in the eighth, as the orange and black defeated the Potomac Nationals 4-1 on Friday night at Nymeo Field. It was Frederick’s 12th win at home this season, by far the most in the Carolina League. Additionally, the Keys were able to shut down several rally opportunities by the P-Nats, who finished 0-for-6 with men at second or third base.

The Keys took the lead for good in the sixth, after single by Narciso Mesa, a Stephen Perez double and a groundout by Isaac Ballou tied things in the visitors-half of the inning. With one out, Kemp collected his first hit of the night on a double down the third base line. He advanced 90 feet on a groundout by Drew Dosch to send up Trey Mancini. Working a six-pitch at-bat against John Simms, the Keys cleanup man singled to left to make it 2-1 Frederick.

In the eighth, the Nationals made a bid to tie things up. After Jimmy Yacabonis retired Mesa on a lineout to short, Cody Wheeler would come in for a five-out save. The lefty would walk Perez, who then stole second, before a groundout and a second free pass put runners at the corners for Christopher Bostick. Going to a 2-2 count, Wheeler induced a groundout to escape trouble, before getting a pair of strikeouts in the ninth to close things out.

Kemp provided some important insurance in the bottom of the eighth, with a two-run homer off Derek Self. All three of his longballs have come at Nymeo Field this season, while the former Radford standout ended the night 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

On the mound Jhonathan Ramos held the Nationals off the board, turning in five innings of five-hit baseball. He walked one and struck out two to lower his season ERA to 1.23. Simms (0-4) also turned a nice outing for Potomac, posting his second quality start, but was tagged with his fourth loss in as many outings. Over six innings, he gave up two runs (one earned) struck out three and did not walk a batter.

In his first game off the disabled list, Wynston Sawyer drove in the Keys first run of the game with a single to right, after Brenden Webb reached on a single and moved to second on a wild pickoff throw.

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Matt Wilson

Bowie, Md. - The Baysox fell behind early and never recovered in an 8-4 loss to Richmond Friday night. The loss was the team's season-high fifth in a row. Errors were again a problem as the Baysox committed two that led to a pair of unearned runs.

Richmond jumped on Baysox starter Dylan Bundy early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning for the early lead. Kelby Tomlinson hit a lead-off single to right field and stole second base before scoring on a Mac Williamson single to right field. With two outs, Ricky Oropesa singled to center field to plate Williamson from second base. Oropesa went to third base after a Myles Schroder bunt single and throwing error by third baseman Jason Esposito and then scored on a wild pitch.

The Baysox got one run back in the bottom half of the inning against Richmond starter Kelvin Marte. Glynn Davis and Mike Yastrzemski opened the game with back-to-back doubles to make the score 3-1.

The Flying Squirrels added to the lead in the top of the second inning. Jackson Williams hit a lead-off single to left field and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a Tomlinson double to center field. With two outs, Williamson singled to left field to plate Tomlinson and give Richmond a 5-1 lead.

Richmond added another run in the top of the third inning. Oropesa with hit-by-a-pitch and Schroder singled to start the inning before Andrew Triggs replaced Bundy on the mound. With one out, Williams singled to load the bases and Moreno then brought a run home with an RBI groundout to make the score 6-1.

Bowie cut into the Richmond lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out and runners on first and second base, Davis doubled to right field to bring home a run and make the score 6-2.

The Baysox got two more runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sean Halton hit a lead-off single to center field and scored on a Chris O'Brien double to center field. After moving to third base, O'Brien scored on a Sharlon Schoop sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 6-4.

The Flying Squirrels extended their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Moreno drew a lead-off walk and moved to second base on a Tomlinson groundout before scoring on a Devin Harris single to center field to give Richmond a 7-4 lead.

Richmond added another insurance run in the top of the seventh inning against Baysox reliever Gene Escat. Schroder hit a one-out single to right field and moved to second base on an Angel Villalona groundout. Schroder scored after a Williams single to left field and fielding error by Yastrzemski to make the score 8-4.

It was a rough outing for Bundy as he threw two innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on a career-high eight hits while striking out two in the loss. Triggs threw 3.1 innings in relief and allowed one run on three hits while striking out five and walking one. Escat threw two innings and allowed one unearned run on four hits while striking out three and walking two. Reliever Kenn Kasparek pitched the final 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing one hit.

Marte picked up the win, throwing five innings and allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking one.

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Ian Locke

Zach Davies tossed six strong innings, but Norfolk was edged by Indianapolis 3-2 Thursday night.

Davies (1-2) allowed three runs on eight hits but took the loss as Norfolk dropped the first game of a seven-game trip. The 22-year-old walked two and struck out five but yielded a two-run double to Gorkys Hernandez in the fourth inning that proved to be the difference.

Norfolk out-hit Indianapolis 11-9 in the contest, but 10 of the 11 hits were singles. Julio Borbon doubled for Norfolk's lone extra-base hit and added two singles in the contest as he raised his average to .289 this season.

Dariel Alvarez an Chris Parmelee each had two hits apiece, while Christian Walker added an RBI single.

The 3-2 setback was Norfolk's 19th one-run game this season, a mark that is tied with Indianapolis for the most in Minor League Baseball.

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Tides [AAA] Lost 9 to 1

Chris Parmelee and Steve Clevenger had the only hits.

New Oriole pitcher Jorge Rondon pitched two innings gave up a hit and no runs while stiking out one and walking none.

Baysox [AA] Lost 8 to 4

Glynn Davis went 3-for-5 with two doubles.

Ozzie Martinez went 4-for-4.

Keys [A+] Won 4 to 1

Jeff Kemp went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run.

Jhonathan Ramos pitched five scoreless innings.

Shorebirds [A] Won 6 to 4

Conor Bierfeldt collected a single and home run with two walks. He scored twice.

[connja]

well that's a disappointing start for Bundy after several good ones. Just when you thought he was back....