Wednesday’s News and Notes

The Quick Rundown…

Syracuse Chiefs W, 5-0 @ Lehigh Valley
Starter/Pitching Star: Martis (W, 8-7) 7⅔ IP 2H 0R 4BB 5K
Hitting Star #1: Ramos 2-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI
Hitting Star #2: Espinosa 2-3, R
Notes: Shairon Martis threw a season-high 7⅔ innings of scoreless baseball, combining with Andrew Kown for two-hit shutout of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs by a count of 5-0. Hitters of the game Wilson Ramos doubled and homered while Danny Espinosa singled twice to account for four of the Chiefs’ eight hits. Boomer Whiting stole two bases, including home plate in the 8^th inning. The win preserved Syracuse’s slim playoff hopes, as they trail Columbus by five games and Louisville by three games with 13 games remaining.

Harrisburg Senators W, 5-3 vs. Portland
Starting Pitcher: Peacock (W, 2-1) 5⅔ IP 6H 1R 0ER 3BB 2K
Pitching Star: Kimball (SV, 9) ⅔ IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K
Hitting Star #1: Lombardozzi 3-4, 2R, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI
Hitting Star #2: Lowrance 2-4, RBI
Notes: Steve Lombardozzi couldn’t manage a single, but got the other three-quarters of the cycle with a double, triple, and a home run to lead the Harrisburg Senators to a 5-3 win over the Portland Sea Dogs. Starter Brad Peacock got his 2^nd AA win with 5⅔ innings pitched and one unearned run allowed on six hits and three walks to go with two strikeouts, while Cole Kimball quashed a late rally by striking out both batters he faced for his 9^th save for Harrisburg. The win coupled with a Bowie loss, extended the Sens’ lead over the Baysox to 1½ games in the race for the Eastern League West’s wildcard.

Potomac Nationals W, 7-5 vs. Wilmington
Starting Pitcher: Barthmaier (ND) 5IP 7H 4R 4ER 2BB 4K
Pitching Star: Morris (SV, 1) 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Rhinehart 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 4RBI
Hitting Star #2: Norris 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI
Notes: See how Potomac reclaimed first place in grand fashion Last Night In Woodbridge

Hagerstown Suns L, 4-3 vs. Delmarva
Starting Pitcher: Applebee (L, 5-5) 6⅓ IP 12H 4R 4ER 0BB 4K
Pitching Star: Vasquez 2⅔ IP 2H 0R 0BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Ramirez 4-5, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Hague 2-5, 2R, 2-2B
Notes: Clutch hitting was AWOL on Wednesday as the two teams scored just seven runs on 25 hits, combining for an abysmal 5-for-26 with RISP. But as the 4-3 score indicates, Delmarva was simply one better (or one less worse) than Hagerstown, winning 4-3. Starter Paul Applebee took the loss with all four Shorebird runs allowed on 12 hits and no walks. J.P. Ramirez went 4-for-5 to lead the 11-hit Suns offense. The loss lowered the Suns’ elimination number to three with 11 games left in the second half.

Applebee (L, 5-5) 6.1 12 4 4 0 4 0 4.00
Vasquez, W 2.2 2 0 0 0 0 0 7.19

Vermont Lake Monsters L, 6-5 vs. Connecticut
Starting Pitcher: Ott (L, 0-2) 4⅔ IP 3H 1R 0ER 2BB 5K
Pitching Star: Zellers 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Martinson 3-3, SB, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Labrie 0-1, 2R, 4BB, RBI
Notes: A five-run 7^th put the Lake Monsters in a 6-0 hole that they almost climbed out of with five runs across the last three innings, leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 loss to Connecticut. Billy Ott was the hard-luck loser, tossing 4⅔ innings with one unearned run allowed on three hits and two walks with five batters set down on strikes. Jason Martinson went 3-for-3 to lead the offense. Second-place Tri-City also lost, preserving Vermont’s ½-game lead.

GCL Nationals W, 7-6 @ GCL Cardinals
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Mattheus 1IP 1H 0R 1BB 1K
Pitching Star: Kelvin Lopez 5IP 5H 2R 1ER 1BB 3K
Hitting Star #1: Randolph Oduber 2-4, 2R, 2-2B, SB
Hitting Star #2: Angel Montilla 2-4, 2R, 3SB
Notes: A three-run rally in the 8^th turned a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 lead, as the GCL Nationals held off the GCL Cardinals for a 7-6 win. Hitters of the game Randolph Oduber and Angel Montilla both went 2-for-4 to lead the 13-hit attack, with Oduber doubling twice and Montilla swiping three bags. Kelvin Lopez was the pitcher of the game with five innings pitched, two runs allowed on five hits and one walk, and three strikeouts. Rehabbing Ryan Mattheus tossed a scoreless inning to start the game with one hit and one walk allowed.