DL Hall dominates in home opener for Bowie Baysox

BOWIE, Md. — Orioles general manager Mike Elias sat in the top tier of Prince George’s Stadium, scouting a pair of top prospects for the rebuilding major league club.

The Orioles hope the battery of left-hander DL Hall and catcher Adley Rutschman will be a key part of a renaissance for the franchise.

Elias had to be pleased with the performance.

Hall threw five scoreless innings, striking out nine, and the Bowie Baysox cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Reading Fightin Phils before an announced 2,248 in their home opener Tuesday night.

Terrin Vavra and Patrick Dorrian homered for the Baysox, who improved to 4-2.

Hall focused on improving his command throughout spring training, He had 5.1 career walks per nine innings in his minor league career. Hall has shown improvement, giving up just two hits without issuing a walk against Reading. Hall allowed just two walks in 4 ⅓ innings in the 2-1 victory over Altoona in the season opener.

Rutschman lined a single in his first at-bat. He struck out the next two times, and glared at the umpire after a questionable called third strike in the fifth. Rutschman popped out to left in his final at-bat.

Rutschman allowed a stolen base in the sixth but the runner was able to get a solid jump against Gray Fenter, who entered the game for Hall.

Hall set the tone by striking out the side in the first.

Vavra led off the bottom half with a homer over the right-field fence. Vavra was acquired, along with fellow infielder Tyler Nevin and outfielder Mishael Deson, from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for right-handed reliever Mychal Givens.

Bowie extended the lead to 5-0 in the second that began with a run-scoring double by Jaylen Ferguson, followed by Zach Jarrett’s single. Jarrett scored on a wild pitch by Reading right-hander Francisco Morales.

Robert Neustrom, who is batting .360, added a sacrifice fly.

Hall didn’t allow a base runner until Reading shortstop Arquimedes Gamboa led off the fourth with a single to left. The Fightin Phils managed to get runners on second and third with a two-out single by Matt Vierling. Hall ended the threat by striking out Josh Stephen with a fastball on the outside corner.

Reading’s McCarthy Tatum ended the shutout when he led off the eighth with a homer to right-center off Fenter, who was returned to the Orioles from the Chicago Cubs after being selected in December’s Rule 5 draft.

Fenter allowed two hits and one walk in 3⅔ innings. He struck out six.

Dorrian hit his third homer of the season in the eighth. Dorrian was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 27, 2019 in exchange for right-hander Yefry Ramírez.

It was an encouraging performance by the Baysox, led by Hall, who was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft from Valdosta High School in Georgia.

Entering this season, Hall was the No. 4 prospect in the Orioles’ organization behind Rutschman, pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and outfielder Heston Kjerstad.

Hall isn’t the only promising pitcher Rutschman will catch at Bowie. Kyle Bradish, Kevin Smith and Cody Sedlock, the Orioles’ top pick in 2016, are also part of the staff.

It likely won’t be the last time Elias visits Bowie this season.