Minor league game recaps -- May 18
The Triple-A Norfolk Tides were blanked by the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The Single-A Frederick Keys won two games against the Potomac Nationals, while the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds split a doubleheader with the West Virginia Power.
The matchup between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Binghamton Mets was postponed due to rain. The two teams will play a doubleheader on June 8 to make up the missed contest.
Yesterday, the Baysox made a series of roster moves.
Right-hander Brandon Cooney was promoted to Bowie from the Keys, and left-hander Mike Hinckley was added to the team's roster. Left-hander Chad Thall was placed on the temporary inactive list.
Also, left-hander Brett Bordes rejoins the Keys to replace Cooney.
Norfolk Tides (AAA)
Score: Pawtucket Red Sox 6, Norfolk Tides 0 (Box score)
Recap: Third baseman Josh Bell committed two errors in the Tides' 6-0 loss to Pawtucket at Harbor Park, raising his season total to eight.
Norfolk right fielder Rhyne Hughes was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in his return to Triple-A, while designated hitter Nolan Reimold was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
Tides starting pitcher Brandon Erbe (0-7) remained winless this season after giving up five runs and eight hits in six innings. Erbe surrendered two home runs.
First baseman Brandon Snyder was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts for Norfolk, and left fielder Michael Aubrey collected a double and a triple.
Frederick Keys (A)
Game 1 score: Frederick Keys 3, Potomac Nationals 1, 7 innings (Box score)
Game 1 recap: Center fielder Xavier Avery was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the Keys' 3-1 victory over Potomac in the first game of the doubleheader at Harry Grove Stadium.
Frederick third baseman Billy Rowell and second baseman Buck Britton each added a single and an RBI, while left fielder Kyle Hudson and first baseman Joe Mahoney each had a stolen base.
Keys starting pitcher Nathan Nery (3-3) held the Nationals to one unearned run and two hits in six innings, and relief pitcher Jose Diaz tossed a scoreless frame to pick up his second save of the season.
Game 2 score: Frederick Keys 3, Potomac Nationals 2, 7 innings (Box score)
Game 2 recap: Avery was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as the Keys scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to escape with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.
Frederick shortstop Greg Miclat was 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored, and Britton added a single and an RBI in the win.
Keys starting pitcher Cole McCurry gave up two runs and three hits in four innings, but he didn't factor in the decision.
Relief pitcher Brett Jacobson (3-0) held Potomac to one hit in three scoreless innings to earn the win for Frederick.
Delmarva Shorebirds (A)
Game 1 score: West Virginia Power 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 3, 7 innings (Box score)
Game 1 recap: Starting pitcher Matt Hobgood (2-3) was charged with six runs (five earned) and six hits in the Shorebirds' 8-3 loss to West Virginia in the first game of the doubleheader.
Hobgood collected four strikeouts in five-plus innings, but he also issued three walks, hit a batter and threw two wild pitches in the defeat.
Delmarva catcher Jason Stifler was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and shortstop Garabez Rosa added a double and an RBI. However, Rosa also committed his 10th error of the season.
First baseman Tyler Stampone was 2-for-2 with a run scored for the Shorebirds.
Game 2 score: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, West Virginia Power 2, 7 innings (Box score)
Game 2 recap: First baseman Tyler Kolodny continued his recent power surge with a two-run home run in the third inning as the Shorebirds salvaged a split of the doubleheader with a 6-2 victory over West Virginia.
It was Kolodny's 10th home run of the season and his fourth in the past four games.
Delmarva catcher Michael Ohlman contributed a double and two RBIs, and third baseman Tyler Kelly added two hits and an RBI.
In a spot start, Shorebirds left-hander Nathan Moreau tossed four no-hit innings. Moreau struck out seven batters and walked one batter in the win.
Shorebirds relief pitcher Randy Henry (1-1) earned the victory despite giving up two runs (one earned), one hit and two walks in two innings.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
Any guessing on Hobgood's future? I know it is early in his career, but he doesn't seem to be very good and the last thing we need on this earth is another wasted high draft pick.
Posted by: Fang | May 19, 2010 4:56 AM
I can't wait to see what type of unintelligent draft pick the Orioles make this year. I'll bet that who ever Tampa Bay picks will still get to the Majors before the Os first pick. Hobgood ?? Great choice.
Posted by: dspedden | May 19, 2010 7:38 AM
One night's performance is not a valid test but, it sure seems like the guys at Norfolk except for Arrieta and Tillman are blowing their opportunity. One glimmer of hope, though faint would be Miclat at Frederick. I hope the guy moves up to Bowie this year at the break and positions himself to step in at Norfolk next year. Perhaps a one year plug of Andino at SS in 2011 could be followed by Miclat in 2012.
Posted by: zigzag | May 19, 2010 8:07 AM
Dean,
For all the O's woes, it only makes things worse when I look at the batting stats for Norfolk and Bowie. But the A-ballers at Frederick and Delmarva continue to produce. Have you heard any grumblings about a shake-up in the farm system? Maybe sending Erbe to Bowie and promoting Steve Johnson, maybe moving Rowell or Mahoney up to Bowie and sending down Waring?
Posted by: Josh | May 19, 2010 8:59 AM
Hobgood is like 19.....yeah total bust.
Posted by: smitty | May 19, 2010 9:20 AM
Geez, Hobgood has pitched what maybe 12 games since being drafted and everybodies already writing him off? Some fans don't know anything other then what they read.
Posted by: Mike | May 19, 2010 12:25 PM
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=554430
That's Zack Wheeler's page. He was one of the highly touted guys people thought the O's should have taken over Hobgood. He has a slightly better GO/AO ratio (though Hobgood's is still very good), and a slightly better BB/K ratio, but Hobgood has the lower ERA and has pitched more innings per start. They're in the same league, so the competition should be pretty much the same.
Tyler Matzek, the other guy people wanted over Hobgood, doesn't have a page because he's still in extended spring training.
The point of all this is that it's still waaaaay to early to tell who should and should not have been drafted.
If you look at the final 2009 mock at mymlbdraft.com - http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft-2009 - they had Hobgood going #11 and straight to the majors Mike Leake at #14. So the Orioles drafted Hobgood 6 slots earlier than expected and the Reds drafted Leake 7 slots earlier. I'm sure none of the Reds fans are complaining that they over-drafted Leake.
But like I said, it's still way too early to tell on anyone (other than Leake) at this point.
Posted by: Chris in Hawaii | May 19, 2010 3:21 PM
Hobgood was the O's top pick - if he is truly that gifted, then he should be breeezking through Delmarva. No one is writing him off - but look at all of the other top prospects through the years who make it to the majors - they excel in low level minor leagues on their way to the top.
Posted by: PeteyPablo | May 19, 2010 7:21 PM