Norfolk’s offense did just enough in extras to turn a shaky night into a win, while Chesapeake’s game never made it to the finish because of the weather.
At Triple-A, the Tides outlasted Syracuse 5-4 in 10 innings after letting a two-run lead disappear. Josh Walker handled the top of the 10th without allowing a run, and Luis Vázquez delivered the payoff in the bottom half with a single to right field that brought home the automatic runner.
The early damage came from the middle of Norfolk’s lineup. José Barrero opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand followed with a three-run blast in the third.
That was enough to build the lead, even though Norfolk finished with only five hits over the full 10 innings. Heston Kjerstad went 1-for-4, and Sam Huff added a single in four at-bats.
Christian Herberholz gave Norfolk a solid start, allowing two runs, one earned, across five innings. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out one. Dietrich Enns was charged with a run over two innings, and Yosver Zulueta allowed a run in the eighth.
The Double-A matchup between Chesapeake and Akron was halted by inclement weather and will be made up on July 11. Before the postponement, Evan Yates was one out away from a quality start, but he took the loss after giving up three runs over 5.2 innings.
He scattered five hits, walked two and struck out four. Micah Ashman was tagged for two runs and couldn’t finish an inning.
Chesapeake did get an early spark from Douglas Hodo III, who put the Baysox in front with a solo homer in the first inning. Aron Estrada doubled, walked and scored a run, Frederick Bencosme drew two walks, and Thomas Sosa chipped in a pinch-hit single in his only plate appearance.
Low-A’s Kannapolis-Delmarva game was also postponed because of inclement weather and will be made up on July 10.
Friday’s slate has Norfolk back home against Syracuse at 6:35, with Trace Bright set to start. Chesapeake is scheduled to play at Akron at 7:17 p.m., with Sebastian Gongora listed as the starter.
In Other News...
Dodgers Trade Proposal Puts Orioles In A Tough Spot With Lefty
The Orioles keep getting pulled into the pitching market chatter, and Trevor Rogers is the kind of arm that naturally draws it. He has been uneven enough over the full season to leave plenty of questions, but his recent stretch has also reminded teams why left-handed starters with upside still carry real appeal in July. For Baltimore, that creates the familiar tension of weighing short-term value against the kind of trade interest that can reshape a deadline conversation.
What makes the situation trickier is the timing. Rogers would come with no long-term control, so any deal has to be judged against the price of the return, not just the name value on the other side. The Dodgers are still shopping for pitching help and have bigger targets they could chase, which only adds to the sense that Baltimore could be asked to part with a useful arm without getting the kind of package that makes a move easy to justify. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Fans May Never Forget This Missed Chance At An Ace
The Orioles were in position at the 2024 trade deadline to chase the kind of frontline starter every contender covets, and Tarik Skubal was sitting right there as the obvious prize. Detroit never completed a deal, Baltimore never got its ace, and the missed window has only grown more frustrating as the pitching market keeps reminding teams how rare those chances are.
MLB Network Insider Jon Morosi has framed it as the kind of opportunity Baltimore may not get back, especially with Skubals name already surfacing again as the 2025 deadline draws closer. For an Orioles club that has spent the last year trying to balance present urgency with future value, the lingering question is whether the front office will be willing to pay the price this time around. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Mountcastle Just Became An Orioles Deadline Tension Point
Ryan Mountcastle is still working back from the 60-day injured list, and the Orioles at least have some clarity on the broad outline of his recovery. President of baseball operations Mike Elias said Mountcastle is progressing, with a return possible after the All-Star break, but he stopped short of putting a date on it. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, that leaves one of its more recognizable bats in a familiar holding pattern: close enough to matter, not quite close enough to know exactly where he fits.
The bigger question is what happens once he is ready. Baltimore has enough uncertainty around the roster that Mountcastles next step is not just about health, but about opportunity, and there is already a sense that the Orioles could listen if the right trade angle emerges before the Aug. 3 deadline. For now, the club is still waiting on the same thing everyone else is - a clearer picture of when he is back, and what role he would actually have when he gets there. [Read more 🡒]