Jaiden Lo Re made the most of every trip to the plate in the Shorebirds’ win, finishing 2 for 2 with 3 RBI and 3 walks. That performance earned him ORIOLES HANGOUT MiLB Player of the Day honors.
At the Triple-A level, Norfolk’s game with Syracuse was wiped out. The Tides, who are 33-58, were scheduled to face the Mets, who sit at 46-46, but the contest was cancelled and will not be made up.
Chesapeake picked up a 7-4 road win over Akron in Double-A, and the Baysox got a balanced offensive effort to do it. Dom Keegan led the way by going 2 for 2 with 3 RBI and 2 walks. Frederick Bencosme added a 3 for 4 night that included a double, a run scored, an RBI and a walk.
Alfredo Velasquez also chipped in with a homerun, finishing 2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI. Victor Figueroa went 2 for 5 with a double, 1 run scored and 2 RBI.
On the mound, Ben Vespi allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, struck out 2 and hit a batter in 2.1 innings. Jeisson Cabrera earned the win and was the pitcher of record, improving to 7-2 after 2.0 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts.
Akron’s Patrick Reilly took the loss after giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, including 2 home runs, while walking 3 and striking out 3 in 3.2 innings. He also threw 2 wild pitches and committed a balk.
In Other News...
Orioles Just Doubled Down On Their Biggest Problem Since Cedric Mullins
The Orioles spent their first two draft picks trying to address a spot that has been unsettled since Cedric Mullins moved on, and they did it with a pair of center fielders who fit very different timelines. First came high schooler Eric Booth Jr., a defensive-minded prospect with plenty of tools and the kind of upside clubs dream on in the first round, followed by NC State sophomore Ty Head, a more polished bat who gives Baltimore a second crack at the same position with a different profile.
It is a clear sign the Orioles are not treating center field as a one-off need but as a problem worth attacking from multiple angles. Booth brings the long view and the glove, while Head offers a quicker path if his power keeps coming, but both picks also underline how much development still stands between Baltimore and a real answer in the middle of the outfield. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Middle Round Draft Picks Say A Lot About Their Plan
The Orioles kept leaning into their usual draft profile in the middle rounds, adding a familiar name and a polished college arm as the amateur draft moved through its second day. Baltimore took shortstop Jimmy Anderson out of Heartland Community College in the fifth round, then followed by selecting left-hander Zane Adams from Alabama in the sixth, continuing a run of picks that hints at how the club wants to stock its system.
Anderson is no stranger to the organization, having been drafted by Baltimore before, and his return to the Orioles board gives the pick a little extra intrigue as the draft heads toward its Sunday evening finish. Adams brings a different kind of appeal from the SEC, and together the two selections fit the broader pattern of a front office that seems comfortable mixing upside, familiarity and college experience as it builds out the class. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Suffer Brutal Blaze Alexander Setback Just As Momentum Builds
Blaze Alexanders rise has been one of the more useful developments for Baltimore this season, with the versatile infielder giving the Orioles production and flexibility all over the field. He has been a steady presence in the lineup and a defensive option at multiple spots, which is part of what made his latest setback so frustrating for a club trying to keep momentum going.
The injury came after he was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning against Kansas City, and the aftermath added even more edge to an already tense moment. Baltimore now has to sort through the ripple effects while Alexander waits for further evaluation during the All-Star break, leaving the Orioles to manage a key piece of their roster without knowing how long they will be without him. [Read more 🡒]