Thursday’s News and Notes

The Quick Rundown…

Syracuse Chiefs L, 7-6 @ Norfolk
Starting Pitcher: Martis 3⅓ IP 9H 4R 4ER 2BB 2K
Pitching Star (kind of): Walker ⅔ IP 0H 0R 2BB
Hitting Star #1: Ordaz 2-5, R, 3B, 3RBI
Hitting Star #2: Maxwell 2-2, R, 2-2B, BB, SB, RBI
Notes: A throwing error in the bottom of the eighth sealed the win for the Norfolk Tides, who took the series three games to one. Syracuse started with bang with a three-run first inning, only to have the Tide answer with two then take the lead 4-3 with another pair of runs in the bottom of the 4^th. The Chiefs struck again for three runs in the 5^th, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Luis Ordaz to give Syracuse a 6-4 lead. Norfolk tied the game at six one inning later in the bottom of the 6^th and took the lead for good thanks to the Chiefs’ fourth error of the game when Jamie Burke’s errant throw to first on an attempted 5-2-3 double play. Starter Shairon Martis went just 3⅓ and gave up the first four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out two.

Harrisburg Senators L, 9-1 @ Portland
Starting Pitcher: Lannan (L, 1-3) 5IP 9H 4R 3ER 0BB 5K 1HR
Pitching Star: None
Hitting Star # 1: Ivany 2-4, R, 2B
Hitting Star # 2: Castro 1-2, 2B, BB, RBI
Notes: Harrisburg started with the lead in the top of the 2^nd with 1 run, unfortunately that was all they’d get in this one. Portland took advantage of the Sens lack of scoring by scoring plenty of their own runs. Portland added one run each in the 4^th and 5^th, and another three runs each in both the 6^th and 7^th innings. They finally added one more in run in the 8^th making this a 9-1 blowout win for Portland. Starter John Lannan went five innings giving up nine hits, four runs and five strikeouts with the loss, his third at AA.

Potomac Nationals L, 5-4 @ Winston-Salem
Starting Pitcher: Olsen (ND) 5IP 6H 4R 3ER 0BB 4K 1HR
Pitching Star: Holder (L, 0-2) 3⅔ IP 2H 1R 1ER 2BB 5K
Hitting Star #1: Moore 2-4, 2R, 2HR, 4RBI
Hitting Star #2: Rhinehart 2-4
Notes: Winston-Salem appeared to have tagged up too soon but the umps disagreed and refused the appeal, handing Trevor Holder and the P-Nats the loss, with a score of 5-4. Tyler Moore’s hot streak continued with the 22-year-old going deep twice for his 15th and 16th home runs of the season, driving in all four Potomac runs. Rehabbing Scott Olsen got the start and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits (one home run) while striking out four. Holder came on in relief and finished the game, allowing just the lone run on two hits, walking two, and striking out five.

Hagerstown Suns, L, 13-4 vs. Asheville
Starting Pitcher: Hicks (L, 1-3) 4⅓ IP 5H 3R 3ER 5BB 2K
Pitching Un-Star #1: Vasquez 1⅔ IP 4H 3ER 2BB 1K
Pitching Un-Star #2: Morrison 1⅔ IP 7H 7R 5ER 1BB 3K 1HR
Hitting Star #1: Ramirez 1-3, R, BB, HR, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Bloxom 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
Notes: Thanks to eight runs in the seventh inning, Asheville was able to take a commanding lead and win the game, defeating the Suns by a score of 13-4. Stater Graham Hicks was credited with his 3^rd loss of the season, allowing 3 runs over 4⅓ innings. Wanel Vasquez and Kyle Morrison came on in his relief, but failed miserably, collectively pitching just over 3 innings, but allowing 10 runs in the process. Highlight of the game for the Suns was J.P. Ramirez’s two-run homerun in the eighth inning. This was his 9^th of the season.

Vermont Lake Monsters L, 11-7; W, 4-3 @ Connecticut
GAME ONE
Starting Pitcher: Jordan 3IP 8H 4R 4ER 1BB 1K
Pitcher Un-Star #1: McCatty (L, 2-2) 1⅔ IP 5H 4R 4ER 1BB 0K
Pitcher Un-Star #2: Herrera 1⅓ IP 4H 3R 3ER 1BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Martinson 2-3, 2R, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Miller 1-2, R, 2RBI
Notes: Pitching took the game off as the Lake Monsters allowed 11 runs on 17 hits while striking out one (1) batter en route to an 11-7 loss to Connecticut. Starting pitcher Taylor Jordan got the no decision, and went three innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk. Shane McCatty was credited with the loss, lasting only 1⅔ innings, allowing four runs of his own on five hits. Jason Martinson and Justin Miller were offensive players of the game, collectively going 3-5, scoring three runs, and getting four RBI.

GAME TWO
Starting Pitcher: McKenzie 3⅔ IP 4H 2R 2ER 3BB 7K
Pitching Star: Holland (W, 2-0) 3IP 1H 0R 1BB 3K
Hitting Star: Freitas 2-3, 2R, BB, HR, RBI
Notes: The Lake Monsters took advantage of some shoddy defense to score three times in the top of the 7^th and split the doubleheader with a 4-3 win in the nightcap. Starter Chris McKenzie lasted just 3⅔ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, though he did strike out seven. Neil Holland got the win with three scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit, one walk, and registering three strikeouts. David Freitas extended his hitting streak to 18 games by hitting safely in both games, a feat that ties the team record also held by Geoff Blum and Jason Tuttle.

GCL Nationals L, 4-1 @ GCL Mets
Starting Pitcher: Gregory Baez (L, 0-2) 4IP 5H 3R 3ER 1BB 3K
Pitching Star: Jimmy Barthmaier 3IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Rick Hughes 1-3, R, 3B
Hitting Star #2: Andruth Ramirez 1-3, RBI
Notes: The GCL Mets pitchers allowed just one run on two hits while touching GCL Nationals starter Gregory Baez for three runs in the bottom of the 4^th to erase an early 1-0 lead. Rick Hughes’ triple and Adruth Ramirez’s RBI single that followed comprised the entire G-Nats offense, as the G-Mets walked none and struck 10 and committed no errors.

DSL Nationals @ DSL Marlins — PPD
Notes: The D-Nats were rained out for the second time this week. This game will most likely be made up when the two teams meet again next Friday.