I just left The Baltimore Sun building, and I won't be returning again until Monday, Aug. 10.

Yes, that's right. I'm heading for a week of vacation.

A few days in Ocean City are planned, including my birthday on Wednesday.

So, what does that mean for the O's on Deck readers?

Other than sending me gifts -- just kidding! -- I know that I won't be able to provide game recaps tonight because the Internet still isn't working at my new house yet, and I'm not making another trip into the office until I am obligated to be there.

From now until I return from vacation, I won't be posting the game previews during the afternoon. I don't think my girlfriend would appreciate the laptop sitting with us on the beach or the boardwalk.

Still, thanks to the Internet provided at the hotel, I'm going to make an effort to provide game recaps each night. As long as technology permits, you can look forward to the recaps. I'm not making any promises because I'm never sure if I'll be able to properly connect to the Internet when I stay at a hotel.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good weekend, and I'll provide updates as much as I can.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides take on the Indianapolis Indians at Harbor Park, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox hit the road to face the New Britain Rock Cats.

The Single-A Frederick Keys will complete last night's suspended game before facing the Lynchburg Hillcats in a regularly scheduled contest, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds take on the Greensboro Grasshoppers at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds meet the Hudson Valley Renegades at Ripken Stadium, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles play the Johnson City Cardinals.

In case you missed it, the Orioles placed right-hander Brad Bergesen on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-handers Kam Mickolio and Chris Ray. To replace Mickolio at Norfolk, the Orioles promoted right-hander Radhames Liz from Bowie.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (56-49)

Opponent

Indianapolis Indians (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Troy Patton (1-3, 6.00 ERA)
Indianapolis: Ty Taubenheim (4-8, 4.17 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (57-48)

Opponent

at New Britain Rock Cats (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Tim Bascom (2-3, 3.48 ERA)
New Britain: Cole DeVries (6-10, 4.00 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (17-15 in second half, 48-53 overall)

Opponent

at Lynchburg Hillcats (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Sean Gleason (2-4, 5.13 ERA)
Lynchburg: Justin Wilson (4-6, 5.58 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (16-16 in second half, 52-49 overall)

Opponent

Greensboro Grasshoppers (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Cole McCurry (4-8, 3.64 ERA)
Greensboro: Kyle Kaminska (6-6, 3.65 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (17-24)

Opponent

Hudson Valley Renegades (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Nicholas Haughian (3-2, 2.50 ERA)
Hudson Valley: Kevin Chavez (0-0, 3.30 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (18-18)

Opponent

at Johnson City Cardinals (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: TBA
Johnson City: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides fell to the Indianapolis Indians, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox were edged by the Connecticut Defenders.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds defeated the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The matchup between the Single-A Frederick Keys and Lynchburg Hillcats was suspended in the fourth inning, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles' game against the Princeton Rays was postponed due to rain.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and Rookie-level GCL Orioles were idle.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Indianapolis Indians 11, Norfolk Tides 3 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Andy Mitchell (9-3) allowed eight runs and nine hits in four innings, and the Tides were pounded, 11-3, by Indianapolis at Harbor Park.

Norfolk first baseman Brandon Snyder was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and right fielder Jeff Fiorentino added a sacrifice fly.

Tides second baseman Justin Turner contributed a single, an RBI and a run scored, while center fielder Joey Gathright hit a double and scored a run.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Connecticut Defenders 3, Bowie Baysox 2 (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Miguel Abreu was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Bowie's 3-2 loss to Connecticut at Prince George's Stadium.

Baysox shortstop Robert Valido contributed a double and a run scored, and left fielder Jonathan Tucker picked up an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored.

Bowie starting pitcher Brandon Erbe gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and issued three walks.

Relief pitcher Fredy Deza (5-5) suffered the loss after allowing one unearned run and one hit in 2 1/3 innings for the Baysox.

Frederick Keys (A)

Tonight's game between the Keys and Lynchburg was suspended in the top of the fourth inning due to rain. Frederick was leading, 2-1, at the time of the stoppage. The game will resume on Friday at 6:05 p.m., and the two teams then will play the regularly scheduled contest. The second game is scheduled for seven innings.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 3, Hudson Valley Renegades 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Kenny Moreland (6-1) allowed one run and four hits in six innings during the IronBirds' 3-1 victory over Hudson Valley at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen designated hitter Levi Carolus was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while left fielder Arthur Bonevacia added two hits and an RBI.

IronBirds catcher Justin Dalles collected a double and a run scored, and first baseman T.J. Baxter also contributed a double.

Relief pitcher Josh Dowdy recorded the final two outs of the game to pick up his second save of the season for the IronBirds.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

The Orioles and Princeton weren't able to play tonight due to rain. No word on the makeup date.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Game recaps
        

As you might have heard by now, the Orioles reportedly acquired two players -- minor league starting pitcher Steve Johnson and third baseman Josh Bell -- from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for closer George Sherrill.

Johnson might sound familiar to a lot of Orioles fans.

The 21-year-old right-hander is the son of former Orioles pitcher and current broadcaster Dave Johnson. The younger Johnson graduated from St. Paul's High School in 2005 and was selected in the 13th round by the Dodgers that year.

In five seasons as a member of the Dodgers' minor league system, Johnson is 29-26 with a 4.25 ERA.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound pitcher was 8-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) for the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers this season before being promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. He was 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts for Chattanooga.

Johnson struck out 117 batters in 107 1/3 overall innings between the two teams this season.

The Dodgers picked Bell in the fourth round of the 2005 MLB draft. The 22-year-old third baseman is batting .296 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 94 games for Chattanooga in 2009.

In five minor league seasons, Bell is hitting .289 with 47 home runs and 218 RBIs.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound switch-hitting infielder's best season was in 2007 when he hit .271 with 17 home runs and 71 RBIs in 128 games while splitting time between the Single-A Great Lakes Loons and Inland Empire.

Bell, however, seems to have some defensive issues.

During the 2007 season, he committed 38 errors, including 35 in 90 games for Great Lakes. Bell has made 17 errors so far in 2009, and he also committed 17 defensive miscues in 64 games for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors in 2006.

What does everyone think about the trade?

It's going to be interesting to see Johnson and McDonogh graduate Brandon Erbe pitching in the same organization, in my opinion, after watching them duel frequently during their high school careers in the Baltimore area.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (75)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides host the Indianapolis Indians at Harbor Park this afternoon, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox play an early game against the Connecticut Defenders at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys travel to take on the Lynchburg Hillcats, and the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds meet the Hudson Valley Renegades at Ripken Stadium.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles hit the road to face the Princeton Rays.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and Rookie-level GCL Orioles are idle.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (56-48)

Opponent

Indianapolis Indians (12:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Andy Mitchell (9-2, 3.82 ERA)
Indianapolis: Daniel McCutchen (9-6, 4.03 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (57-47)

Opponent

Connecticut Defenders (11:05 a.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Brandon Erbe (2-3, 2.45 ERA)
Connecticut: Jesse English (7-6, 3.52 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (17-15 in second half, 48-53 overall)

Opponent

at Lynchburg Hillcats (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Nathan Nery (3-4, 4.59 ERA)
Lynchburg: Bryan Morris (2-5, 5.70 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (16-24)

Opponent

Hudson Valley Renegades (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Kenny Moreland (5-1, 0.80 ERA)
Hudson Valley: Jason McEachern (0-2, 2.61 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (18-18)

Opponent

at Princeton Rays (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Jesse Beal (3-3, 3.70 ERA)
Princeton: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides topped the Indianapolis Indians, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox handled the Connecticut Defenders.

The Single-A Frederick Keys completed a three-game sweep over the Salem Red Sox, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds were swept in a doubleheader by the Asheville Tourists.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds lost to the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles fell to the Princeton Rays in extra innings, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles failed to score in a loss to the GCL Twins.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Norfolk Tides 6, Indianapolis Indians 5 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Jeff Fiorentino was 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in the Tides' 6-5 victory over Indianapolis at Harbor Park.

Norfolk center fielder Joey Gathright collected two hits and a run scored, and infielder Justin Turner was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Tides starting pitcher Jake Arrieta allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out six batters and issued one walk.

Relief pitcher Alberto Castillo (2-1) tossed a scoreless inning to earn the win for Norfolk, and Orioles relief pitcher Dennis Sarfate retired all three batters he faced in an injury rehabilitation assignment.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 6, Connecticut Defenders 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Paco Figueroa was 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base, two RBIs and a run scored as the Baysox beat Connecticut, 6-2, at Prince George's Stadium.

Bowie shortstop Robert Valido contributed two RBIs, and first baseman Eric Crozier was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Left fielder Jonathan Tucker was 2-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored for the Baysox, while center fielder Danny Figueroa added a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Baysox starting pitcher Ryohei Tanaka (1-1) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings to pick up his first victory in the United States. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters and issued one walk.

Orioles relief pitcher Chris Ray walked one hitter, but he didn't allow any runs in one inning during an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 1, Salem Red Sox 0 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Matt Angle was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the Keys' 1-0 victory over Salem at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick left fielder Tyler Henson was 1-for-3 and scored the game's only run, while third baseman Matt Tucker added a single.

Keys starting pitcher Pedro Beato collected six strikeouts and gave up four hits in seven scoreless innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. Relief pitcher Pat Egan (1-1) tossed the final two innings to pick up the win for Frederick.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Game 1 score: Asheville Tourists 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 5, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 1 recap: Asheville scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat the Shorebirds, 7-5, in the first game of the doubleheader.

Delmarva first baseman Elvin Polanco was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and a run scored, while second baseman L.J. Hoes was 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Shorebirds catcher Luis Bernardo added a single and an RBI, and center fielder Xavier Avery was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored.

Starting pitcher Chris Salberg allowed one run and four hits in five innings for the Shorebirds, and relief pitcher T.R. Keating (5-2) was charged with five runs and five hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Game 2 score: Asheville Tourists 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4, 10 innings (Box score)

Game 2 recap: Hoes hit a two-run home run, but the Shorebirds were swept in the doubleheader after losing the nightcap, 5-4, to Asheville in 10 innings.

Avery was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, while third baseman Tyler Kolodny added three doubles, a stolen base and two runs scored for the Shorebirds.

Delmarva starting pitcher Nathan Moreau allowed two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander collected nine strikeouts, issued three walks and hit a batter.

Relief pitcher Brett Bordes (1-1) gave up one run, two hits and two walks in two innings for the Shorebirds.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Hudson Valley Renegades 2, Aberdeen IronBirds 0 (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Michael Mooney was 2-for-3 with a double, but the IronBirds dropped a 2-0 decision to Hudson Valley at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen starting pitcher Tyler Sexton (2-4) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. The 24-year-old left-hander struck out six batters and issued three walks.

IronBirds right fielder Jason Rook collected the team's only other hit.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Princeton Rays 7, Bluefield Orioles 6, 11 innings (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Mike Flacco was 2-for-6 with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, but the Orioles lost, 7-6, to Princeton in 11 innings at Bowen Field.

Bluefield infielder Gary Helmick was 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, a stolen base and two runs scored, and catcher Joel Polanco added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored.

Orioles right fielder Luis Ramirez was 2-for-5 with a triple, a stolen base and a run scored, and third baseman Corey Thomas contributed a double, a stolen base and an RBI.

Starting pitcher Justin Moore gave up two runs (one earned), one hit and three walks in 4 1/3 innings for the Orioles, while relief pitcher Thomas Phelps (1-2) allowed one run and two hits in one inning to pick up the loss.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Twins 4, GCL Orioles 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Daurin Tavarez (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits in five innings, and the Orioles were blanked, 4-0, by the Twins.

Seven different Orioles players collected a single in the game, but they didn't have any extra-base hits.

Left-hander Tony Butler, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the trade for Erik Bedard before the 2008 season, retired all three batters he faced in his first appearance of the season.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides host the Indianapolis Indians at Harbor Park, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox face the Connecticut Defenders at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys take on the Salem Red Sox at Harry Grove Stadium, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds are scheduled to play a doubleheader on the road against the Asheville Tourists.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds return home to play the Hudson Valley Renegades at Ripken Stadium, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles host the Princeton Rays at Bowen Field.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (55-48)

Opponent

Indianapolis Indians (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Jake Arrieta (3-4, 4.34 ERA)
Indianapolis: Eric Hacker (3-4, 4.32 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (56-47)

Opponent

Connecticut Defenders (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-1, 1.64 ERA)
Connecticut: Tim Alderson (6-1, 3.47 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (16-15 in second half, 47-53 overall)

Opponent

Salem Red Sox (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Pedro Beato (5-7, 4.85 ERA)
Salem: Seth Garrison (7-8, 3.77 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (16-14 in second half, 52-47 overall)

Opponent

Doubleheader at Asheville Tourists (5:35 p.m.)

Game 1: Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Chris Salberg (2-1, 4.50 ERA)
Asheville: Jonnathan Aristil (1-6, 4.97 ERA)

Game 2: Probable pitchers

Delmarva: TBA
Asheville: TBA

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (16-23)

Opponent

Hudson Valley Renegades (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: TBA
Hudson Valley: TBA

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (18-17)

Opponent

Princeton Rays (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Justin Moore (2-2, 3.45 ERA)
Princeton: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

I'm not very happy at the moment.

It's frustrating when I type up an entire post for the game recaps in the Orioles' minor league system, and then Internet Explorer shuts down as I go to post it.

So, this is the second attempt. OK, rant over. Let's get to the recaps.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides lost to the Indianapolis Indians, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox came up short in a crazy game against the Connecticut Defenders.

The Single-A Frederick Keys won in their final at-bat, and the matchup between the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and Asheville Tourists was rained out.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds concluded their road trip by winning against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles fell to the Princeton Rays, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles shut out the GCL Reds.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Indianapolis Indians 7, Norfolk Tides 6 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Brandon Snyder was 3-for-4 with a triple, a stolen base and two runs scored, but the Tides were edged by Indianapolis, 7-6, at Harbor Park.

Norfolk left fielder Victor Diaz collected three hits, an RBI and two runs scored, while shortstop Blake Davis was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.

Tides starting pitcher Chris Waters (8-5) allowed six runs (four earned) and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old left-hander collected two strikeouts, issued two walks and hit a batter.

Third baseman Melvin Dorta and right fielder Jeff Fiorentino each added an RBI, and second baseman Justin Turner contributed a double and a run scored.

The Tides are now 1-9 in their past 10 games.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Connecticut Defenders 13, Bowie Baysox 12, 11 innings (Box score)

Recap: It was an extremely wild night in Bowie.

The two teams combined for 25 runs and 42 hits as Connecticut topped the Baysox, 13-12, in 11 innings at Prince George's Stadium. Bowie committed six errors in the game, including four by third baseman Miguel Abreu.

Both teams scored in each of the two extra innings, but the Baysox came up one run short.

There were 14 different pitchers used in the game, including Connecticut utility player Ramon Castro. He allowed one run and two hits in one inning to pick up the save for the Defenders.

Bowie left fielder Jonathan Tucker was 5-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while center fielder Danny Figueroa was 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBIs.

Baysox first baseman Eric Crozier and catcher Steve Torrealba each hit a two-run home run, and Abreu was 3-for-6 with a double and two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Radhames Liz gave up five runs (four earned) and 11 hits in four innings for the Baysox, and relief pitcher John Mariotti (2-9) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) and five hits in two innings.

Second baseman Paco Figueroa and designated hitter Kraig Binick contributed two hits each for the Baysox.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 3, Salem Red Sox 2 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Brandon Waring was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in the Keys' 3-2 victory over Salem at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick left fielder Tyler Henson collected three hits, including the game-winning single to score Waring with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Keys starting pitcher Rick Zagone gave up two runs, five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. Relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa (3-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win for Frederick.

Shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Keys, and catcher Caleb Joseph added two hits and an RBI.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

The matchup between the Shorebirds and Asheville was postponed Tuesday due to rain. The two teams will meet in a doubleheader Wednesday, and the first game is scheduled to start at 5:35 p.m.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 2, Brooklyn Cyclones 1 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Jason Rook picked up both RBIs in the IronBirds' 2-1 win over Brooklyn.

Aberdeen center fielder Richard D'Oleo added a double and two outfield assists, while catcher Justin Dalles hit a double and scored a run.

IronBirds starting pitcher Patrick Kantakevich (2-2) tossed six scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued two walks.

Relief pitcher Josh Dowdy retired the side in order during the ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season for the IronBirds.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Princeton Rays 8, Bluefield Orioles 2 (Box score)

Recap: Left fielder Lance West was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the Orioles' 8-2 loss to Princeton at Bowen Field.

Bluefield starting pitcher Jorge Almanzar (1-2) allowed six runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and issued two walks.

Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood was originally scheduled to start tonight's game, but he didn't pitch. I'm checking to see if there is a legitimate reason for Hobgood's absence, or if the probable pitchers were just listed incorrectly. Trust me, it happens.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 2, GCL Reds 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Zachary Petersime tossed five scoreless innings to help the Orioles blank the Reds, 2-0. The 20-year-old right-hander collected five strikeouts and issued one walk.

Center fielder Moises Ciriaco was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and third baseman Tyler Stampone was 2-for-4 for the Orioles.

Orioles relief pitcher Joshua Goodin picked up his first save of the season after not allowing a run in two innings. The 22-year-old right-hander hit two batters in the game.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Game recaps
        

As I've stressed since the beginning of O's on Deck last summer, I believe blogs are successful due to the interaction between the readers and the writer. Audience engagement is what makes the Internet an attractive place for people to spend their spare time.

Everyone that follows O's on Deck knows that I do my best to answer all questions, comments and concerns personally. It's also great when readers share their thoughts with each other below the entries.

A couple months ago, one of the O's on Deck readers -- Mark from Staunton, Va. -- wrote an e-mail to me asking if it would be OK for him to share his thoughts on an upcoming game that he wanted to attend with his son.

I appreciated the offer and told him that it would be a good idea to promote his recap on O's on Deck as the first installment of a regular feature with fan participation.

I think it would be valuable to post recaps from minor league games that Orioles fans attend, so feel free to e-mail your brief summaries to me if you'd be interested in doing that. My e-mail address is djones@baltimoresun.com.

Try to make the recaps clear and concise, and I will attempt to post them within 24 to 48 hours of receiving them. At the end of the summer, we'll look at the popularity of this feature and decide whether it's something to keep.

Mark attended last Saturday's game between the Keys and Lynchburg Hillcats at Harry Grove Stadium, and he e-mailed me the following account of the game.

Thanks again to Mark for the idea and taking the time to share his experiences.

My 11-year-old son and I traveled from Staunton, Va., to Frederick on Saturday night to watch the Frederick Keys play the Lynchburg Hillcats. This was our second time in Harry Grove Stadium. The game we watched was the first game of a doubleheader.

A special thanks to Stevens for being so willing to talk to me.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: One fan's perspective
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides return home to Harbor Park to face the Indianapolis Indians, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox continue their series against the Connecticut Defenders at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys host the Salem Red Sox, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds meet the Asheville Tourists.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds conclude their road trip against the Brooklyn Cyclones, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles take on the Princeton Rays at Bowen Field.

Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood is scheduled to pitch for Bluefield.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (55-46)

Opponent

Indianapolis Indians (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Chris Waters (8-4, 4.55 ERA)
Indianapolis: Brad Lincoln (1-1, 5.13 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (56-46)

Opponent

Connecticut Defenders (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Radhames Liz (4-1, 2.05 ERA)
Connecticut: Madison Bumgarner (7-1, 1.56 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (15-15 in second half, 46-53 overall)

Opponent

Salem Red Sox (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Rick Zagone (0-2, 5.88 ERA)
Salem: Stephen Fife (1-0, 1.54 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (16-14 in second half, 52-47 overall)

Opponent

at Asheville Tourists (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Chris Salberg (2-1, 4.50 ERA)
Asheville: Jonnathan Aristil (1-6, 4.97 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (15-23)

Opponent

at Brooklyn Cyclones (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: TBA
Brooklyn: TBA

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (18-16)

Opponent

Princeton Rays (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Matt Hobgood (0-0, 6.00 ERA)
Princeton: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

While working on the minor league spotlight about short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds outfielder Steve Bumbry, I was able to talk to him at length over the phone as he was with the team on a road trip in New York.

I also spoke to Steve's father, former Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry, for about 20 minutes on the phone over the weekend. Bumbry spoke very highly of his son, but he also made it known that Steve needs to keep making adjustments in order to climb the ladder in the Orioles' minor league system.

Finally, I chatted over the phone with Orioles director of player development David Stockstill about the younger Bumbry and what he brings to the organization.

You can read the story that ran in today's print edition by clicking here.

There is limited space in print, so it's impossible to fit most of the quotes. So, I've decided to compile a list of other interesting quotes below.

Steve Bumbry

On the difference between college and professional baseball: "Pro ball is a lot different. You play every day, and keeping your body in shape and being fresh every game is kind of tough. It’s definitely an adjustment that I’ve been making as we go along here and I just have to get used to it. The wood bats are definitely a factor. Balls that you square up aren’t going to go as far. With an aluminum bat, they might get out, but in pro ball guys might catch them on the warning track."

On the difference between wooden and aluminum bats: "The biggest difference is the sweet spot on the wooden bat is much smaller than the sweet spot on an aluminum bat, so everything has to be perfect for you to get that two inches on the barrel with a wooden bat, where they give you six inches of leeway on an aluminum barrel. You can get jammed with an aluminum bat, bloop it out there, maybe get it over somebody’s head, but with a wooden bat, if you get jammed on the handle, then it’s going to be a broken bat and it’s most likely going to be an out."

On his injury: "Being an outfielder, you have to be able to run and track stuff down out there. I took a drop step one time and felt it get tight on me. I tried to stretch it out a little bit and played a couple more games with it, but I wasn’t at 100 percent. That kind of limited me in the batter’s box."

On hitting a triple in his first at-bat after the injury: "It was definitely a big test. ... I had a pretty good run around the bases and didn’t have any problems. So, that was definitely a good feeling and that gave me confidence to not think about it for the rest of the time I was out there and just worry about playing the game."

On his best feature: "A lot of people think defense wins championships, and I like to think that’s one of the best parts of my game. I get pretty good jumps, and I think I had a great teacher in my dad, tagging along with him when he was coaching. ... I definitely took [advice] and fit it into my game, and I’ve been working on it. That’s made me be pretty successful."

On what it's like to be cheered by the fans: "It’s definitely a positive thing. When I’m not doing so well, and if I have a bad game ... the fans still cheer for me when they announce my name. It’s definitely a great feeling. It makes the game a lot more fun when you know that people are rooting for you, when you’re in your hometown playing for a team you grew up watching. It’s awesome. I think it’s great."

On playing close to home: "I’m very fortunate that my sister, my uncle and all of my family are able to come up and watch me play. They’ve come up a few times and it’s great being at home. I love it. It’s something that not a lot of guys who make it to pro ball have the opportunity to [do], playing in front of their family every day or once a week. They support me 100 percent. They’re excited that I got a good opportunity here in Baltimore, and they’re going to keep supporting me and keep helping me out in any way that I need."

On his goals for the rest of the season: "I’m just trying to get acclimated, trying to get my body ready to play baseball every day. ... It’s a long season, so I just want to be ready to play every day and have good energy at the park, those types of things. That’s the biggest transition from college ball, where you’re playing maybe three games on the weekend and a game or two during mid-week. In pro ball, we play every day and it’s kind of tough to come out with the same energy and focus every day if your body is not feeling great. That’s one of the biggest things."

On the Virginia Tech shootings and the effect on him: "First of all, it was definitely a scary thing being around there, at that time, during my freshman year. I was pretty young and didn’t really know how to handle the situation. My teammates and the upperclassmen on the team, the coaches and all of the athletic staff really helped us out when we had to stay there and finish out the season. It made me really think about what life was really all about. There are a lot bigger things, a lot more important things than getting up and playing baseball every day. It’s a great opportunity, but I really have to value my blessings that I have the ability to play baseball and I can get up every day. I’m just really fortunate and appreciative for everything that I have. I have a great family. Everybody has really helped me, and all of that, so that’s really made me value the smaller things in life. Just be grateful for everything that I do have."

Al Bumbry

On having a son in professional baseball: "Well, I feel very proud to have a son who has the athletic ability to play professional baseball. I know he has wanted to play for a long time, and I am very proud to have him take the first step of fulfilling his goal to be a major league player."

On what Steve brings to the Orioles' minor league system: "I think as far as playing defense goes, that's one of his strong points. I think that's one area of his game where he should do very well. That's one thing -- he has always been able to catch the ball and he has an above average arm. I know he has a much better arm than I had."

On what Steve needs to do to move up: "I think how far he will go depends on his ability to adjust and readjust to minor league surroundings, minor league travel, minor league pitching and that type of stuff. ... From an offensive standpoint, he's going to have to work on improving his hitting. The one area that he has not done very well is his strikeouts, but hopefully through maturity and learning, he'll be able to cut down on that. He has always had a fairly decent eye as far as judging balls and strikes because he gets a number of walks also. But I think how far he goes will be determined by how well he hits."

On Steve's strengths at the plate: "Primarily, he is a line-drive hitter. When he tries to hit home runs, that's not a plus for him or for any player who tries to hit home runs. But he's a strong kid and he has good, quick hands."

On what it was like when Steve was drafted: "He has followed the Orioles his whole life. He has been an Orioles fan, and he said he'd like to play for the Orioles. So, when the Orioles selected him in the draft, he was very happy. It was a thrill for me to get the call that said they had selected him. I know there were several other clubs that were also trying to get him in the draft, but fortunately for us, the Orioles selected him before they got him."

On how the Virginia Tech shootings affected Steve: "Well, when you experience something like that, you would think that you would mature as a person. I think that it had an effect on him, and hopefully it matured him to some extent. I know when I was in the military, and when I was here [in the United States], I thought I was mature. You always feel like you are, but I thought I was more mature when I returned from Vietnam and had survived the Vietnam War. Then, I came back and played baseball after that. I was faced with a lot of adversity in that situation, and I know it matured me. So, I would hope that being down at Virginia Tech when the tragedy took place, and being there in that community, reacting, trying to move forward considering the devastation of everything that occurred, it made him take a different look on college and life. I would think it helped him mature somewhat."

On Steve's best quality: "People always told me how nice of a smile I had, and he does have a similar smile."

David Stockstill

On what the Orioles like about Steve: "Steve is an excellent athlete. He runs very well, he plays very good in center field. As a hitter, he is still learning. He is a very good bunter, he bunts for hits. He is an outstanding athlete and a very hard worker."

On what Steve needs to work on: "[We would like to see him] work on reading pitches, getting the barrel of the bat to the ball consistently. The problem for Steve was after he signed and had just started playing, he strained a [groin]. He missed until just a few days ago when we activated him. We really haven't gotten to see him as a hitter because he was just beginning when he got hurt, and he is just beginning again."

On Steve as a fan favorite in Aberdeen: "For a young player, they get excited by the crowd. If it's positive, it builds them up, and if it's negative, they need to learn to deal with it. Young players haven't really learned to deal with the crowd day in and day out most of the time, so if [Steve] learns how to do it, then it will help him. But it certainly makes it exciting for him right now while the fans are cheering so hard for him."

On the value of players signing early: "There are a couple of advantages [to sign early]. When you sign early, you've been playing fairly recently. There's no dead period and a time when you weren't playing, so it's easier to get it going quicker. The second thing is that we get to see the player more and the player gets more time to adjust to professional life, so in general it helps things to go more quickly for the player when he signs early."

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides fell to the Durham Bulls, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox didn't allow a run against the Connecticut Defenders.

The Single-A Frederick Keys edged the Salem Red Sox, but the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds lost to the Asheville Tourists.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were beaten in extra innings by the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles failed to score against the Princeton Rays, and the GCL Orioles were topped by the GCL Red Sox.

In case you missed it, I provided live updates from Prince George's Stadium as Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz turned in another dominating performance.

Orioles reliever Chris Ray, who pitched in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox tonight, seemed impressed by Matusz's performance.

"I mean, 7-0 isn't bad for a first-year guy at Double-A," Ray joked after the game. "What surprised me is how level-headed he is and what a good kid he is."

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Durham Bulls 7, Norfolk Tides 5 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Michael Aubrey hit a solo home run, walked once and scored twice in the Tides' 7-5 loss to Durham.

Norfolk designated hitter Brandon Snyder was 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and second baseman Justin Turner collected two hits and an RBI.

Tides left fielder Joey Gathright added two hits and a run scored, while catcher Robby Hammock contributed a double and an RBI.

Starting pitcher David Pauley (7-9) gave up six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings for the Tides. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out six batters and issued five walks.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 6, Connecticut Defenders 0 (Box score)

Recap: It was another dominating performance for Matusz (7-0).

The 22-year-old left-hander tossed seven scoreless innings to remain perfect since being promoted to Double-A in the middle of June. Matusz allowed four hits, collected six strikeouts and walked three hitters -- all in the fourth inning.

"I had that one tough inning where I wasn't gripping it the way I should," Matusz said. "I kind of got out of the groove at the same time, but I was able to manage with it and get through that tough inning."

Ray issued one walk in one inning, but he stranded the runner during an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox.

"I threw some strikes with my [off-speed pitches] tonight, which was an improvement," Ray said. "They were down in the zone."

Baysox center fielder Danny Figueroa was 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored, and second baseman Paco Figueroa collected a double, two RBIs and a stolen base.

Bowie designated hitter Ambiorix Concepcion was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored, while left fielder Jonathan Tucker added a single and a run scored.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 4, Salem Red Sox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Matt Angle was 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs scored in the Keys' 4-3 win over Salem at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick second baseman Ryan Adams was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, while shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. added a single, a stolen base and an RBI.

Keys starting pitcher Zach Britton (7-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old left-hander struck out four batters, issued one walk and threw a wild pitch.

Relief pitcher Ryan Rodriguez retired the final four batters to pick up his fourth save for the Keys. The 25-year-old left-hander hasn't allowed a run in 10 games since being sent back to Frederick from the Baysox.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Asheville Tourists 9, Delmarva Shorebirds 2 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Oliver Drake only surrendered two runs (one earned) and five hits in five innings, but the Shorebirds' bullpen fell apart in a 9-2 loss to Asheville.

Delmarva relief pitcher Brent Allar (1-4) gave up six runs (five earned), four hits and three walks in one inning. The 24-year-old right-hander recorded one strikeout.

Shorebirds right fielder Ronnie Welty was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, and third baseman Tyler Kolodny added a double.

Designated hitter Joe Mahoney was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for Delmarva, while second baseman L.J. Hoes collected a single and an RBI.

The Shorebirds committed four errors in the game, while Asheville made three defensive miscues.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Brooklyn Cyclones 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 2, 14 innings (Box score)

Recap: First baseman T.J. Baxter collected two hits and scored a run, but the IronBirds blew a two-run lead in a 3-2 loss to Brooklyn in 14 innings.

Aberdeen starting pitcher Colin Allen tossed six scoreless innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters and only allowed three hits.

IronBirds relief pitcher Brian Sisk (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up one run and one hit in two-thirds of an inning.

Center fielder Steve Bumbry was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk for the IronBirds, while third baseman Levi Carolus added an RBI.

Aberdeen left-hander Jacob Smith didn't allow a run in four innings, collecting five strikeouts and issuing three walks.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Princeton Rays 3, Bluefield Orioles 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Bobby Bundy (2-4) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings, and the Orioles were blanked, 3-0, by Princeton at Bowen Field.

Bluefield first baseman Corey Thomas and left fielder Lance West each contributed a double, while third baseman Mike Flacco was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

Orioles relief pitcher Chase Phillips struck out five batters, allowed one hit and issued three walks in two scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander has a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings this season for Bluefield.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Red Sox 3, GCL Orioles 2 (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Anyi Tejeda was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, but the Orioles fell, 3-2, against the Red Sox in the Gulf Coast League.

Orioles third baseman Moises Ciriaco added two hits and an RBI, and second baseman Anderson Childers contributed a double.

Starting pitcher Jario De La Cruz (2-2) gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Orioles. The 22-year-old right-hander collected five strikeouts and issued one walk.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Game recaps
        

Orioles relief pitcher Chris Ray walked one batter, but he didn't allow any runs or hits in one inning during an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox.

Bowie right-hander Jim Hoey entered in the ninth inning and recorded the final three outs to preserve the 6-0 victory over Connecticut at Prince George's Stadium.

Baysox center fielder Danny Figueroa was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored in the win. His brother, Paco Figueroa added a single and a stolen base.

I'm heading down to the clubhouse to talk to Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz, who improved to 7-0 since being promoted to Double-A.

Check out O's on Deck later tonight for full game recaps from all of the affiliates in the Orioles' minor league system.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz is finished after tossing seven scoreless innings. The 22-year-old left-hander allowed four hits, walked three batters and collected six strikeouts.

By my count, Matusz threw 61 of his 89 pitches for strikes.

Orioles relief pitcher Chris Ray is entering the game to start the bottom of the eighth for the Baysox as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment.

The Baysox lead, 6-0, at the end of seven innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

The Baysox scored four runs with five hits in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Bowie took advantage of two errors by Connecticut in the inning.

Starting pitcher Brian Matusz retired the side in order for the Baysox in the top of the sixth. After throwing 27 pitches in the fourth, Matusz has thrown 20 pitches in the past two innings combined. Through six innings, the 22-year-old left-hander has tossed 58 of his 85 pitches for strikes.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

It's fitting that I mentioned everything was going normally in my previous post. As soon as I said that, Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz uncharacteristically lost the strike zone to begin the top of the fourth inning.

The 22-year-old left-hander threw six consecutive balls, including a leadoff walk to Defenders first baseman Brett Pill before coming back to strike out right fielder Eddy Martinez-Esteve for the first out. Matusz loaded the bases with three walks in the inning, but he was able to escape without allowing a run.

The Baysox also loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with three walks. Bowie scored twice in the inning to take a 2-0 lead, but the Baysox are still searching for their first hit.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

So far, the game is moving just as expected.

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz struck out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the second inning, including Connecticut designated hitter Tyler LaTorre looking on a devastating curve ball to end the frame.

Seriously, I'm not exaggerating when I say that Matusz's curve ball is probably the best I've seen it so far this year. I know he typically throws it well, but it's really moving tonight.

The Baysox went quietly in the bottom of the second. Bowie right fielder Dave Krynzel and second baseman Paco Figueroa each popped out to first base, and catcher Adam Donachie struck out to end the inning.

It's back to the mound for Matusz. The curve ball is still looking pretty dangerous, and he has also throw a few impressive change-ups. Matusz retired the first two batters before Connecticut second baseman Brock Bond singled for the second time in the game.

Matusz struck out Defenders center fielder Mike McBryde to end the top of the third. He has struck out four batters and thrown 28 of his 38 pitches for strikes.

It's scoreless as we head to the fourth inning, and the Baysox are still looking for their first hit.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Well, the no-hitter is over.

I'm just kidding, but Connecticut second baseman Brock Bond singled through the hole at shortstop to lead off the top of the first inning.

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz settled down to retire the next three batters, stranding Bond at second base. The 22-year-old left-hander threw seven of his 11 pitches for strikes in the inning.

On a side note, I'm a little bit surprised at the small crowd gathered at Prince George's Stadium. With Matusz on the mound and the Mustache Mania promotion, I thought there would be a larger turnout. And to make things worse, the fans who did show up don't seem to be very involved in the game.

I've been here in the past when the ballpark was near capacity, so it's a little puzzling to not see many people here tonight. Of course, it's about 150 degrees (OK, it's really 85 degrees) and humid.

Left fielder Jonathan Tucker led off the bottom of the first inning for the Baysox, and he was hit by the first pitch from Defenders right-hander Geivy Garcia.

After Baysox center fielder Danny Figueroa walked to put runners on first and second base with no outs, Garcia escaped the jam. Bowie first baseman Eric Crozier flied out to left field, and Tucker was caught stealing at third base as designated hitter Ambiorix Concepcion struck out.

At the end of the first, it's still a scoreless tie.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Good evening from the press box at Prince George's Stadium.

It's very humid here, but the sky seems to be clear. That's always a good sign on a muggy day in July. However, I wouldn't rule out storms passing through later in the night.

Before I forget, it's Mustache Mania Monday tonight. There are plenty of fully grown mustaches, including some here in the press box.

I'm not participating in the promotion, in case anyone cares. I know, I'm a poor sport.

Double-A Bowie Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz looks to climb to 7-0 since joining the team in the middle of June when he faces the Connecticut Defenders tonight. The 22-year-old left-hander has allowed one earned run or less in 11 of his 17 starts this season, dating back to the beginning of the year with the Single-A Frederick Keys.

Here are some additional game notes, courtesy of the two teams:

• Baysox players Danny Figueroa and Paco Figueroa, who are brothers in case you didn't know, have combined to hit .388 (26-for-67) with runners in scoring position so far this season.

• The Baysox loaded the bases in each of the final three innings of yesterday's game against the Reading Phillies, but they weren't able to score in the 2-0 loss. Bowie is batting only .184 (11-for-67) with the bases loaded in 2009.

• Bowie right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion is hitting .287 at home, and six of his eight home runs have come at Prince George's Stadium.

• Over the weekend, Connecticut collected its first series sweep at home against the New Britain Rock Cats. The Defenders also swept the Rock Cats twice on the road in 2009.

Here are the lineups for tonight's game:

Connecticut Defenders (58-43)

Brock Bond 2B
Mike McBryde CF
Brett Pill 1B
Eddy Martinez-Esteve RF
Mike Mooney LF
Ramon Castro 3B
Tyler LaTorre DH
Sharlon Schoop SS
Jackson Williams C

Geivy Garcia RHP

Bowie Baysox (55-46)

Jonathan Tucker LF
Danny Figueroa CF
Eric Crozier 1B
Ambiorix Concepcion DH
Dave Krynzel RF
Paco Figueroa 2B
Adam Donachie C
Robert Valido SS
Jason White 3B

Brian Matusz LHP

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

After hitting a home run against Hudson Valley in his second plate appearance, Aberdeen center fielder Steve Bumbry appeared to be adapting quickly to professional baseball.

“Up there, I actually felt really relaxed and comfortable at the plate,” Bumbry said. “I tried to see a good pitch. ... Luckily, he got one down in the zone and I put a good swing on it.”

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound outfielder soon found out, however, that the road from short-season Single-A to the majors would also include some setbacks.

Bumbry strained his groin last month, which caused him to miss three weeks after beginning the season in a 2-for-20 stretch during his first eight games.

Following a three-week absence from the lineup, the Dulaney grad made a big return against Mahoning Valley on July 20. In his first at-bat, Bumbry tripled to left-center field. He also displayed his above-average defensive ability by picking up two outfield assists during the IronBirds’ 9-2 victory.

“We shut it down, and I was on the [disabled list] ... just to make sure it was all healed up correctly and that we wouldn’t have any flare-ups once I came back,” Bumbry said. “I feel great now, putting really good swings on the ball, feeling comfortable at the plate. I’ve ran a couple balls down in the outfield too, so everything is going well right now.”

Through Sunday, Bumbry is 4-for-15 with two RBIs, two stolen bases and three runs scored since his return. He is hitting .171 (6-for-35) with one home run, five RBIs and four stolen bases in 15 games this season.

Orioles director of player development David Stockstill said Bumbry’s wide range of skills, especially his speed and defense, will help the young outfielder to climb through the organization despite his early struggles.

“When you have speed, it makes a difference. When you have a strong arm, it makes a difference,” Stockstill said. “Those are qualities that we really like.

“We just need to get him into enough games to improve his timing.”

Bumbry’s father, former Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry, also said his son’s future will be determined by adjustments he makes at the plate.

“From an offensive standpoint, he’s going to have to work on improving his hitting,” the elder Bumbry said. “The one area that he has not done very well is his strikeouts, but hopefully through maturity and learning, he’ll be able to cut down on that. ... I think how far he goes will be determined by how well he hits.”

While a large number of Orioles fans relate to Steve Bumbry because of his father’s success with the organization in the 1970s and ‘80s, the 21-year-old believes he’ll be known for a different reason as time progresses.

“I’m a hard worker. I’m not going to give up,” Bumbry said. “I’m just learning as I go, and hopefully I’ll start moving up the ladder in the next couple years and start making a name for myself.”

Notes: IronBirds first baseman Tyler Townsend, the Orioles’ third-round pick in this year’s draft, hasn’t played since July 15 with a strained wrist. The 21-year-old, who is hitting .148 with one home run and six RBIs in 14 games for Aberdeen, is expected to return in about one week, according to Stockstill said. ... Infielder Levi Carolus leads the IronBirds in batting average (.336), on-base percentage (.827), RBIs (17), stolen bases (seven) and doubles (11). ... Right-handed pitcher Kenny Moreland is 5-1 with a 0.80 ERA in seven starts for the IronBirds. He was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts for Single-A Frederick earlier this year.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

OK, everyone, I'm back after a busy weekend of moving into a new house and not having much time to blog.

Actually, I was ready to provide the usual updates for the O's on Deck readers throughout the weekend, but Comcast wasn't able to hook up the Internet connection in a timely manner. In fact, I'm still waiting and the only reason I'm able to post now is because I'm at the office.

So, everyone was left without the daily game previews and recaps for a couple days.

I'm sure you survived.

Anyway, let's get back into the swing of things with today's previews. I'm planning to head to Prince George's Stadium tonight to check out Double-A Bowie Baysox left-hander Brian Matusz as he faces the Connecticut Defenders, so be sure to check out the blog for updates.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides visit the Durham Bulls, while the Baysox host the Defenders.

The Single-A Frederick Keys play the Salem Red Sox at Harry Grove Stadium, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds are on the road against the Asheville Tourists.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds travel to face the Brooklyn Cyclones, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles meet the Princeton Rays at Bowen Field.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (55-46)

Opponent

at Durham Bulls (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: David Pauley (7-8, 3.73 ERA)
Durham: Wade Davis (8-6, 3.22 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (55-46)

Opponent

Connecticut Defenders (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Brian Matusz (6-0, 1.88 ERA)
Connecticut: Geivy Garcia (0-2, 5.79 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (14-15 in second half, 45-53 overall)

Opponent

Salem Red Sox (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Zach Britton (6-4, 2.66 ERA)
Salem: Eammon Portice (6-4, 4.30 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (16-13 in second half, 52-46 overall)

Opponent

at Asheville Tourists (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Oliver Drake (6-6, 3.70 ERA)
Asheville: Robinson Fabian (2-6, 6.49 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (15-22)

Opponent

at Brooklyn Cyclones (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: TBA
Brooklyn: TBA

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (18-15)

Opponent

Princeton Rays (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Bobby Bundy (2-3, 5.47 ERA)
Princeton: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game previews
        

A quick note before I forget to mention it -- I'm moving into a new house starting tonight, and I'm not sure if there will be Internet access immediately. I might be unable to blog for a couple days while that is getting settled, but I'll try to get the game recaps and previews posted if possible.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides travel to play the Durham Bulls with first place on the line in the International League South Division, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox return home to take on the Reading Phillies at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys host the Lynchburg Hillcats at Harry Grove Stadium, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds face the Greenville Drive on the road.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds start a road trip against the Hudson Valley Renegades, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles welcome the Danville Braves to Bowen Field.

The Baysox announced a few roster moves earlier today.

On Tuesday, Bowie placed outfielder Joe Nowicki on the disabled list when outfielder Kraig Binick was promoted from Frederick. Also, catcher Zach Booker was added to the team's active roster on the same day.

Today, the team added Orioles relief pitcher Chris Ray to the roster for an injury rehabilitation assignment. Also, catcher Guillermo Rodriguez was placed on the disabled list, and infielder Paco Figueroa was activated.

Several readers have asked about Bowie's upcoming rotation, and the team passed along an update earlier today.

Due to last night's rainout, the Baysox will use the following starters in the next few days:

Tonight -- Ryohei Tanaka
Tomorrow -- Brandon Erbe
Sunday -- Tim Bascom
Monday -- Brian Matusz

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (54-43)

Opponent

at Durham Bulls (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Jake Arrieta (3-3, 4.10 ERA)
Durham: Matt DeSalvo (0-3, 6.61 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (54-44)

Opponent

Reading Phillies (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 1.33 ERA)
Reading: Mike Stutes (7-5, 3.90 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (13-13 in second half, 44-51 overall)

Opponent

Lynchburg Hillcats (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Nathan Nery (3-4, 4.66 ERA)
Lynchburg: Jeff Locke (2-7, 5.42 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (14-12 in second half, 50-45 overall)

Opponent

at Greenville Drive (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Nathan Moreau (4-2, 3.29 ERA)
Greenville: Caleb Clay (4-4, 3.15 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (13-20)

Opponent

at Hudson Valley Renegades (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Tyler Sexton (2-2, 2.45 ERA)
Hudson Valley: Alexander Colome (2-1, 2.17 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (15-15)

Opponent

Danville Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Justin Moore (1-2, 3.42 ERA)
Danville: Julio Teheran (1-0, 2.05 ERA)

Due to an error in a news release sent by the team, an earlier version of this article contained inaccurate information about the number of wins in Shorebirds manager Orlando Gomez's career. Gomez was at 767 wins when this article was posted.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

ESPN broadcaster Scott Van Pelt, a Maryland native, will be honored at Sunday's game between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Reading Phillies at Prince George's Stadium.

The Baysox will hand out a Van Pelt bobblehead to the first 1,000 fans through the gates who are at least 6 years old. Van Pelt will also throw out the first pitch and sign autographs during the game, which is scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m.

"This represents the high water mark of life. Not of my career ... of my life," Van Pelt said about the bobblehead in a statement from the Baysox. "This is great, hysterical in all honesty. I can't wait to come down to Bowie and see it."

How long does everyone think I'll need to wait before there is an O's on Deck bobblehead that looks like me?

OK, so I won't get my hopes up.

For more information about the Van Pelt bobblehead, check out Bowie's Web site.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides lost to the Gwinnett Braves, and the game between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Harrisburg Senators was rained out.

The Single-A Frederick Keys fell to the Salem Red Sox, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds pounded the Greenville Drive.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds edged the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles were beaten by the Greeneville Astros, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles topped the GCL Reds in 16 innings.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Gwinnett Braves 5, Norfolk Tides 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Chris Tillman (8-6) allowed four runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings in the Tides' 5-1 loss to Gwinnett.

The 21-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued four walks. Tillman only threw 45 of his 84 pitches for strikes, and he gave up a solo home run to Braves left fielder Brandon Jones with one out in the fourth inning.

Norfolk second baseman Justin Turner was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while center fielder Jeff Fiorentino added two hits and a stolen base.

Tides first baseman Brandon Snyder was 0-for-4, lowering his batting average to .200 in 31 games since being promoted to Triple-A.

Relief pitchers Jim Miller and Ross Wolf each tossed a scoreless inning for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Tonight's game between the Baysox and Harrisburg was postponed due to rain. No makeup date was immediately announced, and Bowie returns to Prince George's Stadium to take on the Reading Phillies on Friday night.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Salem Red Sox 4, Frederick Keys 2 (Box score)

Recap: Left fielder Tyler Henson contributed a double and two RBIs, but the Keys lost to Salem, 4-2.

Frederick designated hitter Wally Crancer and second baseman Ryan Adams each collected two hits, and shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. added a single, a stolen base and a run scored.

Keys starting pitcher Pedro Beato (5-7) gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and issued two walks.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 13, Greenville Drive 8 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Xavier Avery was 3-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored as the Shorebirds outslugged Greenville, 13-8.

Delmarva third baseman Tyler Kolodny was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and two runs scored, while designated hitter Elvin Polanco added a solo shot.

Shorebirds left fielder Kyle Hudson picked up three hits, an RBI and a run scored, and second baseman Rodolfo Cardona collected two hits, including a double, and three RBIs.

Shortstop Greg Miclat was 2-for-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored for the Shorebirds, and first baseman Joe Mahoney was 1-for-2 with an RBI, four walks and three runs scored.

Delmarva relief pitcher Brent Allar (1-3) gave up one run and two hits in 2 1/3 innings, and starting pitcher Chris Salberg allowed five runs, four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Hudson Valley Renegades 4 (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Garabez Rosa hit a solo home run, and the IronBirds beat Hudson Valley, 5-4, at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen center fielder Steve Bumbry was 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored, but he also committed his first error of the season.

First baseman T.J. Baxter contributed two hits and an RBI for the IronBirds, and right fielder Brian Conley added a double, an RBI and a run scored.

IronBirds relief pitcher Josh Dowdy (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the victory in his first appearance since being promoted from Bluefield.

Starting pitcher Patrick Kantakevich gave up four runs and four hits in five innings for the IronBirds. The 22-year-old right-hander walked four batters and collected four strikeouts.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Greeneville Astros 6, Bluefield Orioles 4 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Matt Hobgood allowed three runs (one earned), one hit and three walks in two innings, and the Orioles lost to Greeneville, 6-4.

The 18-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and threw a wild pitch, but he didn't factor in the decision.

Orioles shortstop Javier Santana was a home run shy of the cycle, and third baseman Omar Casamayor added two hits.

Bluefield relief pitcher Robert Holloway (2-2) gave up two runs and three hits in one inning.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 5, GCL Reds 4, 16 innings (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Jaynnertt Melenciano contributed a double, three RBIs and a run scored in the Orioles' 5-4 win over the Reds in 16 innings.

Orioles first baseman David Anderson was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, and third baseman Tyler Stampone added two hits and a run scored.

Starting pitcher Daurin Tavarez gave up one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Orioles, but he didn't factor in the decision.

Orioles relief pitcher Joshua Goodin (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in two innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and issued one walk.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides look to bounce back against the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox wrap up their road trip against the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys face the Salem Red Sox on the road, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds take on the Greenville Drive.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds host the Hudson Valley Renegades at Ripken Stadium, while Matt Hobgood makes his second start for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (54-42)

Opponent

at Gwinnett Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Chris Tillman (8-5, 2.42 ERA)
Gwinnett: Bobby Brownlie (2-1, 3.86 ERA)

Notes

* Tillman was originally scheduled to start last night for the Tides, who are currently on a three-game losing streak. His start was pushed back one day. Norfolk is clinging to a one-half game lead over the Durham Bulls (54-43) in the International League South Division. Gwinnett (53-45) is in third place in the division, trailing the Tides by two games.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (54-44)

Opponent

at Harrisburg Senators (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 1.33 ERA)
Harrisburg: Erik Arnesen (6-3, 3.12 ERA)

Notes

* The Baysox have beaten Harrisburg (41-55) in each of the past two nights, but they remain tied for third place in the Eastern League Southern Division with the Reading Phillies (53-43). Both teams are 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading Akron Aeros (59-38), while the Erie SeaWolves (54-42) are one game ahead of Bowie and Reading.

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (13-12 in second half, 44-50 overall)

Opponent

at Salem Red Sox (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Pedro Beato (5-6, 4.82 ERA)
Salem: Stephen Fife (0-0, 1.50 ERA)

Notes

* The Keys are 5-5 in their past 10 games, and they remain in second place in the Carolina League Northern Division during the second half. Frederick is 3 1/2 games behind the division-leading Potomac Nationals (17-9). Salem leads the Southern Division with a 15-10 record, and the Red Sox are 2 1/2 games ahead of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (13-13) and Winston-Salem Dash (12-12).

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (13-12 in second half, 49-45 overall)

Opponent

at Greenville Drive (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Chris Salberg (2-1, 3.09 ERA)
Greenville: Brock Huntzinger (5-7, 4.12 ERA)

Notes

* With seven wins in their past 10 games, the Shorebirds are in fourth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division. Delmarva trails the first-place Kannapolis Intimidators (15-10) by two games. Greenville (12-13), which won the first half championship in the Southern Division, is currently in fifth place in the division. The Drive is four games behind the division-leading Asheville Tourists (16-9).

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (12-20)

Opponent

Hudson Valley Renegades (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Patrick Kantakevich (1-2, 3.81 ERA)
Hudson Valley: Alexander Colome (2-1, 2.17 ERA)

Notes

* The IronBirds are still in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division, trailing the division-leading Brooklyn Cyclones (22-11) by 9 1/2 games. Hudson Valley (18-14) is in third place in the division, trailing Brooklyn by 3 1/2 games.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (15-14)

Opponent

Greeneville Astros (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Matt Hobgood (0-0, 9.00 ERA)
Greeneville: B.J. Hyatt (1-1, 11.77 ERA)

Notes

* Hobgood is set to make the second start of his professional career. Look for him to throw two or three innings for Bluefield. The Orioles are in third place in the Appalachian League East Division, trailing the first-place Danville Braves (20-9) by five games. Greeneville (13-16) is in third place in the West Division, and the Astros are eight games behind the Elizabethton Twins (21-8).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Salvation Army and the Double-A Bowie Baysox will hold Christmas in July this Saturday at Prince George's Stadium when the Orioles' affiliate hosts the Reading Phillies at 7:05 p.m.

Baysox players will be wearing special jerseys for the event, and they will be auctioned following the game to benefit The Salvation Army. Fans also can donate toys and money to the organization when entering the stadium.

The Baysox will hand out candy canes to fans as they come into the ballpark, and the Brass of the Potomac will be performing Christmas music. The band will also play the national anthem before the start of the game.

Finally, there will be a fireworks display at the conclusion of the contest.

For more information, please visit Bowie's Web site.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides lost to the Gwinnett Braves, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox topped the Harrisburg Senators on the road.

The Single-A Frederick Keys dropped a decision to the Salem Red Sox, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds beat the Greenville Drive.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were blanked by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles won against the Greeneville Astros in extra innings, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles fell to the GCL Red Sox.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Gwinnett Braves 8, Norfolk Tides 2 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Jeff Fiorentino was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the fourth inning, but the Tides fell, 8-2, to Gwinnett.

Norfolk starting pitcher Chris Waters (8-4) gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old left-hander walked three batters, threw a wild pitch and collected two strikeouts.

Tides third baseman Brandon Pinckney contributed a double and a run scored, and catcher Robby Hammock was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Relief pitcher Alberto Castillo allowed two runs and three hits in one inning for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 7, Harrisburg Senators 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Radhames Liz (4-1) tossed seven scoreless innings, and the Baysox cruised past Harrisburg, 7-1. The 25-year-old right hander struck out eight batters and allowed four hits.

Bowie second baseman Miguel Abreu was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored, while left fielder Jonathan Tucker collected a single, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

Designated hitter Kraig Binick added two hits, an RBI and a run scored in his Double-A debut for the Baysox, and shortstop Robert Valido was 2-for-5 with a run scored.

Former Orioles utility player Freddie Bynum committed three errors while playing shortstop for Harrisburg in tonight's game. Bynum was also caught stealing once.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Salem Red Sox 8, Frederick Keys 5 (Box score)

Recap: The Keys scored four runs in the top of the first inning, but they were unable to hold the early lead in an 8-5 loss to Salem.

Frederick shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. hit a solo home run, walked twice and scored two runs, and left fielder Tyler Henson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

In 23 games since the Carolina League All-Star break, Henson is batting .354 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. The 21-year-old utility player also has five doubles, two triples, 16 runs scored and four stolen bases during that span.

Starting pitcher Rick Zagone allowed five runs and six hits in four innings for the Keys, but he didn't factor in the decision. Frederick relief pitcher Jake Stevens (3-5) suffered the loss after giving up three runs (two earned), two hits and three walks in two innings.

Keys catcher Caleb Joseph was 3-for-5 with a run scored, while second baseman Ryan Adams and third baseman Matt Tucker each added an RBI.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 3, Greenville Drive 1 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Ronnie Welty hit a two-run home run in the third inning, his eighth of the season, and the Shorebirds held on for a 3-1 win over Greenville.

Delmarva first baseman Joe Mahoney added a solo shot in the second, and shortstop Greg Miclat was 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Oliver Drake (6-6) only gave up three hits in six scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters and issued two walks.

Relief pitcher Cliff Flagello tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up his second save of the season for the Shorebirds.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Mahoning Valley Scrappers 10, Aberdeen IronBirds 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Colin Allen (0-4) gave up four runs (one earned) and five hits in four innings, and the IronBirds were pounded, 10-0, by Mahoning Valley at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen shortstop Michael Mooney was 2-for-4, but he committed a throwing error. Left fielder Arthur Bonevacia was 1-for-2 after pinch-hitting for Richard D'Oleo in the sixth inning.

IronBirds relief pitcher Jake Cowan, who was the Orioles' 10th-round selection in this year's MLB draft, allowed four runs, three hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bluefield Orioles 4, Greeneville Astros 3, 10 innings (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Gary Helmick was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored in the Orioles' 4-3 win over Greeneville in 10 innings.

Bluefield starting pitcher Bobby Bundy gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 19-year-old right-hander walked two batters and allowed a solo home run to Greeneville shortstop Jiovanni Mier, the Astros' first-round choice in this year's draft.

Third baseman Corey Thomas and catcher Dashenko Ricardo each collected a double for Bluefield, while first baseman Mike Flacco was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Orioles relief pitcher Sam Taveras (2-0) retired all three batters he faced, including two by strikeout, to pick up the victory.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Red Sox 15, GCL Orioles 3 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Chorye Spoone (0-1) allowed four runs, three hits and one walk in one-third of an inning during an injury rehabilitation assignment, and the Orioles lost, 15-3, to the Red Sox.

Orioles catcher Dennis Perez and right fielder Grolmann Gonzalez each collected two hits and a run scored, while shortstop Moises Ciriaco was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Designated hitter Paco Figueroa added a double and an RBI in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Orioles before being removed in the seventh inning.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides play on the road against the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox visit the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys meet the Salem Red Sox, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds take on the Greenville Drive.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds host the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Ripken Stadium, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles face the Greeneville Astros.

Right-hander Chris Tillman was originally listed as tonight's starting pitcher for the Tides, but left-hander Chris Waters is now scheduled to make the start.

Tillman is now expected to start tomorrow night's game for the Tides. With the Orioles' scheduled off day tomorrow, this puts the 21-year-old starter back on the same rotation as right-hander Jason Berken.

Let the speculation begin on whether Tillman will be starting for the Orioles on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards. He would have four days rest after making tomorrow's start.

Tides outfielder Joey Gathright was placed on the disabled list yesterday, retroactive to July 19, with a hamstring injury. Teammate Justin Christian was also added to the disabled list recently, so it's a good thing the team signed Victor Diaz earlier this week.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (54-41)

Opponent

at Gwinnett Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Chris Waters (8-3, 4.24 ERA)
Gwinnett: Jo-Jo Reyes (0-1, 4.15 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (53-44)

Opponent

at Harrisburg Senators (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Radhames Liz (3-1, 2.43 ERA)
Harrisburg: Cory VanAllen (2-4, 5.52 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (13-11 in second half, 44-49 overall)

Opponent

at Salem Red Sox (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Rick Zagone (0-2, 4.91 ERA)
Salem: Jose Capellan (5-2, 5.97 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (12-12 in second half, 48-45 overall)

Opponent

at Greenville Drive (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Oliver Drake (5-6, 3.96 ERA)
Greenville: Stolmy Pimentel (9-3, 2.84 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (12-19)

Opponent

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Colin Allen (0-3, 8.53 ERA)
Mahoning Valley: Brett Brach (0-1, 4.05 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (14-14)

Opponent

Greeneville Astros (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Robert Bundy (2-3, 5.59 ERA)
Greeneville: Gabriel Garcia (0-3, 13.24 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Game previews
        

Looking for something different to do this weekend?

The Double-A Bowie Baysox are hosting a pillow fight following their game against the Reading Phillies on Friday night at Prince George's Stadium. It's being billed as "Bowie's Largest Pillow Fight" by the team.

Following the game, the Baysox will welcome fans on the field to take part in the event.

There will be three designated areas for pillow fighters -- one for families with young children, one for families with teenagers, and a third group for adults -- and Baysox staff members will inspect all pillows before permitting them on the field.

Fans will be allowed to use their pillows to take out their aggression for two minutes.

For more information, check out Bowie's Web site.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides fell to the Gwinnett Braves, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox topped the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys beat the Salem Red Sox, and the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were victorious over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles were edged by the Greeneville Astros, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles blanked the GCL Rays.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds were idle.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Gwinnett Braves 4, Norfolk Tides 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher David Pauley (7-8) committed three of the Tides' four errors in a 4-1 loss to Gwinnett. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed four runs (one earned) and 11 hits in six innings, and he collected eight strikeouts.

Norfolk designated hitter Steve Torrealba was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored, but he also grounded into one of the team's three double plays in the game.

Tides relief pitcher Ross Wolf retired all six batters he faced, including two strikeouts.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 6, Harrisburg Senators 2 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Brian Matusz (6-0) remained perfect for the Baysox in a 6-2 victory over Harrisburg. The 22-year-old left-hander gave up one run and four hits in seven innings, and he struck out four batters.

Bowie first baseman Eric Crozier was 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and a run scored, and designated hitter Danny Figueroa was 2-for-3 with a triple, two walks and two runs scored.

Baysox second baseman Miguel Abreu collected two hits, two RBIs and a stolen base, while left fielder Jonathan Tucker added two hits and a run scored.

Former Orioles utility player Freddie Bynum picked up the only run against Matusz with a solo home run to lead off the third inning.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 5, Salem Red Sox 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Zach Britton (6-4) allowed one unearned run and three hits in seven innings, and the Keys cruised to a 5-1 win over Salem. The 21-year-old left-hander collected seven strikeouts and hit a batter.

Frederick shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored, while catcher Caleb Joseph added two hits, including a double.

Keys third baseman Brandon Waring contributed a double, two RBIs and a run scored, and left fielder Tyler Henson collected two hits and an RBI.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 3, Mahoning Valley Scrappers 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Levi Carolus was 1-for-3 with two RBIs in the IronBirds' 3-2 victory over Mahoning Valley at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen first baseman T.J. Baxter and third baseman Tyler Kelly each contributed two hits, while left fielder Richard D'Oleo added a single, a stolen base and a run scored.

IronBirds starting pitcher Nicholas Haughian (2-2) surrendered one run and five hits in six innings. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out three batters and issued one walk.

Relief pitcher James Brandhorst retired all six batters he faced to pick up his third save of the season for the IronBirds.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Greeneville Astros 5, Bluefield Orioles 4 (Box score)

Recap: Catcher Dashenko Ricardo was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, but the Orioles lost, 5-4, to Greeneville at Bowen Field.

Bluefield third baseman Mike Flacco collected a double, and left fielder Michael Planeta added a triple and a run scored.

Flacco also committed his seventh error of the season, while infielder Gary Helmick picked up a stolen base as a pinch runner in the ninth inning.

Orioles starting pitcher Vito Frabizio (1-2) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. The 20-year-old right-hander collected four strikeouts and hit a batter.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 10, GCL Rays 0 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Tyler Stampone was 2-for-4 with a a home run, a stolen base and four RBIs in the Orioles' 10-0 victory over the Rays.

Baysox second baseman Paco Figueroa contributed a triple and four RBIs in an injury rehabilitation assignment for Bluefield, while center fielder Edwin Cintron was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Orioles starting pitcher Jario De La Cruz (2-1) tossed seven scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed two hits, walked two batters and collected five strikeouts.

Wade Townsend, who the Orioles selected in the first round of the 2004 MLB draft and couldn't agree on a contract, started for the Rays. It was the first appearance of the 2009 season for the 26-year-old right-hander. Townsend, who has been bothered by a series of injuries in his professional career, didn't allow any runs in one inning.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides play on the road against the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox look to snap a four-game losing streak when they face the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys meet the Salem Red Sox, and the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds host the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Ripken Stadium.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles take on the Greeneville Astros.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds are idle.

There were several transactions in the Orioles' minor league system over the past two days.

The Baysox placed third baseman Mike Costanzo on the disabled list yesterday.

Outfielder Brian Conley was transferred to Aberdeen from the Shorebirds, and right-handed pitcher Scott Mueller headed from the IronBirds to Delmarva.

Also, outfielder Kraig Binick was promoted from Frederick to the Baysox, while the Keys activated infielder Matthew Tucker from the disabled list.

Right-handed pitcher Josh Dowdy joins Aberdeen from Bluefield, and outfielder Lance West heads to Bluefield from the IronBirds.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (54-40)

Opponent

at Gwinnett Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: David Pauley (7-7, 3.87 ERA)
Gwinnett: Jonny Venters (0-3, 6.39 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (52-44)

Opponent

at Harrisburg Senators (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Brian Matusz (5-0, 2.01 ERA)
Harrisburg: Luis Atilano (4-6, 5.31 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (12-11 in second half, 43-49 overall)

Opponent

at Salem Red Sox (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Zach Britton (5-4, 2.86 ERA)
Salem: Bryan Price (1-5, 6.86 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (11-19)

Opponent

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Nicholas Haughian (1-2, 2.63 ERA)
Mahoning Valley: Clayton Cook (1-1, 3.03 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (14-13)

Opponent

Greeneville Astros (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Vito Frabizio (1-1, 3.00 ERA)
Greeneville: TBA

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides were edged by the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox were blanked by the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds fell to the Bowling Green Hot Rods in extra innings, while the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds pounded the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles lost to the Johnson City Cardinals.

The Single-A Frederick Keys and Rookie-level GCL Orioles were idle.

Earlier today, infielder Buck Britton was promoted from the Shorebirds to Frederick, and Delmarva activated outfielder Brian Conley from the disabled list.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Gwinnett Braves 7, Norfolk Tides 6 (Box score)

Recap: The Tides scored six runs in the top of the third inning, including a three-run home run by left fielder Victor Diaz, but it wasn't enough in a 7-6 loss to Gwinnett.

Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson was 3-for-4 with two home runs and all seven of Gwinnett's RBIs as part of his injury rehabilitation assignment.

Norfolk second baseman Justin Turner was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while catcher Robby Hammock collected two hits.

Tides starting pitcher Troy Patton gave up six runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out six batters, but he surrendered both home runs to Johnson.

Relief pitcher Jim Miller (2-3) suffered the loss after allowing one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Harrisburg Senators 2, Bowie Baysox 0 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Eric Crozier was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, but the Baysox fell, 2-0, to Harrisburg.

Bowie designated hitter Dave Krynzel was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Third baseman Jason White contributed a single for the Baysox, but he struck out twice.

Baysox starting pitcher Fredy Deza (5-4) gave up two runs and five hits in four innings. The 26-year-old right-hander walked five batters and collected one strikeouts.

Relief pitchers Tim Bascom and John Mariotti each tossed two scoreless innings for Bowie.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 2, 11 innings (Box score)

Recap: Left fielder Kyle Hudson was 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Shorebirds' 5-2 loss to Bowling Green in 11 innings at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva center fielder Xavier Avery contributed the team's only other hit on a triple in the bottom of the fifth, while catcher Luis Bernardo walked and scored a run.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Ryan O'Shea allowed two runs and three hits in five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander collected four strikeouts and issued three walks.

Relief pitcher Brandon Cooney (2-4) gave up three unearned runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings for Delmarva.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 9, Mahoning Valley Scrappers 2 (Box score)

Recap: The IronBirds scored in each of the first five innings and cruised to a 9-2 victory over Mahoning Valley at Ripen Stadium.

Aberdeen left fielder Richard D'Oleo was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and catcher Justin Dalles added two hits and two RBIs.

Third baseman Levi Carolus contributed a double, two RBIs and a run scored for the IronBirds, while second baseman Michael Mooney picked up two RBIs.

IronBirds designated hitter Tyler Kelly was 2-for-3 with two runs scored on his 21st birthday, and first baseman T.J. Baxter scored twice.

Starting pitcher Kenny Moreland (4-1) survived a rocky start to throw seven innings for the IronBirds. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits, while striking out six batters in the win.

In his first action since returning from the disabled list, IronBirds center fielder Steve Bumbry didn't show any signs that the hamstring injury was still bothering him. The 21-year-old outfielder hit a triple and made two outfield assists in the game.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Johnson City Cardinals 13, Bluefield Orioles 1 (Box score)

Recap: Johnson City scored six runs in each of the final two innings to turn a tie game into a 13-1 rout over Bluefield at Bowen Field.

Orioles starting pitcher Jesse Beal only allowed one unearned run and four hits in seven innings before turning the game over to the bullpen. The 19-year-old right-hander struck out two batters and didn't walk anyone.

Bluefield relief pitchers David Walters (0-1) and Andrew Huebner combined to give up 10 runs (nine earned), seven hits and two walks while recording only three outs.

Designated hitter Matt Tucker was 2-for-4 as part of his injury rehabilitation assignment for the Orioles, and left fielder Kipp Schutz added a double and a run scored.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides hit the road to take on the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox travel to play the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Arthur W. Perdue Stadiun, and the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds welcome the Mahoning Valley Scrappers to Ripken Stadium.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles meet the Johnson City Cardinals at Bowen Field.

The Single-A Frederick Keys and Rookie-level GCL Orioles are idle.

Before yesterday's game, the Tides added Victor Diaz to their roster after he agreed to terms on a minor league deal with the Orioles.

The 27-year-old outfielder played parts of four seasons with the New York Mets (2004-2006) and Texas Rangers (2007) before spending last year in Triple-A with the affiliates of the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros.

Diaz batted .282 with 25 home runs and 107 RBIs in 129 games in Triple-A during the 2008 season, and he started this year with the Hanwha Eagles in the Korean League.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (54-39)

Opponent

at Gwinnett Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Troy Patton (1-3, 5.47 ERA)
Gwinnett: Jonny Venters (0-3, 6.39 ERA)

Notes

* The Tides are currently on a four-game winning streak, which allowed them to increase their lead to 1 1/2 games over the Durham Bulls (53-41) in the International League South Division. Gwinnett is in third place in the division with a 50-45 record. The Braves trail Norfolk by five games.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (52-43)

Opponent

at Harrisburg Senators (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: TBA
Harrisburg: TBA

Notes

* After losing the final three games of their series against the Akron Aeros, the Baysox dropped into fourth place in the Eastern League Southern Division. Bowie trails the division-leading Aeros (59-36) by seven games, and Harrisburg (40-53) is 18 games behind Akron. The Senators are in fifth place in the division.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (12-11 in second half, 48-44 overall)

Opponent

Bowling Green Hot Rods (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Ryan O'Shea (6-5, 3.47 ERA)
Bowling Green: Chris Andujar (9-2, 2.31 ERA)

Notes

* The Shorebirds' six-game winning streak was snapped yesterday. Delmarva is currently in fourth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division. The Hickory Crawdads and Kannapolis Intimidators are tied for first place in the division with a 14-9 record, leading the Shorebirds by two games. Bowling Green (14-9) is in third place in the Southern Division, trailing the first-place Asheville Tourists (16-7) by two games.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (10-19)

Opponent

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Kenny Moreland (3-1, 0.58 ERA)
Mahoning Valley: Kyle C. Smith (0-1, 3.52 ERA)

Notes

* With yesterday's 1-0 loss, the IronBirds dropped to 5-9 at Ripken Stadium this season. Aberdeen is in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division, trailing the first-place Brooklyn Cyclones (21-9) by 10 1/2 games. Mahoning Valley (19-11) currently leads the Pinckney Division by two games over the Williamsport Crosscutters (17-13).

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: (14-12)

Opponent

Johnson City Cardinals (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Jesse Beal (2-3, 4.45 ERA)
Johnson City: TBA

Notes

* Bluefield dropped to third place in the Appalachian League East Division with yesterday's loss to Johnson City. The Orioles are three games behind the first-place Danville Braves (17-9). Johnson City (15-11) is in second place in the West Division, trailing the first-place Elizabethton Twins (20-6) by five games.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game previews
        

Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds starting pitcher Nathan Moreau was selected as the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 13-19, the league announced today.

The 22-year-old left-hander was 2-0 with 13 scoreless innings during the week, and he collected nine strikeouts and only allowed six hits in the two starts.

The Orioles' eighth-round selection in the 2008 MLB draft tossed seven innings against the Lexington Legends on July 13, giving up three hits and striking out four batters. On July 18, Moreau surrendered three hits in six innings. He struck out five batters and issued one walk.

Moreau hasn't allowed a run in his past 15 2/3 innings, a stretch that dates back to July 6 against the Kannapolis Intimidators. In five starts since the All-Star break, he is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Overall, Moreau is 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 13 starts for the Shorebirds in 2009.

Shorebirds right fielder Ronnie Welty earned South Atlantic League Player of the Week honors last month, but Moreau is the first Delmarva pitcher to be recognized by the league so far this season.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides topped the Charlotte Knights, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox fell to the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds' six-game winning streak was snapped by the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were blanked by the Vermont Lake Monsters.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles only collected one hit in a loss to the Johnson City Cardinals, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles won against the GCL Twins.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Norfolk Tides 4, Charlotte Knights 3 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Andy Mitchell (8-2) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, and the Tides held on for a 4-3 victory over Charlotte at Harbor Park.

Norfolk left fielder Brandon Pinckney was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and catcher Chad Moeller collected two hits.

Tides shortstop Blake Davis led off the game with a solo home run, and center fielder Jeff Fiorentino added a two-run shot in the fifth inning.

Relief pitcher Alberto Castillo gave up one hit in two innings to pick up his seventh save of the season for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Akron Aeros 7, Bowie Baysox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Ambiorix Concepcion was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, but the Baysox lost, 7-3, to Akron.

Bowie center fielder Danny Figueroa added two hits, two stolen bases and two runs scored, while catcher Guillermo Rodriguez was 2-for-4.

Baysox starting pitcher Brandon Erbe gave up three runs and five hits in five innings. The 21-year-old right-hander walked five batters and collected three strikeouts, but he didn't factor in the decision.

Relief pitcher Zach Clark (0-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in two innings for the Baysox.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 8, Wilmington Blue Rocks 5 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Wally Crancer was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in the Keys' 8-5 victory over Wilmington.

Frederick shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. collected two hits, two RBIs, a stolen base and two runs scored, while first baseman Robbie Widlansky added two RBIs on two sacrifice flies.

Starting pitcher Sean Gleason (2-3) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings for Frederick. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out two batters and issued two walks.

Keys third baseman Brandon Waring and designated hitter Billy Rowell each contributed a double, and center fielder Matt Angle scored twice.

Relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa retired all three batters he faced for his first save since joining the Keys.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Bowling Green Hot Rods 4, Delmarva Shorebirds 2 (Box score)

Recap: Catcher Victor Castillo was 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and two RBIs in the Shorebirds' 4-2 loss to Bowling Green at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva starting pitcher Cole McCurry gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. The 23-year-old left-hander collected five strikeouts and walked three batters.

Shorebirds relief pitcher Shane Mathews (0-3) suffered the loss after allowing two runs and five hits in three innings.

Second baseman L.J. Hoes and outfielder Kyle Hudson each scored a run for the Shorebirds.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Vermont Lake Monsters 1, Aberdeen IronBirds 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Tyler Sexton tossed six scoreless innings, but the IronBirds failed to score in a 1-0 loss to Vermont at Ripken Stadium. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out five batters, allowed two hits and issued three walks.

Aberdeen center fielder Richard D'Oleo hit a triple, and second baseman Michael Mooney was 1-for-2 with a walk.

IronBirds relief pitcher Jake Cowan (0-1) gave up one run and two hits in two innings, while James Brandhorst didn't allow any runs in one inning.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Johnson City Cardinals 6, Bluefield Orioles 0 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Mike Flacco managed the only hit for the Orioles -- a two-out double in the fourth inning -- during a 6-0 loss to Johnson City at Bowen Field.

In 22 games for Bluefield, Flacco is batting .253 with five doubles, two triples and eight RBIs. The 22-year-old infielder is 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts, and he has scored 14 runs in 2009.

Bluefield starting pitcher Justin Moore (1-2) allowed four runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings. The 19-year-old right-hander struck out two batters and didn't walk anyone.

Orioles second baseman Matthew Tucker was 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts in an injury rehabilitation assignment.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 5, GCL Twins 1 (Box score)

Recap: The Orioles scored four runs in the top of the first inning, and they cruised to a 5-1 win over the Twins.

Orioles third baseman Anyi Tejeda was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez walked twice and scored two runs.

Second baseman Paco Figueroa was 1-for-3 with a run scored in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Orioles.

Orioles starting pitcher Eiri Ramirez (2-2) allowed one run and three hits in six innings. The 20-year-old right-hander collected two strikeouts.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides wrap up their series against the Charlotte Knights at Harbor Park, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox face the Akron Aeros on the road.

The Single-A Frederick Keys play the Wilmington Blue Rocks, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds take on the Vermont Lake Monsters at Ripken Stadium, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles meet the Johnson City Cardinals at Bowen Field.

Prior to today's game, the IronBirds activated outfielder Steve Bumbry from the disabled list. The Orioles' 12th-round selection in this year's MLB draft hasn't played since June 28 with a hamstring injury. Bumbry is batting .100 (2-for-20) with one home run and three RBIs in eight games for Aberdeen in 2009.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (53-39)

Opponent

Charlotte Knights (6:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Andy Mitchell (7-2, 3.90 ERA)
Charlotte: Bartolo Colon (3-6, 4.23 ERA for the Chicago White Sox this season)

Notes

* The Tides lead the International League South Division by 1/2 game over the Durham Bulls (53-40). Charlotte (42-51) is in last place in the division, and the Knights trail Norfolk by 11 1/2 games. The Gwinnett Braves (49-45) are in third place in the division, and they are five games behind the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (52-42)

Opponent

at Akron Aeros (1:35 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: TBA
Akron: Michael Tejera (0-2, 9.31 ERA)

Notes

* After dropping the past two games to Akron, the Baysox remain in a tie for second place with the Reading Phillies (51-41) in the Eastern League Southern Division. The Aeros (58-36) are six games ahead of both teams, and the Erie SeaWolves (51-42) are 1/2 game behind the Baysox and Phillies.

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (11-11 in second half, 42-49 overall)

Opponent

at Wilmington Blue Rocks (1:35 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Sean Gleason (1-3, 4.04 ERA)
Wilmington: Mario Santiago (4-10, 4.24 ERA)

Notes

* The Keys have lost three consecutive games, and they are currently in a tie for second place in the Carolina League Northern Division with Wilmington (11-11). The Potomac Nationals (15-8) are 3 1/2 games ahead of both teams, while the first-half champion Lynchburg Hillcats (7-15) are 7 1/2 games behind the division leaders.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (12-10 in second half, 48-43 overall)

Opponent

Bowling Green Hot Rods (6:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Cole McCurry (4-7, 3.49 ERA)
Bowling Green: Matt Moore (6-3, 2.87 ERA)

Notes

* The Shorebirds are currently on a six-game winning streak, and they are in third place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division. The Hickory Crawdads (14-8) and Kannapolis Intimidators (14-8) are tied for first place, and Delmarva trails both teams by two games. Bowling Green (13-9) is in third place in the Southern Division, and the Hot Rods are three games behind the first-place Asheville Tourists (16-6).

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 10-18

Opponent

Vermont Lake Monsters (2:35 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Tyler Sexton (2-2, 3.00 ERA)
Vermont: Mitchell Clegg (1-1, 0.95 ERA)

Notes

* The IronBirds remain in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division, trailing the first-place Brooklyn Cyclones (20-9) by 9 1/2 games. Vermont (14-14) is in third place in the Stedler Division, and the Lake Monsters are three games behind the division-leading Oneonta Tigers (16-10).

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: 14-11

Opponent

Johnson City Cardinals (2 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Justin Moore (1-1, 2.95 ERA)
Johnson City: Reynier Gonzalez (1-3, 7.20 ERA)

Notes

* After three straight victories, the Orioles are in second place in the Appalachian League East Division. Bluefield trails the Danville Braves (17-8) by three games in the division. Johnson City is in second place in the West Division with a 14-11 record, and the Cardinals are five games behind the first-place Elizabethton Twins (19-6).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides beat the Charlotte Knights, but the Double-A Bowie Baysox fell to the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Wilmington Blue Rocks, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds topped the Bowling Green Hot Rods for their sixth consecutive victory.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds blanked the Vermont Lake Monsters.

Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood debuted for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles in a win over the Johnson City Cardinals, while the Rookie-level GCL Orioles lost to the GCL Reds.

Shortstop Jason White was promoted from the Keys to Bowie earlier today.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Norfolk Tides 8, Charlotte Knights 5 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Brandon Snyder was 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in the Tides' 8-5 victory over Charlotte at Harbor Park.

Norfolk starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (3-3) allowed three runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and issued three walks.

Tides right fielder Melvin Dorta and left fielder Brandon Pinckney each collected three hits, while third baseman Justin Turner was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Center fielder Jeff Fiorentino added a three-run home run for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Akron Aeros 5, Bowie Baysox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Danny Figueroa was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, but the Baysox lost, 5-3, to Akron.

White collected two hits and two runs scored in his Double-A debut, while Bowie third baseman Jonathan Tucker was 2-for-3. First baseman Eric Crozier added a sacrifice fly for the Baysox.

Bowie starting pitcher Ryohei Tanaka gave up three runs and six hits in four innings. The 26-year-old right-hander walked three batters and collected two strikeouts.

Relief pitcher Jim Hoey (2-3) allowed one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings for Bowie.

Frederick Keys (A)

Game 1 score: Wilmington Blue Rocks 3, Frederick Keys 1, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 1 recap: The Keys only managed two hits in the first game of the doubleheader against Wilmington starting pitcher Danny Duffy, who pitched a complete game. Frederick lost, 3-1, in seven innings.

Keys starting pitcher Pedro Beato (5-6) gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits in four innings. The 22-year-old right-hander issued four walks, hit two batters and collected two strikeouts.

Frederick designated hitter Bobby Stevens and second baseman Ryan Adams each collected a hit, and right fielder Kraig Binick scored the team's only run.

Game 2 score: Wilmington Blue Rocks 5, Frederick Keys 0 (Box score)

Game 2 recap: Center fielder Matt Angle was 2-for-3 with a double in the Keys' 5-0 loss to Wilmington in the nightcap.

Adams and shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. each collected a single, but Frederick finished the night with only one run and six hits in the two games.

Keys starting pitcher Nathan Nery (3-4) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out four batters and issued one walk.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 1, Bowling Green Hot Rods 0 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Joe Mahoney knocked in the only run of the game with a solo home run in the third inning during the Shorebirds' 1-0 win over Bowling Green at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Mahoney finished with two hits in the game, while Delmarva first baseman Elvin Polanco and second baseman Buck Britton each added a single.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Nathan Moreau (4-2) allowed three hits in six scoreless innings. The 22-year-old left-hander collected five strikeouts and walked one batter.

Relief pitcher Cliff Flagello tossed two scoreless innings for the Shorebirds, and Brandon Cooney retired the side in order during the ninth innings for his 15th save of the season.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Vermont Lake Monsters 0 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Jason Rook was 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a double in the IronBirds' 5-0 victory over Vermont at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen center fielder Richard D'Oleo collected a triple, two RBIs and a run scored, while designated hitter Levi Carolus and third baseman Tyler Kelly each added two hits.

IronBirds starting pitcher Patrick Kantakevich (1-2) gave up four hits in six scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander collected six strikeouts and walked two batters.

Relief pitcher Scott Mueller tossed three scoreless innings for his second save of the season for Aberdeen.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bluefield Orioles 10, Johnson City Cardinals 8 (Box score)

Recap: All eyes were on Hobgood as he made his professional debut for Bluefield.

The 18-year-old right-hander allowed one run and two hits in one inning in the Orioles' 10-8 victory over Johnson City at Bowen Field. Hobgood collected one strikeout, threw a wild pitch and committed an error.

Bluefield shortstop Matthew Tucker was 3-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored in an injury rehabilitation assignment, while first baseman Mike Flacco was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Orioles designated hitter Edinho Meyer added a single and two RBIs, and third baseman Corey Thomas was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

Despite allowing two runs and three hits in three innings, Bluefield relief pitcher Robert Holloway (2-1) picked up the win, and Josh Dowdy tossed a scoreless inning for his third save of the season.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Reds 11, GCL Orioles 5 (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Anyi Tejeda was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the Orioles' 11-5 loss to the Reds.

Orioles right fielder Grolmann Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, while designated hitter Paco Figueroa added a single, a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in an injury rehabilitation assignment.

Starting pitcher Angel Cespedes (2-2) gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings for the Orioles. The 19-year-old right-hander issued three walks and struck out one batter.

Orioles relief pitcher Chris Hervey allowed six runs, four hits and three walks in one inning.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Game recaps
        

I'm heading down to Savage for the Terrapin Adventures outdoor activities with some friends, so there's little time to waste.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides continue their series against the Charlotte Knights at Harbor Park, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox look to rebound from last night's loss to the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys will play a doubleheader against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds take on the Vermont Lake Monsters at Ripken Stadium, and Orioles first-round selection Matt Hobgood is expected to make his professional debut for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (52-39)

Opponent

Charlotte Knights (8 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Jake Arrieta (2-3, 4.42 ERA)
Charlotte: Jeffrey Marquez (2-7, 9.52 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (52-41)

Opponent

at Akron Aeros (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 0.39 ERA)
Akron: Jeanmar Gomez (6-3, 3.21 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (11-9 in second half, 42-47 overall)

Opponent

Doubleheader at Wilmington Blue Rocks (5:05 p.m.)

Game 1: Probable pitchers

Frederick: Pedro Beato (5-5, 4.84 ERA)
Wilmington: Danny Duffy (6-3, 3.69 ERA)

Game 2: Probable pitchers

Frederick: TBA
Wilmington: Alex Caldera (2-7, 6.19 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (11-10 in second half, 47-43 overall)

Opponent

Bowling Green Hot Rods (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Nathan Moreau (3-2, 3.70 ERA)
Bowling Green: Nick Barnese (4-2, 2.11 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 9-18

Opponent

Vermont Lake Monsters (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Patrick Kantakevich (0-2, 4.84 ERA)
Vermont: Matt Swynenberg (0-1, 1.80 ERA with the GCL Nationals this season)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides swept a doubleheader against the Charlotte Knights, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox fell to the Akron Aeros.

The game between the Single-A Frederick Keys and the Wilmington Blue Rocks was rained out, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds used late heroics to top the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds lost to the Vermont Lake Monsters.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles pounded the Bristol Sox, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles edged the GCL Red Sox.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Game 1 score: Norfolk Tides 5, Charlotte Knights 1, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 1 recap: Starting pitcher Chris Tillman (8-5) gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings during the Tides' 5-1 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.

The 21-year-old right-hander struck out seven batters and earned his third consecutive win. Tillman threw 60 of his 95 pitches for strikes.

Tides catcher Robby Hammock hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and right fielder Michael Aubrey was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Relief pitcher Alberto Castillo recorded the final out of the game for the Tides to pick up his sixth save of the season.

Game 2 score: Norfolk Tides 5, Charlotte Knights 1, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 2 recap: Shortstop Blake Davis was 3-for-4 with a run scored as the Tides took the nightcap, 5-1, over Charlotte at Harbor Park.

Norfolk center fielder Jeff Fiorentino was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored, while Aubrey collected two hits and two RBIs.

Tides second baseman Justin Turner and third baseman Carlos Rojas each added two hits, and left fielder Brandon Pinckney was 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Chris Waters (8-3) allowed four hits and struck out six batters in five scoreless innings for the Tides. The 28-year-old left-hander threw 46 of his 64 pitches for strikes.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Akron Aeros 6, Bowie Baysox 4 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Danny Figueroa was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, but the Baysox suffered a 6-4 loss to Akron.

Bowie starting pitcher Radhames Liz gave up three unearned runs, three hits and three walks in five innings. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out four batters, and he also threw a wild pitch.

Baysox right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and third baseman Jonathan Tucker contributed a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Relief pitcher John Mariotti (2-8) allowed three runs and four hits in three innings for the Baysox.

Frederick Keys (A)

The Keys' matchup on the road against Wilmington was postponed due to unplayable field conditions tonight. The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 5:05 p.m.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 2, Bowling Green Hot Rods 1 (Box score)

Recap: The Shorebirds scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to escape with a 2-1 victory over Bowling Green at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva left fielder Jacob Julius collected an RBI with a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the inning, and pinch-hitter Greg Miclat delivered with an RBI single for the win.

Shorebirds first baseman Joe Mahoney was 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and a run scored, and third baseman Tyler Kolodny added a double.

Starting pitcher Chris Salberg allowed one run and three hits in six innings for the Shorebirds. The 25-year-old left-hander struck out four batters and issued three walks, but he didn't factor in the decision.

Delmarva relief pitcher Brett Bordes (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Vermont Lake Monsters 6, Aberdeen IronBirds 5 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Levi Carolus was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored in the IronBirds' 6-5 loss to Vermont at Ripken Stadium.

Aberdeen second baseman Michael Mooney was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored, while third baseman Tyler Kelly collected a single, an RBI and two runs scored.

IronBirds starting pitcher Colin Allen gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings, and relief pitcher Jacob Smith tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Relief pitcher Mick Mattaliano (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing one unearned run and three hits in 1 2/3 innings for the IronBirds.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bluefield Orioles 11, Bristol Sox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Luis Ramirez hit a three-run home run and scored twice in the Orioles' 11-3 rout over Bristol.

Bluefield designated hitter Jose Kianes was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, and left fielder Michael Planeta collected a single, two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.

Orioles second baseman Omar Casamayor was 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored, while third baseman Corey Thomas added two hits and two runs scored.

Shortstop Gary Helmick contributed two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Orioles.

Bluefield starting pitcher Bobby Bundy (2-3) gave up two runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings. The 19-year-old right-hander collected two strikeouts and walked one batter.

Relief pitcher Thomas Phelps tossed the final four innings for his first save of the season for the Orioles.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 4, GCL Red Sox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Tyler Stampone was 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored in the Orioles' 4-3 victory over the Red Sox.

Orioles starting pitcher Daurin Tavarez gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, and relief pitcher Dustin Carder (2-0) picked up the win after throwing three scoreless innings.

Center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Orioles, and Baysox second baseman Paco Figueroa was 1-for-3 with a run scored in an injury rehabilitation assignment.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Charlotte Knights at Harbor Park, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox face the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys hit the road to meet the Wilmington Blue Rocks, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds begin a series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds host the Vermont Lake Monsters, and the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles take on the Bristol Sox.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (50-39)

Opponent

Doubleheader vs. Charlotte Knights (6:15 p.m.)

Game 1: Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Chris Tillman (7-5, 2.50 ERA)
Charlotte: Wes Whisler (5-7, 3.48 ERA)

Game 2: Probable pitchers

Norfolk: TBA
Charlotte: Jack Egbert (6-3, 3.39 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (52-40)

Opponent

at Akron Aeros (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Radhames Liz (3-1, 2.84 ERA)
Akron: Ryan Edell (2-1, 2.43 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (11-9 in second half, 42-47 overall)

Opponent

at Wilmington Blue Rocks (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Pedro Beato (5-5, 4.84 ERA)
Wilmington: Danny Duffy (6-3, 3.69 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (10-10 in second half, 46-43 overall)

Opponent

Bowling Green Hot Rods (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Chris Salberg (2-1, 3.63 ERA)
Bowling Green: Frank De Los Santos (4-6, 3.74 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 9-17

Opponent

Vermont Lake Monsters (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Colin Allen (0-3, 8.41 ERA)
Vermont: Jack McGeary (1-1, 1.27 ERA)

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Record: 12-11

Opponent

at Bristol Sox (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bluefield: Robert Bundy (1-3, 6.91 ERA)
Bristol: Charles Delk (1-2, 5.19 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides lost to the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox survived against the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys were pounded by the Kinston Indians, but the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds topped the Lexington Legends.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds fell to the Lowell Spinners.

The Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles beat the Bristol Sox, and the Rookie-level GCL Orioles dropped a close decision against the GCL Rays.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Charlotte Knights 7, Norfolk Tides 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher David Pauley (7-7) gave up six runs (five earned) and seven hits in seven innings during the Tides' 7-1 loss to Charlotte at Harbor Park.

Norfolk center fielder Justin Christian was 2-for-4, and designated hitter Michael Aubrey collected a double and a run scored.

Tides first baseman Brandon Snyder added a sacrifice fly, but he is only batting .209 with one home run and 16 RBIs in 23 games since being promoted to Triple-A.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 13, Akron Aeros 11 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Brian Matusz (5-0) struggled for the Baysox, but the offense picked him up in a 13-11 victory over Akron.

The 22-year-old left-hander gave up six runs and 11 hits in five innings, but Bowie pounded 21 hits overall, and they scored 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings against former teammate and current Aeros starting pitcher Bobby Livingston (7-4).

Baysox left fielder Dave Krynzel was 4-for-6 with two triples, two RBIs and two runs scored, while designated hitter Joe Nowicki was 4-for-5 with two doubles, four RBIs and a run scored.

Center fielder Danny Figueroa collected four hits, an RBI and two runs scored for Bowie, and third baseman Guillermo Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored.

Relief pitcher Luis Lebron retired all six batters he faced for the Baysox to earn his second save since being promoted to Double-A.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Kinston Indians 9, Frederick Keys 1 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Robbie Widlansky hit a solo home run, but the Keys suffered a 9-1 loss to Kinston at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick center fielder Matt Angle collected a double, and designated hitter Ryan Adams added a single in the game.

Keys starting pitcher Zach Britton (5-4) allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in six innings. The 21-year-old left-hander struck out five batters and issued three walks.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 5, Lexington Legends 2 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Xavier Avery collected two hits and two RBIs in the Shorebirds' 5-2 victory over Lexington at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva designated hitter Elvin Polanco was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while third baseman Tyler Kolodny added two hits, an RBI and two runs scored.

Shorebirds right fielder Ronnie Welty picked up two hits and a run scored, and second baseman L.J. Hoes was 2-for-4.

Starting pitcher Oliver Drake (5-6) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for the Shorebirds, while relief pitcher Brent Allar retired all five batters he faced for his first save of the season.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Lowell Spinners 6, Aberdeen IronBirds 4 (Box score)

Recap: The IronBirds committed four errors in a 6-4 loss to Lowell.

Aberdeen center fielder Richard D'Oleo was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs, and second baseman Ty Kelly added three hits, an RBI and a run scored.

IronBirds left fielder T.J. Baxter was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, while catcher Brian Ward collected two hits and a run scored.

Starting pitcher Nicholas Haughian allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings for Aberdeen, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 22-year-old left-hander collected five strikeouts and issued three walks.

Aberdeen relief pitcher Stephen Procner (0-2) suffered the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) and three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Procner, Baxter, shortstop Michael Mooney and third baseman Levi Carolus each made a defensive miscue for the IronBirds.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bluefield Orioles 10, Bristol Sox 6 (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Omar Casamayor was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and four runs scored in the Orioles' 10-6 win over Bristol.

Bluefield center fielder Michael Planeta was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, and left fielder Larry Rivera collected two hits and an RBI.

Orioles catcher Dashenko Ricardo and right fielder Luis Ramirez each added a double and two RBIs.

Starting pitcher Vito Frabizio (1-1) earned his first victory of the season after giving up three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Orioles. The 20-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued one walk.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Rays 7, GCL Orioles 6 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Grolmann Gonzalez was 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored, but the Orioles were edged by the Rays, 7-6.

Orioles center fielder Edwin Cintron added two triples, an RBI and two runs scored, while second baseman Anderson Childers was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Starting pitcher Zachary Petersime allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Orioles. The 20-year-old right-hander collected five strikeouts and walked two batters.

Orioles relief pitcher Billy Gross (1-1) gave up two runs and six hits in two innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood will pitch one or two innings in his professional debut, which is expected to take place Saturday night when Rookie-level Bluefield hosts Johnson City at Bowen Field.

Orioles director of player development David Stockstill stopped short of confirming the appearance, saying it depends on how Hobgood feels after he returns to Bluefield from Los Angeles, where he attended the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year Awards on Wednesday night.

"You never know about plane flights and all of those things, so we just have to wait and see when he actually gets back to Bluefield and see how he feels and all of that," Stockstill said. "There's nothing set in stone until he gets back and we evaluate where he's at."

The 18-year-old right-hander, who previously earned Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors, was a finalist for the top prep male award after going 11-1 with a 0.92 ERA at Norco (Calif.) High in his senior year. Hobgood had 101 strikeouts and issued 26 walks in 68 1/3 innings.

Hobgood also excelled as a hitter in high school, batting .475 with 21 home runs, but Stockstill said the Orioles don't foresee him swinging the bat in the minor leagues.

"At this point, we don't have any plans to play him anywhere else but pitcher," Stockstill said.

The Orioles plan to evaluate Hobgood in game action for Bluefield before determining whether the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder will earn a promotion this season.

"It's way too early to tell about anything like that," Stockstill said. "Right now, all we're going to do is just get him pitching in games, get him built up slowly and see how he adjusts to professional baseball."

Baysox LHP Perez likely out for year

Double-A Bowie Baysox relief pitcher Wilfrido Perez, who has been on the disabled list since July 5 with an elbow injury, will undergo surgery and is not expected to pitch again this season, according to Stockstill.

The 24-year-old left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA and seven saves in 24 appearances for the Baysox this season. Opponents are batting .136 against Perez, who has 29 strikeouts and 22 walks in 26 1/3 innings.

Perez was also on the disabled list from June 5 to June 23.

Other injury updates

The chances of Triple-A Norfolk Tides third baseman Scott Moore (thumb) returning this season are "extremely slight," according to Stockstill. ... Short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds outfielder Steve Bumbry (hamstring) is day-to-day, and "could be [returning] in the next couple days," Stockstill said. ... Right-hander Chorye Spoone (labrum) and left-hander Tony Butler (shoulder) are both participating in a throwing program in Florida, and will likely join a minor league affiliate in the next few weeks.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides return from the All-Star break with a game against the Charlotte Knights at Harbor Park, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox hit the road to face the Akron Aeros.

The Single-A Frederick Keys host the Kinston Indians at Harry Grove Stadium this afternoon, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds will play the Lexington Legends at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium tonight.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds meet the Lowell Spinners.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (50-38)

Opponent

Charlotte Knights (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: David Pauley (7-6, 3.67 ERA)
Charlotte: Lucas Harrell (1-1, 5.06 ERA)

Notes

* The Tides begin the second half in a tie for first place in the International League South Division with the Durham Bulls (51-39). Charlotte (41-48) is in last place in the South Division, trailing the two leaders by 9 1/2 games.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (51-40)

Opponent

at Akron Aeros (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Brian Matusz (4-0, 0.34 ERA)
Akron: Bobby Livingston (1-1, 5.54 ERA with the Aeros this season)

Notes

* Livingston is scheduled to make his first start against his former team when the Baysox travel to Akron to start the second half. The 26-year-old left-hander was 6-2 with a 3.62 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) for Bowie earlier this season before requesting his release from the organization.

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (11-8 in second half, 42-46 overall)

Opponent

Kinston Indians (12 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Zach Britton (5-3, 2.75 ERA)
Kinston: Paulo Espino (1-5, 3.83 ERA)

Notes

* With two consecutive victories, the Keys remain in second place in the Carolina League Northern Division. Frederick trails the division-leading Potomac Nationals (13-7, 50-37) by 1 1/2 games. Kinston (8-12, 35-53) is in last place in the Southern Division, and the Indians are 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Salem Red Sox (11-8, 43-45).

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (9-10 in second half, 45-43 overall)

Opponent

Lexington Legends (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Oliver Drake (4-6, 4.03 ERA)
Lexington: Robert Bono (8-5, 2.58 ERA)

Notes

* The Shorebirds are currently on a three-game winning streak, and they climbed into fifth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division. Delmarva trails the first-place Hickory Crawdads (12-7, 45-43) by three games in the division. Lexington (9-10, 45-44) is tied for fifth place in the Southern Division, and the Legends are five games behind the division-leading Asheville Tourist (14-5, 40-48).

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 9-16

Opponent

at Lowell Spinners (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Nicholas Haughian (1-2, 2.79 ERA)
Lowell: Yeiper Castillo (2-1, 2.77 ERA)

Notes

* The IronBirds remain in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division. Aberdeen is 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Brooklyn Cyclones (18-8). Lowell is tied for second place in the Stedler Division with the Vermont Lake Monsters, and both teams hold a 13-12 record. The Oneonta Tigers (15-8) lead the two teams by three games.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

The International League won the Triple-A All-Star Game, and the South Division captured the Eastern League All-Star Game over the North Division.

The Single-A Frederick Keys beat the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds topped the Lexington Legends.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds fell to the Lowell Spinners, and the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles lost to the Bristol Sox.

Triple-A All-Star Game

Score: International League All-Stars 6, Pacific Coast League All-Stars 5 (Box score)

Recap: Tides relief pitcher Jim Miller allowed one run and one hit in one-third of an inning during the International League's 6-5 win over the Pacific Coast League.

Louisville Bats outfielder Drew Stubbs was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run for the International League, and Indianapolis Indians catcher Erik Kratz added a two-run home run, a double and two runs scored.

The International League was winning, 6-3, heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. After the Pacific Coast League scored two runs, former Orioles relief pitcher Fernando Cabrera preserved the victory for the International League.

Eastern League All-Star Game

Score: South All-Stars 5, North All-Stars 3 (Box score)

Recap: Baysox second baseman Miguel Abreu earned the Top Star Award as the South Division topped the North Division, 5-3, during the Eastern League All-Star Game in Trenton, N.J.

The 24-year-old infielder was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

Bowie relief pitcher Chad Thall gave up two runs, one hit and two walks in one inning, while Ryan Ouellette retired both batters he faced.

Baysox third baseman Jonathan Tucker was 0-for-1 with a walk and a stolen base for the South Division.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 5, Kinston Indians 1 (Box score)

Recap: The Keys scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Kinston, 5-1, at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick starting pitcher Rick Zagone allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out six batters and didn't walk anyone.

Relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the win for the Keys.

Keys catcher Caleb Joseph was 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs, and first baseman Robbie Widlansky added two hits, a stolen base and a run scored.

Frederick utility player Tyler Henson collected two hits and two runs scored, and designated hitter Wally Crancer was 2-for-2

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 3, Lexington Legends 1 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Joe Mahoney hit an RBI double, and the Shorebirds came from behind for a 3-1 victory over Lexington at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva third baseman Tyler Kolodny added a sacrifice fly, and catcher Luis Bernardo collected the team's other RBI.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Ryan O'Shea (6-5) allowed one unearned run and four hits in seven innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and issued one walk.

Relief pitcher Brandon Cooney retired all three batters he faced for his 14th save of the season for the Shorebirds.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Lowell Spinners 2, Aberdeen IronBirds 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Kenny Moreland (3-1) allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in six innings, and the IronBirds were blanked by Lowell, 2-0.

Aberdeen left fielder T.J. Baxter was 2-for-4, while designated hitter Levi Carolus and center fielder Richard D'Oleo each collected a double.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie was 0-for-4 in an injury rehabilitation start for the Spinners.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bristol Sox 6, Bluefield Orioles 3 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Jesse Beal (2-3) gave up six runs (three earned) and six hits in four innings during the Orioles' 6-3 loss to Bristol. The 19-year-old right-hander also walked one batter.

Bluefield designated hitter Jose Kianes was 2-for-4 with a solo home run, and left fielder Michael Planeta added two hits.

Orioles right fielder Luis Ramirez collected a double and an RBI, while third baseman Corey Thomas also picked up an RBI.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Single-A Frederick Keys host the Kinston Indians at Harry Grove Stadium, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds face the Lexington Legends at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds play on the road against the Lowell Spinners.

The Triple-A All-Star Game and Eastern League All-Star Game will both take place tonight. The Tides are represented by relief pitcher Jim Miller at the Triple-A level, while four Baysox players will take part in the Double-A game.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Game

Triple-A All-Star Game

Time and location

10:05 p.m. at PGE Park in Portland, Ore.

Notes

* Despite being tied for first place in the International League South Division at the All-Star break, the Tides (50-38) are only sending one representative to the Triple-A All-Star Game -- relief pitcher Jim Miller. Norfolk starting pitcher Chris Tillman also earned recognition as an All-Star, but he won't make the trip to Oregon.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Game

Eastern League All-Star Game

Time and location

7:05 p.m. at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J.

Notes

* The Baysox will be represented by four players at the Eastern League All-Star Game in Trenton. Bowie utility players Miguel Abreu and Jonathan Tucker, as well as relief pitchers Ryan Ouellette and Chad Thall are set to take part in the midseason event. Relief pitcher Josh Perrault was also selected, but he won't participate following his promotion to Norfolk.

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (10-8 in second half, 41-46 overall)

Opponent

Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Rick Zagone (0-2, 6.60 ERA)
Kinston: Alexander Perez (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (8-10 in second half, 44-43 overall)

Opponent

Lexington Legends (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Ryan O'Shea (5-5, 3.75 ERA)
Lexington: David Duncan (1-0, 9.00 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 9-15

Opponent

at Lowell Spinners (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Kenny Moreland (3-0, 0.36 ERA)
Lowell: Alex Wilson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds are hoping to reach out to fans by holding a question-and-answer session online with second baseman L.J. Hoes and left fielder Kyle Hudson, the team announced in a statement.

The two players each will answer 10 questions on the Shorebirds' Web site and the Delmarva Shorebirds Blog on MLB.com.

To submit a question, send an email to Shorebirds radio broadcaster Bret Lasky by clicking here. When submitting a question, the Shorebirds request that you include your name and hometown.

The deadline is Wednesday, July 22 at noon, and the players' answers will be available on Thursday, July 23 in both written form and as an audio attachment, according to the team.

The Orioles selected Hoes in the third round of the 2008 MLB draft out of St. John's (D.C) High, and Hudson was the team's fourth-round choice during the same year from the University of Illinois.

Hoes is hitting .245 with 11 doubles and 29 RBIs for the Shorebirds this season, and Hudson ranks second on the team with a .293 batting average.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Single-A Frederick Keys beat the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds topped the Lexington Legends.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds blanked the Lowell Spinners, while the rookie-level GCL Orioles picked up an easy win over the GCL Twins.

With the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Double-A Bowie Baysox and rookie-level Bluefield Orioles all idle, it was a clean sweep for the Orioles' affiliates tonight.

Earlier today, the Shorebirds activated infielder L.J. Hoes from the temporary inactive list. In order to make room for Hoes on Delmarva's roster, the team placed outfielder Brian Conley on the disabled list with a hand injury.

Many readers asked about Hoes, and the Shorebirds said he was placed on the inactive list to "attend to family matters." The 19-year-old infielder was 0-for-4 with an RBI in his return during tonight's game.

Also, the IronBirds added right-handed pitcher Jacob Cowan to their roster before tonight's game. Cowan was the Orioles' 10th-round selection in this year's MLB draft.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 7, Kinston Indians 5 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Robbie Widlansky was 4-for-4 with a two-run home run, two doubles and two runs scored in the Keys' 7-5 win over Kinston at Harry Grove Stadium.

With the performance, the 24-year-old utility player raised his batting average to .406 in 37 games since joining Frederick from extended spring training in the middle of the season. Widlansky has three home runs and 26 RBIs.

Frederick second baseman Ryan Adams was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, and designated hitter Wally Crancer added a single, an RBI and a run scored.

Keys starting pitcher Sean Gleason gave up three runs and four hits in five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander issued four walks and struck out three batters, but he was denied the victory when Orioles relief pitcher Dennis Sarfate allowed the Indians to tie the score in the top of the sixth inning.

Sarfate (1-0), who was pitching in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Keys, earned the win despite suffering a blown save. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed two runs, two hits and a walk in two innings for Frederick.

Relief pitcher Joe Esposito tossed two scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season for the Keys.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Lexington Legends 3 (Box score)

Recap: Right fielder Ronnie Welty hit a three-run home run to lift the Shorebirds to a 7-3 victory over the Lexington Legends at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva left fielder Kyle Hudson was 2-for-4, and center fielder Xavier Avery walked twice, collected a stolen base and scored two runs.

Starting pitcher Cole McCurry (4-7) tossed six scoreless innings for the Shorebirds. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed three hits, walked two batters and picked up eight strikeouts.

Shorebirds first baseman Joe Mahoney was 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Lowell Spinners 0 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Tyler Sexton (2-2) gave up two hits in six scoreless innings, and the IronBirds blanked Lowell, 5-0. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out five batters and issued two walks.

Aberdeen right fielder Jason Rook was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored, while left fielder T.J. Baxter added two hits, a stolen base and a run scored.

IronBirds catcher Justin Dalles collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored, and shortstop Garabez Rosa and designated hitter Levi Carolus each picked up two hits.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie was 0-for-4 with a strikeout in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Spinners.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 9, GCL Twins 1 (Box score)

Recap: The Orioles scored six runs in the first inning, and they cruised to a 9-1 victory over the Twins.

Orioles right fielder Grolmann Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run and three RBIs, while catcher Xavier Lopez added two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Second baseman Anderson Childers collected a single, an RBI and two runs scored for the Orioles, and first baseman David Anderson and left fielder David Rivera each hit an RBI double.

Orioles starting pitcher Jario De La Cruz (1-1) allowed one run and three hits in six innings. The 22-year-old right-hander collected four strikeouts and walked two batters.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Single-A Frederick Keys continue their homestand with a game against the Kinston Indians tonight at Harry Grove Stadium, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Lexington Legends at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds travel to face the Lowell Spinners.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides and Double-A Bowie Baysox are both idle for the All-Star break.

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (9-8 in second half, 40-46 overall)

Opponent

Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Sean Gleason (1-3, 3.86 ERA)
Kinston: Eric Berger (7-6, 2.31 ERA)

Notes

* After last night's loss, the Keys are in second place in the Carolina League Northern Division. Frederick trails the first-place Potomac Nationals (11-7, 48-37) by 1 1/2 games in the division. Kinston (8-10, 35-51) is in last place in the Southern Division, and the Indians are 2 1/2 games behind the division-leading Salem Red Sox (10-7, 42-44).

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (7-10 in second half, 43-43 overall)

Opponent

Lexington Legends (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Cole McCurry (3-7, 3.75 ERA)
Lexington: Brad Dydalewicz (5-3, 3.24 ERA)

Notes

* The Shorebirds are in sixth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division, and they trail the division-leading West Virginia Power (11-5, 38-48) by 4 1/2 games. Lexington (9-8, 45-42) is in third place in the Southern Division, and the Legends are three games behind the first-place Asheville Tourists (12-5, 38-48).

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: 8-15

Opponent

at Lowell Spinners (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Tyler Sexton (1-2, 3.86 ERA)
Lowell: Ryan Pressly (3-0, 0.86 ERA)

Notes

* The IronBirds remain in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division. Aberdeen trails the first-place Brooklyn Cyclones (17-7) by 8 1/2 games. Lowell (12-11) is tied for second place in the Stedler Division with the Vermont Lake Monsters (12-11), and both teams are two games behind the Oneonta Tigers (13-8).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Double-A Bowie Baysox wrapped up the first half with a victory over the Altoona Curve, and the Single-A Frederick Keys were edged by the Kinston Indians in extra innings.

To say the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds pounded the Lexington Legends would be an understatement. The Shorebirds collected 24 hits in a 19-0 win in Salisbury.

The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles fell to the Princeton Rays, and the rookie-level GCL Orioles topped the GCL Reds in extra innings.

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides were idle.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 3, Altoona Curve 2 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher David Hernandez allowed one run and two hits in four innings, but he didn't factor in the decision during Bowie's 3-2 victory over Altoona at Prince George's Stadium. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued one walk in his spot start with the Baysox.

Hernandez was originally optioned to Norfolk when Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was activated from the disabled list, but the organization sent him to Bowie in order to pitch in one more game before the team's All-Star break. He could return to the major leagues sometime in the next week.

Baysox relief pitcher Fredy Deza (5-3) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings to pick up the win, and closer Ryan Ouellette earned his third save of the season after giving up a home run to Curve pinch-hitter Pedro Alvarez in the ninth.

Bowie infielder Brandon Pinckney was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, and left fielder Jonathan Tucker collected a stolen base and scored two runs.

Relief pitcher Chad Thall retired all three batters he faced in his final appearance before heading to the All-Star Game to represent the Baysox.

Thall will be joined by Tucker, Ouellette and second baseman Miguel Abreu for the contest. Tides relief pitcher Josh Perrault was also picked for the game before he was promoted to Triple-A.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Kinston Indians 4, Frederick Keys 3, 10 innings (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Brandon Waring hit two doubles, but the Keys suffered a 4-3 loss to Kinston in 10 innings at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick relief pitcher Pat Egan (0-1) gave up one run and three hits in three innings, while starting pitcher Nathan Nery allowed three runs and four hits -- including two home runs -- in seven innings.

Keys first baseman Robbie Widlansky was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and left fielder Tyler Henson added a single, a double and a run scored.

Right fielder Billy Rowell hit an RBI single in the second inning for the Keys before being replaced by Kraig Binick.

Rowell was removed after fouling a ball off his leg during the at-bat, and I'll pass along any details as soon as they become available. Binick finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs in his first game since returning from the disabled list.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 19, Lexington Legends 0 (Box score)

Recap: The Shorebirds scored in six of their eight innings at the plate, including nine runs in the seventh, en route to a 19-0 victory over Lexington at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Delmarva second baseman Rodolfo Cardona was 2-for-6 with a double, a triple and six RBIs, while shortstop Greg Miclat collected five hits, an RBI and three runs scored.

Shorebirds left fielder Kyle Hudson was 4-for-4 with two walks, an RBI and five runs scored, and right fielder Ronnie Welty added three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Four other Shorebirds players -- center fielder Xavier Avery, designated hitter Elvin Polanco, third baseman Tyler Kolodny and catcher Luis Bernardo -- each picked up two hits in the game, and first baseman Joe Mahoney hit a two-run home run.

Starting pitcher Nathan Moreau (3-2) tossed seven scoreless innings for the Shorebirds. The 22-year-old left-hander collected four strikeouts and allowed three hits.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Princeton Rays 6, Bluefield Orioles 1 (Box score)

Recap: Catcher Dashenko Ricardo was 2-for-4 with a run scored in the Orioles' 6-1 loss to Princeton.

Bluefield third baseman Omar Casamayor picked up an RBI single.

Orioles starting pitcher Justin Moore (1-1) allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings. The 19-year-old right-hander collected four strikeouts and walked one batter.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 4, GCL Reds 3, 10 innings (Box score)

Recap: Catcher Dennis Perez was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the Orioles' 4-3 win over the Reds in 10 innings.

Orioles second baseman Anderson Childers was 2-for-5 with an RBI, and designated hitter Xavier Lopez added two hits, including a triple, and a stolen base.

Relief pitcher Billy Gross (1-0), a Frederick High School graduate who signed a free-agent deal with the team earlier this month, earned the victory in his professional debut.

Orioles right-handed pitcher Andrew Huebner, who also signed with the team as a free agent earlier this month, earned his first save of the season after tossing a scoreless inning.

Center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez collected two hits for the Orioles.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Game recaps
        

OK, everyone, I'm back from Cedar Point Amusement Park and ready to continue blogging.

Who missed me? You don't have to admit it.

Seriously, the trip was a lot of fun, and thanks to everyone who hoped I would have a good time.

While I was gone, the Triple-A Norfolk Tides wrapped up the first half of the season by winning two out of three games against the Durham Bulls. Norfolk is tied with the Bulls for the lead in the International League South Division at the All-Star break.

The Double-A Bowie Baysox finish the first half tonight against the Altoona Curve at Prince George's Stadium with right-hander David Hernandez on the mound. The Baysox won two out of the first three games against Altoona over the weekend.

Hernandez was sent to the minor leagues last week when Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was activated from the disabled list.

The Single-A Frederick Keys lost their series opener against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Friday, but they rebounded to win the final two games. Beginning tonight, Frederick hosts the Kinston Indians for a four-game series at Harry Grove Stadium.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds were beaten in the first three games of their series against the West Virginia Power before the final contest was canceled due to rain. They were idle yesterday and face the Lexington Legends tonight at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Over the weekend, the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds beat the Hudson Valley Renegades on the road before returning to Ripken Stadium and losing the final two games of the series. The IronBirds are idle tonight.

Earlier today, the Keys activated outfielder Kraig Binick from the disabled list and transferred left-handed pitcher Brett Bordes to Delmarva. In order to make room for Bordes on their roster, the Shorebirds placed right-handed pitcher Raul Rivero on the disabled list with an elbow injury.

On Friday, the IronBirds added pitcher Kevin Landry to their roster. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound right-hander was selected in the 21st round of this year's MLB draft by the Orioles. Landry, 21, gave up one run and three hits in 1 2/3 innings during his professional debut on Friday against the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The IronBirds also made a set of moves last Thursday, and I didn't have time to post them before heading on vacation. Catcher Zach Booker was transferred from Aberdeen's roster to Bluefield, while outfielder Steve Bumbry was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to July 7.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (50-40)

Opponent

Altoona Curve (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: David Hernandez (2-2, 3.94 ERA with the Orioles this season)
Altoona: Kyle Bloom (2-4, 3.35 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (9-7 in second half, 40-45 overall)

Opponent

Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Nathan Nery (3-3, 4.41 ERA)
Kinston: Russell Young (2-4, 4.71 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (6-10 in second half, 42-43 overall)

Opponent

Lexington Legends (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Nathan Moreau (2-2, 4.32 ERA)
Lexington: Kyle Greenwalt (7-7, 3.30 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game previews
        

Yes, I am going to attempt to add that term to the dictionary.

I'm sure it won't pass the inspection to be included in the next edition by Merriam-Webster, but it basically means O's on Deck is going to take a break for a few days so I can head to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio.

I won't be posting game previews or recaps again until Monday, but please check out The Schmuck Stops Here for any urgent updates about the Orioles' minor league system.

Enjoy the next few days without the blog, and we'll pick things up again Monday.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides fell to the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox edged the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys swept the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds lost to the West Virginia Power.

The short-season Aberdeen IronBirds needed plenty of extra work to beat the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles dropped a close game to the Danville Braves, and the rookie-level GCL Orioles blanked the GCL Twins.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Charlotte Knights 7, Norfolk Tides 1 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Troy Patton (1-3) allowed five runs and 10 hits in four innings, and the Tides suffered a 7-1 loss to Charlotte. Since joining Norfolk last month, the 23-year-old left-hander has a 5.47 ERA in five starts.

Tides center fielder Justin Christian was 2-for-4 with a double, and second baseman Justin Turner added a double and a run scored. The two players combined for Norfolk's only three hits in the game.

Norfolk shortstop Blake Davis was 0-for-3 with a fielding error.

Relief pitcher Josh Perrault tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the Tides.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 3, Harrisburg Senators 2 (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Miguel Abreu hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Baysox to a 3-2 victory over Harrisburg at Prince George's Stadium.

Bowie right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, while shortstop Brandon Pinckney and catcher Adam Donachie each added a double.

Baysox starting pitcher Ryohei Tanaka gave up one run and one hit in five innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and issued four walks.

Relief pitcher Luis Lebron (1-0) suffered a blown save for the Baysox, but he earned the win after allowing one run, one hit and two walks in one inning.

Bowie relief pitcher Ryan Ouellette tossed a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 4, Kinston Indians 2 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Brandon Waring and catcher Caleb Joseph each hit a solo home run in the Keys' 4-2 victory over Kinston. It was Waring's 15th home run of the season, while Joseph now has seven.

Frederick right fielder Robbie Widlansky was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, and shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. also picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly.

Keys starting pitcher Sean Gleason (1-3) allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits in seven innings. The 23-year-old right-hander collected six strikeouts and walked one batter.

Relief pitcher Pat Egan tossed two scoreless innings to pick up his second save since joining the Keys last month.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: West Virginia Power 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 3 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Elvin Polanco was one of five Shorebirds players with a multi-hit game, but they lost, 5-3, to West Virginia. The 22-year-old switch-hitter was 2-for-4 with a double.

Delmarva center fielder Kyle Hudson was 2-for-5 with a run scored, and first baseman Joe Mahoney collected two hits and a stolen base.

Second baseman Buck Britton added two hits and a run scored, while catcher Luis Bernardo picked up a single and a double.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Oliver Drake (4-6) gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and issued three walks.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 1, Brooklyn Cyclones 0, 16 innings (Box score)

Recap: Outfielder Arthur Bonevacia's RBI single in the top of the 16th inning lifted the IronBirds to a 1-0 victory over Brooklyn. It was Aberdeen's second consecutive win in extra innings against the Cyclones.

IronBirds starting pitcher Kenny Moreland tossed seven scoreless innings, but he was long gone before the game was decided. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out six batters and allowed three hits. Moreland has a 0.36 ERA in four starts for Aberdeen.

Aberdeen relief pitcher Jake Smith (1-0) only gave up one hit in six innings to collect the win. The 23-year-old left-hander collected six strikeouts and walked one batter.

Relief pitcher Stephen Procner picked up his second save of the season for Aberdeen.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Danville Braves 2, Bluefield Orioles 0 (Box score)

Recap: The Orioles managed only four singles in a 2-0 loss to Danville.

Bluefield starting pitcher Jesse Beal (2-2) gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings, but he was the tough-luck loser. The 18-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and didn't issue any walks.

Orioles relief pitcher Sam Taveras recorded the final two outs.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 5, GCL Twins 0 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Edwin Cintron was 3-for-5 with an RBI, a run scored and two stolen bases in the Orioles' 5-0 victory over the Twins.

Orioles second baseman Bo Ford collected two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored, while catcher Xavier Lopez was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Starting pitcher Zachary Petersime (2-0) tossed six scoreless innings for the Orioles. The 20-year-old right-hander allowed three hits, walked four batters and collected two strikeouts.

Orioles reliever David Walters pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides play a road contest against the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox host the Harrisburg Senators in an afternoon game at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys go for the sweep on the road against the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds face the West Virginia Power.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds meet the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The Shorebirds added infielder Buck Britton, who was playing in Aberdeen, to their roster in order to fill in for second baseman L.J. Hoes while he is on the temporary inactive list.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (48-36)

Opponent

at Charlotte Knights (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Troy Patton (1-2, 4.43 ERA)
Charlotte: Carlos Torres (8-4, 2.30 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (47-39)

Opponent

Harrisburg Senators (12:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Harrisburg: Cory VanAllen (2-4, 5.97 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (6-6 in second half, 37-44 overall)

Opponent

at Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Sean Gleason (0-3, 4.45 ERA)
Kinston: Eric Berger (7-5, 2.13 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (6-8 in second half, 42-41 overall)

Opponent

at West Virginia Power (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Oliver Drake (4-5, 3.81 ERA)
West Virginia: Casey Erickson (4-3, 2.11 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (6-13)

Opponent

at Brooklyn Cyclones (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Kenny Moreland (3-0, 0.50 ERA)
Brooklyn: Darin Gorski (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides beat the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox fell to the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys topped the Kinston Indians, but the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds were beaten by the West Virginia Power.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds edged the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles used some late-inning heroics to knock off the Danville Braves, while the rookie-level GCL Orioles lost to the GCL Reds.

Earlier today, the Orioles announced their organizational players of the month for June. Bowie's Brian Matusz was selected as the top pitcher in the Orioles' minor league system, and the Shorebirds' Ronnie Welty was picked as the top hitter.

Before tonight's game, the Shorebirds placed second baseman L.J. Hoes on the temporary inactive list. A corresponding move is expected on Thursday.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Norfolk Tides 5, Charlotte Knights 1 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Joey Gathright was 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs in the Tides' 5-1 victory over Charlotte.

Norfolk starting pitcher Chris Tillman (7-5) tossed six scoreless innings. The 21-year-old right-hander gave up six hits and collected six strikeouts. He threw 61 of his 94 pitches for strikes.

Tides right fielder Jeff Fiorentino also picked up four hits, and catcher Robby Hammock added a double and two runs scored.

Shortstop Blake Davis was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI for Norfolk.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Harrisburg Senators 7, Bowie Baysox 4 (Box score)

Recap: Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was 0-for-3 in his second injury rehabilitation start as the Baysox lost, 7-4, to Harrisburg at Prince George's Stadium.

Bowie second baseman Miguel Abreu was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion added a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Baysox starting pitcher Tim Bascom (2-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and didn't walk anyone.

Relief pitcher Zach Clark tossed two scoreless innings for the Baysox in his first appearance since rejoining the team from the disabled list.

Harrisburg third baseman Joel Guzman was 5-for-5 with three RBIs.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 6, Kinston Indians 2 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Robbie Widlansky collected four hits and an RBI in the Keys' 6-2 win over Kinston. The 24-year-old utility player is batting .388 with two home runs and 23 RBIs in 31 games for Frederick since being added to the roster.

Frederick shortstop Pedro Florimon Jr. was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a stolen base, while center fielder Matt Angle added two RBIs.

Third baseman Brandon Waring, catcher Caleb Joseph and left fielder Tyler Henson each picked up two hits for the Keys.

Starting pitcher Nathan Nery (3-3) gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings for Frederick, and relief pitcher Eddie Gamboa retired all nine batters he faced.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: West Virginia Power 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 3 (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Greg Miclat was 2-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored, but the Shorebirds dropped a 7-3 decision against West Virginia.

Welty added an RBI, while Delmarva left fielder Kyle Hudson and catcher Luis Bernardo each scored a run.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Ryan O'Shea (5-5) gave up five runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out four batters and issued two walks.

Relief pitcher Cliff Flagello retired all seven batters he faced for Delmarva.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Aberdeen IronBirds 5, Brooklyn Cyclones 4, 12 innings (Box score)

Recap: The IronBirds scored a run in the top of the 12th inning to snap Brooklyn's 10-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory. It was also the Cyclones' first loss at home in 2009.

Aberdeen third baseman Levi Carolus collected three more hits tonight, including the game-winning RBI single in the 12th. In his past four games, the 21-year-old infielder is hitting .611 (11-for-18) with two doubles and three RBIs.

IronBirds second baseman Buck Britton was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, while center fielder Richard D'Oleo and right fielder Jason Rook each added two hits.

Relief pitcher Jose Barajas (1-1) picked up the win for Aberdeen after retiring all six batters he faced, and James Brandhorst tossed a scoreless inning for his first save of the season.

First baseman Tyler Townsend was 0-for-6 with two strikeouts for the IronBirds tonight. So far this season, the Orioles' third-round selection in this year's MLB draft is batting .152 with 15 strikeouts in nine games.

Aberdeen starting pitcher Tyler Sexton allowed three runs (two earned) and eight hits in six innings.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Bluefield Orioles 4, Danville Braves 3, 12 innings (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Gary Helmick hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning to send the Orioles to a 4-3 walkoff victory over Danville.

Bluefield right fielder Luis Ramirez was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and shortstop Javier Santana added two hits and a run scored.

Orioles starting pitcher Justin Moore gave up two runs (one earned) and six hits in six innings, but he didn't factor in the decision. The 19-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and didn't walk anyone.

Despite suffering a blown save, Bluefield relief pitcher Josh Dowdy (1-0) tossed four innings to earn his first professional victory. The Orioles' 38th-round selection in this year's MLB draft allowed one run and four hits.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Reds 6, GCL Orioles 1 (Box score)

Recap: Second baseman Dennis Perez collected a double and two walks in the Orioles' 6-1 loss to the Reds.

Orioles starting pitcher Jario De La Cruz (0-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. The 21-year-old right-hander collected six strikeouts and walked two batters.

Relief pitcher Jason Hallerman issued three walks without recording an out for the Orioles. In four appearances this season, the 21-year-old right-hander has allowed four runs and 10 walks in 1 2/3 innings. However, he hasn't given up any hits.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides face the Charlotte Knights, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox host the Harrisburg Senators at Prince George's Stadium.

The Single-A Frederick Keys play the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds continue their road trip against the West Virginia Power.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds look to snap the Brooklyn Cyclones' 10-game win streak.

Orioles relief pitcher Dennis Sarfate is scheduled to pitch in an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox on Saturday, according to the team. The 28-year-old right-hander is recovering from a shoulder injury, and he hasn't pitched in the major leagues since May 1.

UPDATE (4:19 p.m.): The Keys just announced that Sarfate will also rehab in Frederick on Tuesday night against the Kinston Indians.

The Baysox also announced that relief pitcher Chad Thall was selected as a replacement for the 2009 Eastern League All-Star Game in Trenton N.J.

Thall takes the place of Baysox relief pitcher Josh Perrault, who was recently promoted to Norfolk, on the Southern Division team. The 23-year-old left-hander leads the Eastern League with 12 holds, and he is 2-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 31 appearances this season. Thall has 36 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings for Bowie.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (47-36)

Opponent

at Charlotte Knights (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Chris Tillman (6-5, 2.69 ERA)
Charlotte: Kelvin Jimenez (3-2, 4.56 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (47-38)

Opponent

Harrisburg Senators (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Tim Bascom (2-1, 3.60 ERA)
Harrisburg: Erik Arnesen (4-2, 3.47 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (5-6 in second half, 36-44 overall)

Opponent

at Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Nathan Nery (2-3, 4.48 ERA)
Kinston: Russell Young (2-3, 4.50 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (6-7 in second half, 42-40 overall)

Opponent

at West Virginia Power (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Ryan O'Shea (5-4, 3.42 ERA)
West Virginia: Brian Leach (2-0, 1.86 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (5-13)

Opponent

at Brooklyn Cyclones (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Tyler Sexton (1-2, 4.20 ERA)
Brooklyn: Wes Wrenn (0-0, 4.00 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides beat the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox blanked the Harrisburg Senators.

In case you missed it, here is my live coverage of Bowie's 6-0 win. Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz shined once again in the victory.

The Single-A Frederick Keys topped the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds failed to score against the Kannapolis Intimidators.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds were edged by the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles lost to the Burlington Royals, and the rookie-level GCL Orioles came up short against the GCL Red Sox.

The Shorebirds activated outfielder Jacob Julius from the disabled list earlier today. In order to clear a roster spot for Julius, Delmarva placed relief pitcher Andrew Barb on the DL, retroactive to July 5.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Norfolk Tides 8, Charlotte Knights 4 (Box score)

Recap: The Tides jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings, and they cruised to an 8-4 victory over Charlotte.

Norfolk center fielder Justin Christian was 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, while third baseman Jolbert Cabrera added a three-run home run in the second.

Tides first baseman Brandon Snyder collected two hits and two RBIs, and designated hitter Michael Aubrey was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (2-2) allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Tides. The 23-year-old right-hander collected eight strikeouts and issued one walk. Arrieta was removed after giving up two home runs in the seventh.

Relief pitcher Josh Perrault struck out the side in the ninth inning during his debut with Norfolk after being called up earlier in the day.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Bowie Baysox 6, Harrisburg Senators 0 (Box score)

Recap: As you're aware by now, Matusz (4-0) dominated Harrisburg in a 6-0 win at Prince George's Stadium.

The 22-year-old left-hander struck out 11 batters, including six in the final three innings, and he only allowed one hit. Matusz didn't walk anyone, throwing 73 of his 98 pitches for strikes.

"It's the farthest I've gone. I minimized pitches," Matusz said. "It's the first game I've gone this year without walking a guy, and that's what I'm most happy about today."

"All four pitches worked really well today. I could throw them all at any given time." Matusz added.

In his first four starts with the Baysox, Matusz only allowed two runs (one earned) and 11 hits in 26 1/3 innings. The 2008 first-round draft pick lowered his ERA to 0.34 since joining Bowie. Overall, Matusz is 8-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 15 starts between the Baysox and Keys this season.

Although he was close to 100 pitches in the outing, Baysox pitching coach Larry McCall knows Matusz could have finished the game if needed.

"If he would have been in the big leagues, he would have definitely went back out there for the ninth," McCall said. "But this is Double-A. You don't want to go back out there and give up a run in the ninth inning."

Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis started his injury rehabilitation assignment with the Baysox tonight. The 29-year-old infielder was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored, and he is still on track to be activated from the disabled list on Friday.

"Today was a good day," Izturis said. "I did everything a rehab guy is supposed to do -- stolen base, scored [two runs] and turned a double play."

Baysox left fielder Jonathan Tucker was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while first baseman Eric Crozier added two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.

Designated hitter Guillermo Rodriguez and second baseman Miguel Abreu each collected two hits for Bowie.

Frederick Keys (A)

Score: Frederick Keys 11, Kinston Indians 5 (Box score)

Recap: First baseman Robbie Widlansky was 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored in the Keys' 11-5 win over Kinston.

Frederick second baseman Ryan Adams was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored, but he committed three throwing errors. In case you forgot, the 22-year-old infielder made 52 defensive miscues with the Shorebirds last season.

Keys center fielder Matt Angle collected two hits, two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base, while right fielder Billy Rowell added a single, two RBIs and a run scored.

Relief pitcher Joe Esposito (1-2) earned the victory for Frederick after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Keys starting pitcher Pedro Beato gave up three runs (two earned) and five hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Catcher Caleb Joseph was 2-for-4 with a double for the Keys, and left fielder Tyler Henson had two hits, including a triple, and two runs scored.

Frederick third baseman Brandon Waring also picked up two hits.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Kannapolis Intimidators 9, Delmarva Shorebirds 0 (Box score)

Recap: The Shorebirds managed only two hits in a 9-0 loss to Kannapolis.

Delmarva center fielder Xavier Avery was 1-for-3 with a double, and shortstop Rodolfo Cardona added a single, a stolen base and two walks.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Cole McCurry (3-7) allowed six runs (four earned) and four hits in 2 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out two batters and issued two walks.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Brooklyn Cyclones 3, Aberdeen IronBirds 2 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Levi Carolus collected two hits, including a double, but the IronBirds suffered a 3-2 loss to Brooklyn.

Aberdeen shortstop Garabez Rosa was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and right fielder Arthur Bonevacia added a single and an RBI.

IronBirds starting pitcher Patrick Kantakevich (0-2) gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. The 22-year-old right-hander collected four strikeouts and walked two batters.

First baseman Tyler Townsend was 1-for-4 with three strikeouts, but he did pick up his first stolen base at the professional level.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Score: Burlington Royals 2, Bluefield Orioles 1 (Box score)

Recap: Third baseman Corey Thomas was 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the Orioles' 2-1 loss to Burlington.

Bluefield first baseman Mike Flacco and left fielder Larry Rivera each added a hit, while second baseman Omar Casamayor picked up a stolen base.

Orioles starting pitcher Jorge Almanzar (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned), one hit and three walks in four innings. Relief pitcher Justin Anderson tossed three scoreless innings for Bluefield.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Red Sox 8, GCL Orioles 6 (Box score)

Recap: Center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez collected a triple and three RBIs, but the Orioles fell, 8-6, to the Red Sox.

Orioles right fielder Jaynnertt Melenciano was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while first baseman David Anderson added two hits and two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Eiri Ramirez (1-2) allowed five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings for the Orioles.

Designated hitter David Rivera and shortstop Moises Ciriaco each picked up two hits for the Orioles.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

It's official.

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz was removed from the game after pitching eight scoreless innings. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out 11 batters and allowed only one hit.

He threw 73 of his 98 pitches for strikes, but didn't get a chance for the complete game.

Relief pitcher Ryan Ouellette came in and pitched a scoreless ninth for the Baysox in a 6-0 victory over the Senators. Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored in a rehabilitation start for the Baysox.

I'm heading down to the clubhouse now to talk to Matusz and other players, so be sure to check out O's on Deck later tonight for full game recaps from all of the affiliates in the Orioles' minor league system.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis exited the game after the sixth inning.

The veteran major leaguer was replaced by Baysox shortstop Robert Valido to start the top of the seventh. Izturis was 2-for-3 with two singles, two runs scored and a stolen base. He was also hit by a pitch in his final at-bat.

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz picked up two more strikeouts while retiring the side in order again in the top of the seventh.

Despite a two-out walk to designated hitter Guillermo Rodriguez, the Baysox went quietly in the bottom of the seventh.

After Senators right fielder Joel Guzman reached on a two-base error by Baysox first baseman Eric Crozier, Matusz struck out the next two batters.

Through eight innings, Matusz has allowed one hit. The 22-year-old left-hander has thrown 73 of his 98 pitches for strikes. He has 11 strikeouts, including two in each of the past three innings.

No one is warming up in Bowie's bullpen, so expect Matusz to come back out for the ninth.

INSTANT UPDATE: As soon as I published that entry, Baysox relief pitcher Ryan Ouellette started warming in the bullpen, so it looks like Matusz's night might be over.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

The Baysox added to their lead in the next two innings.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Bowie first baseman Eric Crozier hit a double into the left-center field gap. Third baseman Mike Costanzo collected an RBI single for the Baysox, making it 4-0 after five innings.

Different inning, same story for Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz.

The 22-year-old left-hander retired the side in order again in the top of the sixth. Matusz threw nine of his 11 pitches for strikes in the inning. So far tonight, he has only thrown more than three balls in one inning -- the fifth, when he threw six balls in 13 pitches.

After Baysox designated hitter Guillermo Rodriguez hit a single and stole second base, Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the sixth.

Left fielder Jonathan Tucker followed with an RBI single for the Baysox, and Crozier added a ground-rule double to right field, making it 6-0 after six innings.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Senators second baseman Michael Martinez was the first base runner allowed by Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz on an infield single to lead off the top of the fourth inning.

Martinez, however, was quickly erased when Harrisburg left fielder Michael Daniel hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Matusz struck out Senators shortstop Ian Desmond to end the top of the fourth.

Baysox third baseman Mike Costanzo led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. Second baseman Miguel Abreu doubled down the left field line for Bowie, and Costanzo scored on a wild pitch.

Right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion hit a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Baysox a 3-0 lead, and Bowie catcher Adam Donachie walked with one out.

After center fielder Danny Figueroa singled to put runners on first and second base for the Baysox, designated hitter Guillermo Rodriguez flied out to right field and shortstop Cesar Izturis hit a comebacker to the pitcher to end the bottom of the fourth.

Matusz mowed through the Harrisburg hitters again in the bottom of the fifth. Senators right fielder Joel Guzman flied out to right field, third baseman Ofilio Castro grounded out to shortstop and designated hitter Matt Whitney struck out looking.

Through five innings, Matusz has thrown 45 of his 58 pitches for strikes. The Baysox are holding onto a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Through three innings, Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz has retired all nine Harrisburg hitters. The 22-year-old left-hander has three strikeouts, and he has thrown 28 of his 35 pitches for strikes.

Matusz just struck out Senators center fielder Edgardo Baez looking with two nasty curveballs to end the top of the third.

Baysox center fielder Danny Figueroa was robbed of a base hit by Senators second baseman Michael Martinez to lead off the bottom of the third. Martinez ranged far up the middle to make a diving play and spun to throw to first base to retire Figueroa.

After Bowie designated hitter Guillermo Rodriguez singled with one out and moved to second base on a wild pitch, Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis collected his second single of the game. Rodriguez, however, was thrown out at home plate by Baez for the second out.

Left fielder Jonathan Tucker knocked in Izturis with an RBI double to give the Baysox a 1-0 lead. Bowie first baseman Eric Crozier grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

After three full innings, the Baysox are on top, 1-0.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz retired the side in order in the top of the first inning. The 22-year-old left-hander threw nine of his 11 pitches for strikes.

Senators second baseman Michael Martinez flied out to center field to start the game, and Matusz struck out Harrisburg left fielder Michael Daniel for the second out. Senators shortstop Ian Desmond grounded out to third base to end the top of the first.

Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis hit a single to left-center field to kick off the bottom of the first for the Baysox. After Bowie left fielder Jonathan Tucker struck out, Izturis successfully stole second base.

The threat ended there, however, as Baysox first baseman Eric Crozier lined out to center field and third baseman Mike Costanzo flied out to left field to end the inning.

At the end of one inning, there is no score.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Live game updates
        

Good evening, everyone.

I'm sitting here in a packed press box at Prince George's Stadium with several members of the media to watch Double-A Bowie Baysox starting pitcher Brian Matusz against the Harrisburg Senators.

Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis is making his first injury rehabilitation assignment for the Baysox, and Washington Nationals left-hander Matt Chico is starting for the Senators.

I'm told that Nationals first baseman Dmitri Young is also with the Senators, but he isn't in the starting lineup.

A short plug for the Baysox -- the team published its first podcast today. It contains pitching matchups and upcoming events at the ballpark.

Some game notes, courtesy of the two teams:

• After going 20-9 in June, the Senators have lost five of the first seven games in July.

• Baysox outfielder Danny Figueroa is batting .455 against Harrisburg so far this season, while shortstop Robert Valido and outfielder Jonathan Tucker both hold a .409 batting average against the Senators.

• Bowie relief pitcher Luis Lebron allowed back-to-back home runs to Altoona Curve first baseman Miles Durham and shortstop Brian Friday during yesterday's game. It was the first time since June 4, 2006 that the Baysox allowed back-to-back home runs.

Here are the starting lineups for tonight's game:

HARRISBURG (35-47)

Michael Martinez 2B
Michael Daniel LF
Ian Desmond SS
Joel Guzman RF
Ofilio Castro 3B
Matt Whitney DH
Bill Rhinehart 1B
Luke Montz C
Edgardo Baez CF

Matt Chico LHP

BOWIE (46-38)

Cesar Izturis SS
Jonathan Tucker LF
Eric Crozier 1B
Michael Costanzo 3B
Miguel Abreu 2B
Ambiorix Concepcion RF
Adam Donachie C
Daniel Figueroa CF
Guillermo Rodriguez DH

Brian Matusz LHP

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 6:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Live game updates
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides travel to play the Charlotte Knights, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox return to Prince George's Stadium to face the Harrisburg Senators.

The Single-A Frederick Keys continue their road trip against the Kinston Indians, and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds meet the Kannapolis Intimidators.

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds play against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

I'll be heading to Bowie to provide live game updates as Brian Matusz pitches for the Baysox, so be sure to check O's on Deck later tonight.

Earlier today, the Orioles announced that the injury rehabilitation assignment for shortstop Blake Davis with the IronBirds ended, and he returned to the Tides.

The Baysox also announced several rosters moves from the past two days.

Yesterday, Bowie relief pitcher Wilfrido Perez was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to July 5. It's his second trip to the DL so far this season. Perez is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in 24 appearances for the Baysox this year.

Today, relief pitcher Josh Perrault was promoted to Norfolk from the Baysox, and infielder Brandon Pinckney heads back to Bowie from the Tides.

Starting pitcher Zach Clark, who was on an injury rehabilitation assignment with the GCL Orioles, was activated from the disabled list. He rejoins the Baysox after making 10 starts for the team last season.

Finally, Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis joins the Baysox for an injury rehabilitation assignment beginning tonight.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (46-36)

Opponent

at Charlotte Knights (7:15 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: Jake Arrieta (1-2, 2.92 ERA)
Charlotte: Jeffrey Marquez (1-6, 9.09 ERA)

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (46-38)

Opponent

Harrisburg Senators (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: Brian Matusz (3-0, 0.49 ERA)
Harrisburg: Matt Chico (0-1, 3.86 ERA)

Frederick Keys (A)

Record: (4-6 in second half, 35-44 overall)

Opponent

at Kinston Indians (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Frederick: Pedro Beato (4-5, 4.80 ERA)
Kinston: Mike McGuire (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (6-6 in second half, 42-39 overall)

Opponent

at Kannapolis Intimidators (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Cole McCurry (3-6, 3.42 ERA)
Kannapolis: Charles Leesman (6-4, 2.78 ERA)

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (5-12)

Opponent

at Brooklyn Cyclones (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Patrick Kantakevich (0-1, 6.10 ERA)
Brooklyn: Mark Cohoon (3-0, 1.35 ERA)

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides fell to the Gwinnett Braves, and the Double-A Bowie Baysox were pounded by the Altoona Curve.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds topped the Kannapolis Intimidators, while the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds lost to the Oneonta Tigers.

The rookie-level Bluefield Orioles swept a doubleheader from the Burlington Royals, and the GCL Orioles beat the GCL Rays.

The Single-A Frederick Keys were idle.

Speaking of the Keys, they activated relief pitcher Brett Bordes from the disabled list yesterday.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Score: Gwinnett Braves 6, Norfolk Tides 5 (Box score)

Recap: The Tides lost an early five-run lead in a 6-5 loss to Gwinnett.

Norfolk third baseman Jolbert Cabrera was 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs, while second baseman Justin Turner added three hits, a stolen base and a run scored.

Tides designated hitter Michael Aubrey collected two hits, including a double, and right fielder Jeff Fiorentino was 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI.

Starting pitcher David Pauley allowed four runs (one earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Tides, but he didn't factor in the decision.

Norfolk relief pitcher Alberto Castillo (1-1) gave up one run, one hit and three walks in 1 1/3 innings.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Score: Altoona Curve 12, Bowie Baysox 3 (Box score)

Recap: Shortstop Robert Valido was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, but the Baysox were routed, 12-3, by Altoona.

Bowie right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. The 27-year-old outfielder also pitched an inning, allowing three runs and three hits.

Baysox starting pitcher John Mariotti (2-6) gave up four runs and five hits in five innings. The 25-year-old right-hander struggled with his command, walking five batters in the game.

Relief pitchers Jim Hoey and Luis Lebron each turned in a poor outing for the Baysox. Hoey gave up two runs and two hits in 1 1/3 innings, while Lebron allowed three runs and two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Score: Delmarva Shorebirds 5, Kannapolis Intimidators 1 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Joe Mahoney was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the Shorebirds' 5-1 victory over Kannapolis.

Delmarva second baseman Rodolfo Cardona was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, while left fielder Brian Conley added a single, two walks and an RBI.

Shorebirds starting pitcher Nathan Moreau (2-2) gave up one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out three batters and issued one walk.

Shortstop Greg Miclat and right fielder Ronnie Welty each collected an RBI for the Shorebirds.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Score: Oneonta Tigers 5, Aberdeen IronBirds 4 (Box score)

Recap: Designated hitter Levi Carolus was 4-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs, two stolen bases and a run scored, but the IronBirds suffered a 5-4 loss to Oneonta.

Aberdeen second baseman Michael Mooney was 2-for-4 with a double, and third baseman Tyler Kelly and catcher Brian Ward each collected an RBI.

IronBirds starting pitcher Brandon Erbe allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out five batters and issued one walk.

Relief pitcher Stephen Procner (0-1) picked up the loss after giving up two runs, two hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings for Aberdeen.

Bluefield Orioles (Rookie)

Game 1 score: Bluefield Orioles 3, Burlington Royals 1, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 1 recap: Starting pitcher Bobby Bundy (1-2) tossed a complete game to lead the Orioles to a 3-1 win over Burlington in the first game of the doubleheader.

The 19-year-old right-hander allowed one run and two hits in seven innings for the Orioles, and he struck out five batters in the victory.

Bluefield shortstop Gary Helmick was 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, and first baseman Corey Thomas was 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

Orioles third baseman Mike Flacco hit a double in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Game 2 score: Bluefield Orioles 5, Burlington Royals 0, 7 innings (Box score)

Game 2 recap: Designated hitter Joel Polanco was 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored in the Orioles' 5-0 victory over Burlington in the nightcap.

Thomas also added two hits and two runs scored for Bluefield, and Flacco was 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

Orioles catcher Dashenko Ricardo added an RBI.

Starting pitcher Robert Holloway struck out nine batters, and he allowed only three hits in six scoreless innings for the Orioles.

GCL Orioles (Rookie)

Score: GCL Orioles 6, GCL Rays 4 (Box score)

Recap: Starting pitcher Angel Cespedes gave up one run and four hits in eight innings, and the Orioles beat the Rays, 6-4. The 19-year-old right-hander collected three strikeouts and walked two batters.

Orioles third baseman Anyi Tejeda collected a double and two RBIs, and first baseman David Anderson was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Center fielder Grolmann Gonzalez was 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored for the Orioles, while catcher David Calderon added an RBI and two runs scored.

Relief pitcher Christopher Schmitt tossed a scoreless inning to pick up his first save of the season for the Orioles. The 22-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed any hits in six innings so far in 2009.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Game recaps
        

The Triple-A Norfolk Tides play the Gwinnett Braves on the road, while the Double-A Bowie Baysox wrap up their three-game road trip with a game against the Altoona Curve.

The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds face the Kannapolis Intimidators, and the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds conclude their series against the Oneonta Tigers.

The Single-A Frederick Keys are idle.

Norfolk Tides (AAA)

Record: (46-35)

Opponent

at Gwinnett Braves (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Norfolk: David Pauley (6-6, 4.11 ERA)
Gwinnett: Todd Redmond (4-6, 4.91 ERA)

Notes

* After three straight victories over Gwinnett, the Tides (46-35) trail the first-place Durham Bulls (48-35) by one game in the International League South Division. The Braves (44-40) are in third place, and they are 4 1/2 games behind Durham in the division.

Bowie Baysox (AA)

Record: (46-37)

Opponent

at Altoona Curve (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Bowie: John Mariotti (2-5, 2.87 ERA)
Altoona: Daniel Moskos (4-7, 3.96 ERA)

Notes

* After yesterday's win, the Baysox (46-37) are nine games behind the Akron Aeros (55-28) in the Eastern League Southern Division. Bowie trails the second-place Reading Phillies (47-34) by two games for a playoff berth. Altoona (29-54) is in last place in the division, and the Curve is 26 games behind Akron.

Delmarva Shorebirds (A)

Record: (5-6 in second half, 41-39 overall)

Opponent

at Kannapolis Intimidators (7:05 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Delmarva: Nathan Moreau (1-2, 4.75 ERA)
Kannapolis: Stephen Sauer (4-2, 3.07 ERA)

Notes

* The Shorebirds (5-6) are in sixth place in the South Atlantic League Northern Division. There are three teams, including Kannapolis, that are tied for first place in the division with a 7-3 record. Delmarva is 2 1/2 games behind the three division leaders.

Aberdeen IronBirds (A)

Record: (5-11)

Opponent

at Oneonta Tigers (7 p.m.)

Probable pitchers

Aberdeen: Brandon Erbe (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
Oneonta: Adam Wilk (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Notes

* The IronBirds (5-11), who have lost nine out of their past 11 games, are in last place in the New York-Penn League McNamara Division. Aberdeen trails the first-place Brooklyn Cyclones (14-2) by nine games. Oneonta (9-5) is in first place in the Stedler Division, and the Tigers hold a two-game lead over the Lowell Spinners (8-8) and Vermont Lake Monsters (8-8).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Game previews
        

We're more than halfway through the minor league season, so it's time to pass out the awards for June.

If you've checked out the awards for the past two months (April and May), you'll remember that my goal is to recognize the best position player, starting pitcher and reliever in the Orioles’ minor league system at the end of each month in 2009.

The name of the honors -- "Future Stars Awards" -- is obviously fitting because, in most cases, these players represent the potential for future success with the Orioles. There is one top prospect and two sleepers in the awards for this month.

Of course, these choices are only my opinion -- based on the statistics and what I’ve witnessed -- so feel free to send in your selections if you disagree. You can speak your mind by posting a comment below this entry or e-mailing me if you want to remain anonymous.

For each award, I picked a winner and five players whose performance last month deserves notice by the loyal O’s on Deck readers. There are several other players who could make an argument to be considered, but I tried to narrow it down to six players in each category.

Position player of the month: Robbie Widlansky, utility player, Frederick Keys

Widlansky, who didn't join the Keys until May 19, batted .395 with 17 RBIs during the month of June. The 24-year-old utility player collected seven doubles and 12 runs scored during that span. Widlansky, who was selected by the Orioles in the 11th round of the 2007 MLB draft, earned Carolina League Player of the Week honors for the week ending on June 21. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound left-handed hitter was selected to the New York-Penn League All-Star team in 2008 after hitting .279 with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 43 games for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds.

Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Miguel Abreu, second baseman, Bowie Baysox (.306, 10 RBIs, 12 doubles, 11 runs scored); Matt Angle, outfielder, Frederick (.304, nine RBIs, 17 runs scored, 10 stolen bases); Jeff Fiorentino, outfielder, Norfolk Tides (.338, 12 RBIs, nine doubles, 18 runs scored); Joey Gathright, outfielder, Norfolk (.372, six doubles, 14 runs scored, 10 stolen bases); Ronnie Welty, outfielder, Delmarva Shorebirds (.315, three home runs, 14 RBIs, 14 runs scored)

Starting pitcher of the month: Brian Matusz, Bowie

For the second consecutive month, Matusz earns recognition as the top starting pitcher in the Orioles'