Notes From the Minors 8/22

[weams]

Ian Locke

Julio Borbon hit a two-run home run and Norfolk got a strong effort from three relievers in a 2-1 win over Toledo in game two of a doubleheader Saturday night at Harbor Park. In the opener, Toledo rallied late to knock off the Tides, 6-4.

In the nightcap, Borbon gave the Tides all the runs they would need with a third inning home run off of Josh Zeid (2-3). It was the first home run of the season for Borbon, who has now hit safely in 18 of his last 20 games. Over that span, the University of Tennessee product has hit .338 (25-74) with a home run and nine RBI.

Dana Eveland, Andy Oliver (4-1) and Pedro Beato combined to limit the Hens to one unearned run in the nightcap, as the trio struck out nine while allowing just five hits. Beato, who leads the IL with 55 games pitched, worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his 14th save of the season.

In game one, the Mud Hens mounted consecutive two-out rallies in the sixth and seventh innings to rally past the Tides, 6-4.

Norfolk led the contest 4-2 with two outs and nobody on in the sixth before the Hens rallied against Tides reliever Richard Rodriguez. Trayvon Robinson worked a walk from Rodriguez before Miguel Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, and Alexi Casilla followed by lining a triple into the right field corner, scoring both runners to knot the score at 4-4.

Toledo worked some more two-out magic one inning later, this time against Cesar Cabral (2-1). Mike Hessman worked a two-out walk before Daniel Fields gave Toledo the lead with a go-ahead double down the right field line. Josh Wilson then lined a triple into the right-center field gap, plating Fields and putting the Hens on top, 6-4.

Hens closer Jose Valdez then worked around two Tides singles to pitch a scoreless seventh and register his fourth save of the season.

Mike Belfiore, making his first start for Norfolk after being signed by Baltimore as a minor league free agent, took a no-decision in game one after allowing two runs on four hits over three-plus innings of work. The 26-year-old left-hander, who opened the season with Toledo, walked three and struck out three while throwing 39 of his 75 pitches for strikes.

Matt Wilson

The Baysox lost their second game in a row to the Altoona Curve on Saturday night by a score of 12-8. The Baysox pitching staff struggled as starter Gene Escat lasted just three innings and the teams combined for 19 total walks.

The Baysox pitching staff tied a season-high with nine walks in the game and the Baysox drew a new season-high 10 walks as a combined eight pitchers were used in the game. Baysox second baseman Corban Joseph was the star on offense for the Baysox as he finished the game 4-for-5 with a walk and an RBI to tie a season-high for hits.

Making a Major League rehab start with the Baysox, Orioles utility man Steve Pearce hit third in the batting order and played seven innings at first base. He went 0-for-2 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly and was also hit by a pitch.

The Curve got off to a fast start in the top of the first inning with a lead-off single from Adam Frazier and a home run from Jose Osuna to give Altoona 2-0 lead. Altoona was able to add a couple more runs in the third as Eric Wood led off with a walk followed by a bunt single from Frazier. A sacrifice bunt from Max Moroff advanced the runners up a base and this time Osuna singled to drive in two more runs and give the Curve a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, facing Altoona starter Jason Creasy, Ozzie Martinez led off with a single. Corban Joseph followed with a double to right field and Pearce hit a sacrifice fly to plate Martinez and put the Baysox on the board with a score of 4-1.

Altoona once again added to their lead in the fifth against Baysox reliever Jon Keller. The first two batters reached on walks and a wild pitch moved the runners up a base. Erich Weiss doubled to score both runs and put Altoona up 6-1.

In the sixth, the Curve loaded the bases on three walks from Keller and new reliever Marcel Prado and scored a run on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Osuna plated Eric Wood and gave the Curve an 8-1 lead. The Curve scored two runs in the inning without recording a single hit.

Altoona plated two more runs in the eighth inning on three hits against reliever Kenn Kasparek and a passed ball to give them a 10-1 lead. The Baysox mounted a comeback in the bottom of the same inning against reliever Robert Stock. Stock quickly walked the bases loaded, and with Mike Yastrzemski batting, threw a wild pitch that scored Quincy Latimore. Yastrzemski then grounded into a fielder?s choice, scoring Chance Sisco. Altoona reliever Clario Perez then replaced Stock on the mound as two consecutive walks loaded the bases once again. Joseph then singled to put another run on the board for the Baysox and Trey Mancini finished things off with a two RBI single to make the score 10-6.

In the ninth, Stetson Allie walked and Andy Vasquez hit his first home run of the year to give the Curve a 12-6 lead.

Once again, the Baysox tried to make a comeback, but fell short in the ninth. Bowie loaded the bases and, with Glynn Davis batting, a wild pitch scored a run. A ground out from Glynn Davis scored the final run of the game, giving Altoona the win with a score of 12-8.

Escat took the loss, throwing three innings and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two. Keller pitched 2.1 innings and allowed four runs on one hit and four walks with three strikeouts. Prado threw 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and walking two while striking out two. Kasparek pitched the final two innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits while walking one and striking out two.

Creasy picked up the win for Altoona, throwing five innings and allowing one run on six hits while striking out three and walking two batters.

Geoff Arnold

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans hit a season-high four home runs en route to a 10-5 victory over the Frederick Keys on Saturday night at Nymeo Field. All 10 Pelicans runs came via the longball, while the two sides will play a Sunday rubber game. In spite of the loss, the Keys do no lose any ground in the CL North standings, as Lynchburg suffered a 4-2 loss to Potomac.

John Means allowed two of the four home runs in his Carolina League debut. The first of those came in the third with one out. Following back-to-back singles by Carlos Penalver and Kevin Brown, Pin-Chieh Chen slammed a three-run blast off the rightfield foul pole to make it 3-0. In the sixth, the visitors lead doubled, as Ben Carhart added a three-run shot to left after a walk to Jason Vosler and a single by Mark Zagunis.

Over five-plus innings, Means (0-1) gave up six runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out four. The six runs were one-short of a season-high.

The Keys had a chance to do some damage against Paul Blackburn in the home-first, but came up empty with the bases loaded and one out. Following a four-pitch walk to Tad Gold, Jeff Kemp doubled and Wynston Sawyer coaxed a walk to pack the bags for Yaisel Mederos, however the Keys five-hole batter bounced into a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame.

Blackburn (7-5) cruised through his next five innings, allowing only one baserunner during that time, but ran into trouble in the seventh. After a leadoff walk to Kemp, Sawyer hit a two-run homer to right, just the third deep fly Blackburn had allowed all season.

The next batter, Mederos, popped out, but Adrian Marin and Anthony Caronia followed with consecutive singles to send up Conor Bierfeldt. Hitless in his previous 12 at-bats, the Connecticut native hit a two-run double to make it an 8-4 game, before Bierfeldt scored on a wild pitch and a fielding error by David Garner. It was the club?s most productive inning since July 19, when the Keys posted a five-run third against Potomac.

Despite allowing five runs (four earned) Blackburn picked up his third win in four starts. He gave up six hits, walked three, and struck out two.

Myrtle Beach completed its scoring in the eighth with a two-run homer by Jacob Rogers. Zagunis also hit a two-run shot in the seventh, his eighth of the year.

Douglass Newton

The Delmarva Shorebirds held off several comeback attempts on Saturday evening, defeating the Greenville Drive by a 5-4 final score. Jomar Reyes powered Delmarva to victory with four RBIs, including a three-run home run.

The game began with an action-packed first inning on both sides. Andrew Benintendi lined an RBI single, and Nick Longhi belted an RBI double, both with two outs off Shorebirds? starter Matthew Grimes. After Ademar Rifaela and Steve Wilkerson reached to start the home half, Jomar Reyes crushed a three-run home run to left field. For Reyes, it was his fifth long ball of the season.

Up 3-2, Delmarva added to their lead with Reyes at the center of the attack again. The third baseman ripped an RBI double in the third inning. The 18-year-old leads the team with 25 doubles on the season despite missing six weeks due to injury. Cam Kneeland lifted a sacrfice fly for a 5-2 lead and his 50th RBI of the year.

Greenville threatened several times down the stretch, but Delmarva staved off the comeback bid time and time again. In the seventh, two singles and an error brought home two runs and ended Grimes? night. With the tying run aboard, Nigel Nootbaar entered and successfully stranded the inherited runner.

Tanner Scott finished the game, not without a few tense moments. Scott issued a leadoff walk in both the eighth and ninth innings, but escaped both situations with clutch strikeouts and a double play grounder.

Grimes earned his ninth victory of the season, matching John Means for the team lead. Scott recorded the first save of his professional career with two scoreless innings. Jalen Beeks suffered the loss for Greenville with five runs allowed in five innings.

Daniel Kurish

One-in-one

The Cyclones jumped on the 'Birds early thanks to David Thompson's RBI double that scored Alfredo Reyes from second base. The Cyclones lead 1-0 after the top of the first.

Two-in-Two

Branden Kaupe drove in Enmanuel Zabala with a single after Zabala tripled to right field. Alfredo Reyes kept the scoring going for the Cyclones with a ground out that scored Kaupe for the third run of the game.

Returning Fire

Drew Turbin brought the IronBirds within a run in the second when he smashed a two-run homerun over the right field wall.

Taking Control

Brooklyn plated five runs in the third inning to take a commanding 8-2 lead. Following back-to-back singles by Zach Mathieu and Jeff Diehl to start the inning, Jose Garcia doubled to right field to score the pair. Kaupe collected his second RBI single of the night when his hit to right field scored Garcia from second base. Vinny Siena copied Kaupe with a single up the middle to drive in Kaupe and Reyes.

Welcome Back Murph

Recent addition, Alex Murphy made his presence known with a single down the right field line that scored DJ Stewart who started the inning with a double. Murphy's effort gave the IronBirds their third run of the game.

Four-in-Four

In almost identical fashion as the third inning, Diehl and Mathieu scored for the Cyclones on a Garcia single up the middle. Garcia and Kaupe scored the third and fourth runs in the fourth inning after Reyes doubled into the left-center alley. The additional four runs in the fourth inning powered the Cyclones ahead 12-3.

Fighting Back

Randy Gassaway started a sixth inning rally with a lead-off double then moved to third base on an infield single by Pfeiffer. Turbin started the scoring when he blopped a single to center field that scored Gassaway and moved Pfeiffer to second base. Stewart repeated Turbin's at-bat with a single up the middle to score Pfeiffer from second base, and moved Turbin into scoring position. Following Stewart's RBI single, Shaw added a RBI single of his own, pushing Turbin across the plate. IronBirds cut the Cyclones lead down to six.

Too Little, Too Late

Ricardo Andujar led the charge in the seventh inning with a base-knock to right field that allowed Turbin and Cedric Mullins to put another dent in the Cyclones lead. Andujar advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch. Andujar's effort allowed the IronBirds to come within three runs.

Hit Parade

Aberdeen and Brooklyn combined for 28 hits total, each team collecting 14 hits each. Five IronBirds had a multi-hit game, four had two hits, and Drew Turbin had three hits including a homerun.

Bird Watching

Kevin Grendell pitched the two innings and allowed only one hit while striking out four?Drew Turbin hit his second home run of the season in the second inning? Turbin's three RBI night gave him a team leading 24 RBI's? Ricardo Andujar had a multi-hit game and two RBI's... The IronBirds brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth, but could not complete the comeback.

[Rene88]

Nice write up sir. Went to Fred-neck game. Our starter had some balls drilled off the bat but great crowd with the giveaway.

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