Kjerstad homers as Orioles’ Norfolk rehab run continues, but Durham rallies in minor-league action

In Orioles minor-league action on June 26, the Norfolk Tides received a jolt from Heston Kjerstad, who went deep, as Dylan Beavers continued his rehab assignment with the club.

According to the game recap, Norfolk carried a 5-1 lead before the matchup shifted. Durham, which had trailed by four runs, erupted for six runs in the seventh inning, turning a comfortable deficit into a momentum swing.

The Norfolk starting pitcher, Chris Kachmar, labored early and then settled in, at least in the short term. The recap states that Kachmar tossed 4.2 innings and allowed one run before the situation unraveled later in the game.

Stat-wise, the same account credits Kachmar with a line that included six hits allowed, three walks, and two strikeouts. Even with those numbers, the issue was not volume of pitching so much as what happened when Durham’s offense caught fire.

Durham’s seven-inning burst is the difference-maker in this recap, and it provides a familiar developmental snapshot for the minor-league level: a lead can disappear quickly when one inning produces back-to-back damage.

For Norfolk, Beavers’ continued rehab work remains the primary storyline beyond the single-game swing. A rehab assignment is typically about innings, timing, and overall baseball readiness, and the recap frames his presence with Norfolk as part of that process.

Kjerstad’s home run is a separate but complementary note for the organization. Power from a hitter can matter in any environment, but in the minors it also indicates rhythm and pitch recognition, areas that become more scrutinized as teams move toward later summer and fall assignments.