The Orioles provided some magic again on Thursday night, winning from a line-hugging bunt, a shut-down 9th inning from Jim Johnson, and a walk-off grand slam.
Miguel Gonzalez didn’t have his best stuff, but his team came through for him and the offense exploded late in the game. On the other side, David Price’s struggles continued as he failed to register a win yet again, and the Rays fell to 5-10. At risk of falling way too far behind, they must pull things together in their upcoming series against the Athletics.
The guys down on the farm had a great night as the Norfolk Tides and Bowie Baysox provided clutch wins late in their respective games. Let’s take a trip down to the farm and see what the guys in the minors did last night.
Zach Britton pitched a gem for the Norfolk Tides, and he got the win as the Tides beat the Gwinnett Braves. He tossed six innings, allowing just one run. You would have to imagine that Britton is the next man up if the Orioles decide to send a guy like Chris Tillman down to work on his stuff.
Young L.J Hoes was crucial in the Tides’ victory, as he went 2-4 with a stolen base. He also grabbed an RBI, which was his 5th of the year.
Alex Burnett, the relief pitcher in AAA, has been throwing the ball out of the bullpen well this season. He pitched two scoreless innings last night, and has four strikeouts in as many innings so far. I have always been high on Burnett’s skills, and am interested to see how he progresses later in this season.
Buck Britton shined bright in Bowie’s 13-11 win, as he knocked two out of the park. He recorded a double, and upped his average to .315 on the season.
Caleb Joseph also had a big night for Bowie, as he hit two more homers for the Baysox, and his 4 RBI’s were the difference in the big night. He is batting .345 on the year, and may receive a call-up by June.
