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Orioles MiLB Weekly Recap: May 28-June 2

Writer's picture: Grant DeVivoGrant DeVivo

A look at how all four Baltimore Orioles Minor League affilates performed this past week

*Cover Photo Credit Kate Kirsch


May has officially ended, and June is underway. This means that it is now prime time summer time, and baseball is at one of its highest points in the calendar year. The Orioles' Minor League system swung into this transition with some baseball last week. Let's look at how each affiliate performed heading into the new month.


AAA Norfolk Tides

Jackson Holliday went 7-for-17 last week. Photo: Kate Kirsch

With several different promotions occuring at Harbor Park last week including Copa de la Diversion, fireworks, and Lou Gehrig Day, the Tides hosted the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves AAA) infront of tons of loyal Tides fans. Unfortunately, they could not pull off aseries win as the Stripers took the 6-game set 4-2. In the first three games of the series, each starting pitcher gave a vallant effort on the bump but had no offensive support to give them a chance to win. The Tides could only score two runs each in the first three games and collected just 10 hits during that span. Brandon Young, in particular, gave a great effort on the bump in his Triple-A debut on Wednesday, He got the start and 4 innings, allowing just 2 runs while striking out 6 batters on 69 pitches (38 strikes).


As the Tides finished the series going 2-1, the bats started to slowly but surely heat up again with a 10-hit effort on Friday, though just 9 hits combined on Saturday and Sunday. Jackson Holliday went 3-for-6 (.500) in those three games with 2 doubles and a walk in each game. Heston Kjerstad had a 2-for-4 Sunday with a 2-run bomb. If there is any takeaway from this series, it is all about finding a way to get the quality pitching and the hot bats in sync at the same time for the Tides in order for them to win more ballgames. The talent is all there, but it is just about getting it all to work together at the same time.


Norfolk sits at 30-27, 10 games out of first place in the International League. Here are three standout performers from the past week for the Tides.


  • IF Jackson Holliday: the No. 1 prospect is finding his stride again. He went 7-for-17 (.412) last week with 3 doubles, a homer, 3 RBI, and 5 walks.

  • LHP Matt Krook: the southpaw got into 3 games out of the bullpen last week for Norfolk, and he was masterful. He didn't allow a run and surrendered just 2 hits, picked up the save on Sunday, and struck out the side in the 9th inning of Tuesday's series opener.

  • RHP Brandon Young: what a way to introduce yourself to Triple-A! The right-hander made his AAA debut on Wednesday and went 4 good innings with 6 K's, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, and 3 walks.


Norfolk is on the road again this week for a 6-game set at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.


AA Bowie Baysox

So while the Baysox and Somerset Patriots squared off last week in Somerset territory, Yankees superstar Jasson Dominguez was making a rehab assiginment all week last week for the Patroits. Cool and all, but we're here to talk about the Baysox and their 3-3 series split!


Kyle Brnovich's two scoreless starts last week lowered his season ERA to 3.27. Photo: John Topoleski

The Baysox offense came through as they started the series 2-1. They put up 18 runs in those three games and tallied 8 hits in each game. In their 10-2 win on Tuesday, the Baysox went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and all but two batters in the starting nine collected an RBI. TT Bowens collected two on a 2-run bomb, and Anthony Servideo picked an RBI up on a 2-for-4 night. Throughout the entire series, there was some tremendous Baysox starting pitching. Kyle Brnovich had two great starts including a 6-inning no-hit effort on Sunday. No. 10 prospect Seth Johnson went 4 innings on Wednesday and yielded just one single run.


Bowie is now even at .500 with a 25-25 record, good for 4.5 games out of first place in the Eastern League. Here are three standout performers from the Somerset-Bowie series for the Baysox.


  • RHP Kyle Brnovich: one of the last standing members in the organization from the Dylan Bundy trade, "Brno" had two great starts for the Baysox last week. He went 11 total innings yeilding just one run and striking out 9. His final line on Sunday went like this: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 74 pitches (49 strikes).

  • C Samuel Basallo: MLB's No. 12 prospect had a great week offensively for Bowie as he went 8-for-21 (.381) with 4 RBI and 4 walks. His insurance RBI single in the 12th inning on Wednesday helped propel an extra innings Baysox 7-2 win.

  • RHP Dylan Heid: the 25-year-old took care of business against Somerset last week as he appeared in 2 games and threw 3.2 scoreless innings. He picked up the save in Sunday's 6-3 victory.


Bowie is at home this week for a 6-game set against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets AA). Purchase tickets here and be sure to look out for me at tonight's series opener!


A+ Aberdeen Ironbirds

Jackson Baumeister had two scorless starts at Hudson Valley last week. Photo: Grant DeVivo

The Ironbirds began a long 2-week roadtrip with a stop at the Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees A+) last week. Things started well with a 9-4 Memorial Day win in which the team went 7-for-19 with runners in scoring position and Matthew Eztel and Ryan Higgins combined for 6 RBI. However, the 'Birds were simply outplayed in the next three games as Hudson Valley outsocred Aberdeen 30-7. The Ironbirds only collected 17 hits during those three losses, hitters went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, and pitchers walked 24 batters (which is a lot for 3 games). Just when it seemed like the Ironbirds would let this series slip away, they rebounded nicely with wins of 3-1 on Saturday and 7-3 on Sunday. In the series finale, No. 5 prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. collected a 2-RBI double good enough for 2 big insurance runs for Aberdeen. No. 18 prospect Jackson Baumeister went 4.2 innings in a scoreless start.


The Ironbirds sit at 26-25, 3.5 games out of first place in the South Atlantic League. Here are three standout performers from last week for Aberdeen.


  • OF Matthew Etzel: all that Eztel has done this season is absolutely rake with the bat, and he continued red hot last week. He went 7-for-21 (.333) last week with 8 RBI, making him a .303 hitter overall this season.

  • RHP Jackson Baumeister: it's always nice when you can give a team two scoreless starts in a week, and the O's No. 18 prospect did just that. In 8.1 innings he struck out 7 batters and walked just 4.

  • RHP Yaqui Rivera: the 20-year-old turned in two solid relief appearances last week in which he yielded just 2 runs, struck out 4 batters, and walked none.


Aberdeen remains on the road this week as they head to the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets A+) for a 6-game set.


A- Delmarva Shorebirds

Michael Forret's last start as a Shorebird was a memorable one. Photo: Hannah Reagle

The Shorebirds' 6-game set at the Carolina Mudcats was disheartening just when the good vibes and winning ways seemed to be on the way back. At one point they had a two week stretch where they went 7-5 and won their first series of the season. This past week, they were swept by Carolina in all six games. However, ever single game was darn close with final scores being decided by either one run or two runs. Pitchers like Jacob Cravey, Eccel Correa, and Blake Money had quality appearances but the offense could not score enough for them to have a chance to win. In the 13-12 loss on Sunday, 12 runs may seem like a lot but it was done on just 6 hits and the help of a whopping 7 Mudcats errors. Angel Tejada supplied 6 of the Shorebirds' 8 RBI.


Delmarva falls to 15-35 and they remain in last place in the Carolina League. Here are three standout performers from last week for Delmarva.


  • RHP Michael Forret: the righty had by far the best start of any Shorebirds pitcher last week as he went 5.2 innings of one run ball on Saturday. This would be his final start for the Shorebirds as his performance earned him a promotion to High-A Aberdeen.

  • RHP Blake Money: though he suffered the loss on Friday, Money still had a great outing as he went 5.1 innings out of the bullpen with 6 K and no walks.

  • RHP Trey Gibson: the righty mowed down Carolina on Thursday as he went 3 innings and struck out 8 batters.


Delmarva returns home this week for a 6-game set against Lynchburg. The Shorebirds took the last series against the Hillcats 4-2.

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