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Delmarva's Baumann wins pitchers' duel

Orioles No. 13 prospect outlasts Mets No. 2 Peterson with zeros
With his fifth win, Michael Baumann ties or leads all but two Minor League pitchers in victories. (Joey Gardner)
May 15, 2018

Michael Baumann was coming off a pair of fine starts when he took the mound Monday, and he knew his team needed another one. The No. 13 Orioles prospect was headed to the bump opposite No. 2 Mets prospect David Peterson.Baumann emerged victorious, allowing two singles and fanning eight without walking

Michael Baumann was coming off a pair of fine starts when he took the mound Monday, and he knew his team needed another one. The No. 13 Orioles prospect was headed to the bump opposite No. 2 Mets prospect David Peterson.
Baumann emerged victorious, allowing two singles and fanning eight without walking anybody over seven innings, as Class A Delmarva edged Columbia, 1-0, at Spirit Communications Park.

"[Peterson] is a respectable pitcher, but the biggest thing I was trying to do was to stay true to who I am and not what I'm not," he said. "It was a fun game to go head-to-head, and I was just fortunate things turned out our way."
The win improved Baumann's record to 5-0, giving him the most victories in the South Atlantic League, and he's fourth on the circuit with a 1.42 ERA. He's given up two runs -- one earned -- over his last 19 innings across three starts.
The 22-year-old right-hander hit Blake Tiberi with a pitch in the opening inning but was otherwise perfect his first time through the order. Jeremy Vasquez lined a two-out base hit to center field in the fourth, but Baumann left him on first by inducing a groundout off the bat of No. 27 New York prospect Ali Sanchez. Baumann struck out the side on 11 pitches in the fifth.
Gameday box score
With two outs in the seventh, Sanchez recorded the Fireflies' second single with a hard-hit ball to shortstop Mason McCoy. The 2017 third-rounder responded by whiffing Scott Manea for his eighth strikeout.
His seven innings were a career high and the longest scoreless start for a Shorebirds pitcher this season.
"[The one-run lead] definitely helps boost the adrenaline," Baumann said. "You want to compete every pitch when the other guy is doing so well as he was. It just so happened we were fortunate the way it went, because I had good offense and defense behind me to help."
In his other four wins this season, the Shorebirds averaged 4.5 runs per game, and Baumann voiced appreciation for his teammates' glove work.

"[Catcher] Jean Carrillo helped out a lot behind the plate. He was really strong back there," the Jacksonville product said. "All my wins, they just say a lot about our offense and our defense. We have guys laying out and making consistent plays. And our bullpen has been coming behind me and finishing things off. Everyone has been getting the job done when their name is called."
Delmarva scored in the top of the first when Kirvin Moesquit earned a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and crossed the plate on a fielder's choice by T.J. Nichting.

That marked the first earned run Peterson (1-1) allowed since April 24, four starts ago.
The 20th overall selection of last year's Draft held the Shorebirds to two hits and three walks over seven innings, striking out four. He sports a 2.05 ERA over five starts spanning 30 2/3 innings.

Nathan Brown is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @NathanBrownNYC.