Minor league notes on Triple-A Norfolk's strong pitching and more

The Triple-A Norfolk squad has the best record of the Orioles' full-season minor league affiliates at 19-14. The Tides beat Scranton 3-1 on Wednesday afternoon when Dariel Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie.

Norfolk completed a 5-1 homestand with that win, and has won three straight series.

The Tides' pitching has been outstanding this year, and Norfolk's 2.48 team ERA ranks second in the 14-team International League behind Buffalo at 2.37.

Right-hander Mike Wright, who is 3-0 with a 2.64 ERA in six Tides starts, was recalled to the Orioles yesterday, making a big league roster for the first time.

Wright said the Tides pitching has just been stellar all year long.

"That staff is incredible," Wright said. "It is almost to a point where you got nervous out there because everyone top to bottom was pitching so good. We didn't have a bad pitcher on the staff. We have more shutouts this year than we had all of last year already. That says a lot about our staff.

"We have great defense down there. It's incredible defense and it was good to pitch to that. I know it will be even better up here. But that staff down there is really, really good."

As for that defense, Paul Janish leads International League shortstops in fielding percentage, and the 32-year-old has yet to make an error in 136 total chances. Janish also leads IL shortstops with 91 assists and 21 double plays. Christian Walker leads IL first baseman in fielding percentage, as he's yet to make an error in 247 total chances. He has registered 236 putouts at first, tops in the league. Norfolk's catchers also lead the league in throwing out baserunners (19-for-48, 39.6 percent).

Zach Davies, who gets the start for Norfolk tonight, is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.30, which is eighth-best in the league. Other starters have thrown well too, with Eddie Gamboa's ERA at 3.19 and Tyler Wilson's at 3.43. Chris Jones has made 10 appearances, two starts, with an ERA of 2.38.

In the Tides bullpen:

* Oliver Drake has an ERA of 1.15, has fanned 26 batters in 15 2/3 innings and is second in the league with seven saves.

* Lefty Cesar Cabral has pitched 13 scoreless innings with two walks and 16 strikeouts.

* Steve Johnson has an ERA of 1.53 with 27 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings.

* Pedro Beato has pitched to an ERA of 1.00, with Pat McCoy at 1.93, Chaz Roe at 2.45 and Michael Bowden at 2.91

Norfolk's bullpen is 10-5 with 12 saves and a 1.70 ERA.

All four O's minor league teams have winning records right now with Double-A Bowie at 18-15, Single-A Frederick at 18-16 and Single-A Delmarva at 16-15.

Right-hander Branden Kline (3-2, 3.66) pitches for the Baysox at home tonight against Richmond. Dylan Bundy (0-2, 2.25 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Friday night, and after making starts of three innings or less so far, he is scheduled to go four innings on Friday.

The Frederick Keys will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of professional baseball as well as the 100-year anniversary of the city's first professional championship as part of "Frederick Hustler's Night" on Saturday night at Nymeo Field. Gates open at five and first pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. as the Keys look back at some of the great moments in the city's professional baseball history.

Much of Saturday night will be spent looking back at the Frederick Hustlers, the city's first professional baseball team. Originally a member of the Class-D Blue Ridge League, the Hustlers won the league's first title in 1915, finishing the season with a record of 53-23-1.

On Saturday, the oldest-living member of the Frederick Hustlers, Elwood Hummer, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and recount some of his favorite memories with the Hustlers during a pregame video. A utility player on the Hustlers, Hummer, 96, currently lives in Frederick and was inducted into Frederick County's Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Delmarva plays at doubleheader today at 5:30 p.m. at Greensboro. Brian Gonzalez (1-1, 5.60 ERA) and Dariel Delgado (3-0, 1.38 ERA) are the scheduled Shorebirds starters.

Catcher Alex Murphy and outfielder Conor Bierfeldt are first and second respectively in the South Atlantic League in RBIs. Murphy has driven in 27 runs while Bierfeldt has 26. The two account for 43.4 percent of the entire team's RBIs.

Delmarva's Jay Gonzalez is tied for first in the league with 25 runs scored. Pitcher Sebastian Vader is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.23, ranking 10th in the league, and reliever Donnie Hart has seven saves to tie for first in the league.