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The Quick Rundown…

Durham 9 Syracuse 2
• Detwiler (L, 2-3) 6⅔ 11H 4R 4ER 1BB 3K 2HR
• Balester 4BF: HBP, 2B, 2B, HR
• Carr 1⅓ IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K
• Marrero 2-3, R, 2B, BB

A seven-run seventh spelled doom as the Durham Bulls gored the Syracuse Chiefs, 9-2. Starter Ross Detwiler took the loss, coughing up 11 hits (including two home runs) and charged with four runs. Collin Balester did not retire a batter as he hit batter, gave up back-to-back doubles and a home run before being lifted. Chris Marrero singled, doubled and took a walk to pace the Syracuse offense.

Harrisburg 5 Richmond 2
• Peacock (W, 5-1) 7IP 5H 1R 1ER 1BB 14K
• McCoy (S, 2) 2IP 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K
• King 2-3, BB, 3RBI
• Norris 1-3, 2R, BB, HR, RBI
• Lombardozzi 2-5, 3B, RBI

Brad Peacock rebounded from his worst outing of the season to spin his best as the Senators grounded the Flying Squirrels, 5-2. Peacock went seven inning, allowing one run on five hits and one walk. While he struck out 14, more impressive is that he needed just 106 pitches to do it, 74 of which were strikes. Hitters of the game Stephen King, Derek Norris, and Steve Lombardozzi collected five of the team’s ten hits and all five RBI, with King driving in three, Norris going deep, and Lombardozzi tripling.

Wilmington 13 Potomac 4
• Selik (L, 0-2) 4⅓ IP 10H 9R 8ER 1BB 4K
• Bronson 3⅔ IP 5H 2R 1ER 2BB 2K
• Lozada 1-2, 2R, 2B, 2BB
• Hood 1-3, 2B

Pitching and defense wins. Well, at least when they’re good. Last night they weren’t.

Hagerstown 4 Lakewood 3
• Cole (ND) 4IP 2H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K
• Applebee (W, 3-1) 2IP 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K
• Graham (S, 5) 2IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K
• Taylor 2-3, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Kelso 2-4, RBI

A four-run second held up for Hagerstown as they edged Lakewood, 4-3. A.J. Cole went the first four innings and allowed one run on two hits and two walks. Paul Applebee got the win in relief while Ben Graham pitched the last two inning for save #5. Michael Taylor and Blake Kelso both had two hits as the Suns drove in two of the three of the runners they put into scoring position and only left four men on base. Bryce Harper extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a single in the sixth. He was subsequently picked off for his third CS of the season.

The Quick Rundown…

Norfolk 4 Syracuse 1
• Maya (L, 1-3) 7⅓ IP 7H 4R 3ER 1BB 3K 1HR
• Mandel ⅔ IP 1H 0R 0BB 0K
• McConnell 2-3, R, BB, SB
• Brown 1-3, BB

It may be mean, but the reversion to it was apparent in Norfolk as the Tides rolled over the Chiefs, 4-1. Syracuse starter Yunesky Maya pitched well enough to win, going seven and 1/3rd innings with four runs allowed on seven hits and a walk, but the offense stranded 10 baserunners and was 0-for-8 with RISP. Chris McConnell led the hitters with a 2-for-3 effort, including a walk and a stolen base.

Richmond 6 Harrisburg 3 (11 inn.)
• Tatusko (ND) 4⅔ IP 6H 2R 1ER 2BB 3K
• Pena 2⅓ IP 2H 0R 0BB 4K
• Mattheus (L, 2-1) 1⅔ IP 4H 3R 3ER 1BB 2K 1HR
• Rahl 4-4, BB
• Norris 2-5, 2R, SB

As is often the case, when the bullpen is driven like rental, it’s going to break down, as Ryan Mattheus served up a three-run walkoff with two outs in the 11th for a 6-3 Sens loss. Starter Ryan Tatusko improved from his last outing, but couldn’t get out of the fifth, allowing two runs on six hits over four and 2/3rds. Carlos Martinez, Cory VanAllen, and Hassan Pena held Richmond to just one run over the next four and a 1/3rd to enable the Sens to eventually tie it in the eighth on a throwing error as Derek Norris and Archie Gilbert executed a double steal and Norris scampered in with the 3rd Harrisburg run. Chris Rahl had a career night, reaching base five times in five PAs with a walk and four singles.

Potomac — OFF DAY
The P-Nats return home for yet another mini-homestand of three games against first-place Wilmington, with Cameron Selik set to make his first Pfitz start. Naturally, there is rain in the forecast for each game.

Delmarva 6 Hagerstown 3
• Grace (L, 3-4) 4⅓ IP 7H 4R 3ER 2BB 3K
• Freitas 2-3, 2B, BB, 2RBI
• Sanchez 2-5, R, 2B
• Harper 1-3, R, BB, SB

Bryce Harper extended his hit streak to 16 with a third-inning single, but the Suns dropped the series finale to the Shorebirds, 6-3. Matt Grace went the first four and 1/3rd innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks and striking out three. Matt Swynenberg and Sam Brown followed from the bullpen but neither was particularly effective, each giving up a run over the finals four and 2/3rds. David Freitas and Adrian Sanchez both singled and doubled to lead the seven-hit offensive output, six of which came from the top four batters.

The Quick Rundown…

Syracuse 8 Norfolk 4
• Meyers (W, 1-0) 5IP 5H 4R 4ER 1BB 5K
• Martin, J (H, 2) 1⅓ IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K
• Hulett 2-2, R, 2-2B, 2BB, 2RBI
• Flores 2-4, R, HR, 5RBI

Brad Meyers’ AAA debut was a bit pedestrian, but he had the fortune of throwing it on a night when the Chiefs offense wasn’t its usual self as Syracuse doubled up Norfolk 8-4, stopping the Syracuse four-game losing streak. Meyers gave up all four runs on five hits and a walk over five innings to get the win. The bullpen, led by J.D. Martin, tossed four scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. Tug Hulett and Jesus Flores powered the offense with four hits, two doubles, two walks, a grand slam by Flores, and seven RBI.

Harrisburg 3 Altoona 2
• Arnesen (ND) 5⅓ IP 2H 2R 2ER 1BB 6K 1HR
• Barthmaier 1⅓ IP 1H 0R 1BB 0K
• VanAllen 1⅓ IP 0H 0R 1BB 1K
• Mattheus (W, 2-0) 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K
• Pahuta 2-3, 2R, 2HR, 2RBI
• Norris 0-2, R, 2BB

The all-or-nothing nature of the Sens offense (two Tim Pahuta solo HRs, nine K’s) continued, but the losses stopped as the Altoona ‘pen and defense faltered in the 9th for anticlimactic walkoff. Derek Norris drew the leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second. After an intentional walk to Pahuta and unintentional walk to Jonathan Tucker, Jesus Valdez tapped to third but the Curve couldn’t execute the 5-4-3 DP, giving the Sens a 3-2 win. Starter Erik Arnesen went the first five and 1/3rd innings, giving up both runs on two hits (one home run) and a walk. Jimmy Barthmaier, Cory VanAllen and Ryan Mattheus combined for three and 2/3rds of scoreless relief. Josh Johnson was placed on the DL, retroactive to May 6, but a corresponding move has not yet been made

Winston-Salem 5 Potomac 3
• Clegg (ND) 5IP 6H 2R 2ER 1BB 3K
• Wort 1IP 0H 0R 1BB 1K
• Hood 2-4, R, 2B, SB, RBI
• Lozada 2-2, 2B, 3B, 2BB
• Ramirez 1-4, R, HR, RBI

Ian Gac’s two-run shot in the bottom of the 7th off Joe Testa capped a three-run rally and was the difference in a 5-3 win by Winston-Salem over Potomac. Starter Mitchell Clegg gave up two runs, but unlike last Tuesday afternoon got eight outs in between them, as he went the first five innings and allowed six hits and a walk. Destin Hood and Jose Lozada combined for four of the eight P-Nat hits and six of the 10 baserunners, seven of which were stranded as just Hood was able to drive in a runner from scoring position in 10 opportunities.

Delmarva 3 Hagerstown 2
• Ray (ND) 5IP 1H 0R 0BB 6K
• Eusebio (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2⅔ IP 4H 3R 3ER 1BB 2K
• Harper 2-4, 2K
• Kelso 2-4
• Martinson 1-2, 2SH, SB
• Oduber 1-1, R, BB, 3SB

Robbie Ray’s Low-A debut was a brilliant one-hit, six-K, five-inning performance, but the ‘pen couldn’t hold the 1-0 lead as the Hagerstown Suns lost 3-2 to Delmarva. Bryce Harper’s first-inning infield single extended his hitting streak to 13 games, but the clutch hit eluded the Suns all game long as they went 0-for-8 with RISP and had two baserunners picked off, and went 4-for-6 on stolen-base attempts, with Randolph Oduber swiping three and taking the Sally League lead with 13. Two errors, two passed balls, and two wild pitches also put pressure on the Suns but all three runs were earned. Ray’s activation was listed on MiLB.com but the corresponding move was not, as 26 men are listed on the roster as this goes to virtual press

The Quick Rundown…

Durham 6 Syracuse 5 (11 inn.)
• Maya (ND) 6⅔ IP 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 7K
• Wilkie 2IP 2H 0R 0BB 0K
• Carr (BS, 3; L, 1-2) ⅔ IP 2H 2R 2ER 2BB 1K
• Whiting 2-6, R
• Hulett 2-5, R, 2B
• Brown 1-1, R, HR, 2RBI

After rallying for two to tie it in the 8th, and three to go ahead in the 11th, the Chiefs couldn’t stand the prosperity and gave up four runs in the of the 11th to lose 6-5. Adam Carr took the blown-save-loss, third and second respectively. Starter Yunesky Maya went the first six and 2/3rds, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk. Boomer Whiting and Tug Hulett each had two hits as the Chiefs had 10 for the night and left eight men on base.

Reading 13 Harrisburg 6
• Tatusko (L, 1-3) 3IP 9H 5R 4ER 1BB 3K 2HR
• Barthmaier 1IP 5H 5R 5ER 1BB 1K
• Pena 1⅔ IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
• Gilbert 4-5, 2B, 2HR, 3RBI
• Valdez 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Rahl 2-5, R

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s what I wrote about Last Night In Harrisburg

Kinston 3 Potomac 0
• Selik (L, 0-1) 6IP 4H 3R 2ER 4BB 3K 2HR
• Perez 2-3, 2SB
• Souza 1-2, BB, SB

Cameron Selik went the distance, but the P-Nats bats were silenced by Drew Pomeranz as Kinston prevailed, 3-0.

Kinston 5 Potomac 0
• Bronson (L, 1-1) 4⅔ IP 5H 1R 1ER 2BB 0K
• Weaver ⅔ IP 1H 4R 4ER 2BB 0K 0HR
• Testa ⅔ IP 1H 0R 1BB 0K 3-2 IR-S
• Kobernus 2-4
• Mayo 2-3, 2B

A four-run sixth by the Kinston Indians put any hope of tying up a 1-0 game to rest as the Potomac Nationals were shut out again, 5-0. Jeff Kobernus and Jeremy Mayo each had two hits to pace the offense, which left on nine and went 1-for-11 with RISP. Evan Bronson took the loss, allowing one run on five hits and two walks over four and 2/3rds innings.

Lexington 8 Hagerstown 6
• Cole (L, 0-1) 3⅔ IP 5H 2R 2ER 2BB 3K 1HR
• McCatty 1IP 5H 5R 3BB 2K
• Swynenberg 2⅓ IP 2H 0R 0BB 1K
• Freitas 2-3, R, BB, SB
• Kelso 2-5, R
• Harper 2-5

A.J. Cole’s Low-A debut was a loss, stopping Hagerstown’s 10-game win streak with an 8-6 loss to Lexington. Cole went three and 2/3rds innings and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks. Shane McCatty took the brunt of the Lexington offense, allowing the Legends’ five-run fifth inning. Bryce Harper extended his hitting streak to 11 with a 2-for-5 night, while David Frietas and Randolph Oduber also collected two hits in the loss.