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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Clutch HRs played a part in four of the five Nats wins (and the sole loss) on Tuesday

The Quick Rundown…

Team Yesterday’s Result Today’s Game Pitching Probables
Syracuse Chiefs Won, 8-5 vs. Indianapolis, 7:00 p.m. Yunesky Maya (1-4, 4.28) vs.
Sean Gallagher (2-8, 6.14)
Harrisburg Senators SUSPENDED,
0-0, Bot 1st		 @ Richmond, 7:05 p.m. Brad Peacock (8-2, 2.28) vs.
Daryl Maday (2-5, 3.75)
Potomac Nationals Lost, 5-4 (12 inn.) vs. Winston-Salem 7:05 p.m. Trevor Holder (3-8, 5.95) vs.
Justin Collop (2-3, 4.11)
Hagerstown Suns Won, 4-3 (14 inn.) vs. Lakewood, 7:05 p.m. Taylor Jordan (8-3, 2.83) vs.
Lendy Castillo (0-1, 3.60)
Auburn Doubledays Won, 6-1 @ Williamsport, 7:05 p.m. Pedro Encarnacion (0-1, 10.29) vs.
Lino Martinez (0-1, 5.06)
GCL Nationals Won, 2-1
vs. GCL Cardinals		 @ GCL Astros, 12:00 p.m. TBD vs. TBD
DSL Nationals Won, 5-4
@ DSL Mets1		 @ DSL Phillies, 10:30 a.m. Felix Moscat (1-1, 4.50) vs.
Yari Sosa (3-0, 1.69)

Syracuse 8 Indianapolis 5
• Stammen (W, 7-3) 5.1IP, 9H, 5ER, BB, 9K, 3R HR
• Zinicola (H, 1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Marrero 3-4, R, RBI, BB, E
• Bynum 3-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Lombardozzi 2-5, R, RBI (8-game debut IL hit streak)

Indianapolis jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead against Syracuse on a John Bowker three-run homer. Syracuse began its comeback in the second when Craig Stammen (2-3, R, RBI) hit a two out RBI single to score Jeff Frazier. Syracuse jumped to a 4-3 lead with a three-run, two-out rally in the third with a Chris Marrero walk, a Jesus Flores RBI double, a Frazier walk, and a decisive two run double by Seth Bynum. In the bottom of the fourth, Syracuse added two more in a rally capped off by a Marrero single that scored Steve Lombardozzi. Stammen would eventually give up a run in the fifth and a run in the sixth when Atahualpa Severino failed to strand a runner on second with one out. Zech Zinicola pitched two scoreless innings of relief in his first Syracuse outing of 2011. After the Chiefs extended their lead to 8-5 with a two-run eighth inning rally, Josh Wilkie pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the victory.

Harrisburg-Richmond — SUSP.
Harrisburg’s game with Richmond was suspended in the middle of the first. They will resume the suspended game tomorrow with Brad Peacock starting/relieving for the Senators in the 2nd. Tomorrow’s regularly scheduled game will be played as part of two seven-inning doubleheader games on Friday, July 22nd in Richmond.

Kinston 4 Potomac 3
• Olbrychowski (ND) 6⅔ IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 4K
• Testa 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Ramirez 3-5, 2R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Dykstra 2-5, 2B
• Leon 2-5

For the second game in a row, Potomac’s bullpen blew a ninth-inning lead. Unlike Monday night, this time they fell in extras, 5-4. Marcos Frias surrendered back-to-back home runs for his third blown save, ruining the best outing thus far from Adam Olbrychowski, who had allowed just one run on four hits and two walks over the first six and 2/3rds innings. Mitchell Clegg took the look loss as the sole P-Nat error of the night put the last runner into scoring position with one out, a lineout to center moved him up with two outs, and a single to left sent him in. J.P. Ramirez led the 11-hit attack with a single, double, and a solo HR, his 6th of the season but his first in 31 games (May 19).

Hagerstown 4 Lakewood 3 (14 inn.)
• Grace 5IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 5K
• Graham 3IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 0K
• Keyes 3-6, 2R, 2HR, 2RBI, 2K
• Rogers 2-4, 2B
• Taylor 1-5, R, HR, 2RBI

Michael Taylor and Kevin Keyes get the glory, as Taylor’s HR tied it in the ninth and Keyes’s big fly won it in the 14th as Hagerstown outlasted Lakewood, 4-3. The real credit, however, should go to the Suns ‘pen for throwing nine (9) scoreless innings to make both HRs possible, with just three hits and two walks allowed between Paul Applebee, Wilson Eusebio, Ben Graham and Sam Brown, who got the win as the last man on the mound. Matt Grace started and went the first five, giving up all three BlueClaws runs on five his and a walk. Keyes went 3-for-6 on the night, homering in the 2nd and singling in the 5th, while Mills Rogers went 2-for-4 with a double. Taylor’s two-run blast was his only hit in 5 ABs. Bryce Harper was held out of the lineup for another night with a bone bruise on his left thumb, Adam Kilgore tweeted last night

Auburn 6 Williamsport 1
• Estevez (W, 2-1) 5IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 5K
• Monar (H, 1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 3K
• Moldenhauer 2-4, R
• Montilla 2-3, R, 2RBI, SB
• Skole 1-3, R, 3B

An 88-minute rain delay couldn’t cool the Doubleday offense, which put up six runs on eight hits for a 6-1 win over Williamsport. Wirkin “For The Weekend” Estevez went the first five innings and allowed the sole Crosscutter run on four hits and a walk while striking out five for his second win of the season. Blake Monar and Richie Mirowski each tossed two scoreless innings in relief. Russell Moldenhauer (2-for-4), Andy Skole (1-for-3), and Hendry Jimenez (1-for-5) each extended their nine-game hitting streaks.

GCL Nationals 2 GCL Cardinals 1
• Mieses (W, 1-0) 5IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 2K
• Meza (S, 1) 4IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 3K
• E Martinez 1-3, 2B
• E Fernandez 1-3, HR, 2RBI

Erick Fernandez’s two-run home run in the bottom of the second was all the offense could muster, but strong pitching by Adalaberto Mieses and Christian Meza made it stand up for a 2-1 victory. Mieses allowed the lone run on three hits and three walks over the first five for the win, while Mesa tossed four scoreless innings, also allowing three hits, but walking just one. The defense committed just one error while turning two double plays. Rick Ankiel and Chris Curran both singled while Estarlin Martinez doubled as the G-Nats were held to just four hits total.

DSL Nationals 5 DSL Mets1 4
• Guzman 4IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 2K
• Suero 3⅔ IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 2K, HR
• Novas 2-4, 2-2B
• Ortega 2-4, R, 2SB
• Rosario 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, OF assist @ HP

Randy Novas’s two-run shot in the top of the 7th broke a 3-3 tie as the DSL Nationals held on for a 5-4 win over the DSL Mets1 squad, their third straight win. Jesus Guzman got the starting nod and went the first four innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk. Wander Suero got the win in relief, while Jorge Hernandez got the save. “Fred” Ortega and Novas both went 2-for-4 to pace the D-Nats attack, which took advantage of four D-Mets errors and seven walks surrendered.

29 Commments

  1. I think only I care, but do you know where Chien-Ming Wang will pitch next, and when?

    +1/2St.

      1. If that’s the case, we’ll get more ‘eyes-on’ opinions on him (you, me & a few others that chip in here as well).

      2. Wang doesn’t look like he is going to make it beyond AAA. At some point soon he is going to hammered.

  2. Stammen is trying to be a swing and miss guy and while he is racking up K’s its at the expense of hard hit balls and lots of runs scored. That won’t work at the MLB level. He has a nice looking Won/Loss record and a so-so ERA.

    Stammen really needs to add another quality pitch to his repertoire or he should be a reliever as 5 innings is his max most nights.

    1. Agree to disagree – Stammen has two fastballs (4 & 2-seamers), a curve, and a slider in his repetoire. When he has all four pitches working, he can strike out a number of AAA-level hitters without heavy effort. His problem has been that his 4-seamer can flatten out, and his slider isn’t a MLB + pitch. He could be a poster-boy for the slightly-above 4-A pitcher; Good enough stuff to pitch in the majors on a steady basis, but gets cuffed around often enough to make a Manager think twice about keeping him in the MLB rotation.

  3. Marrero now hitting over .300 (question – for the first time since low A?)
    So: he seems to have the average part of the hit tool in hand. But his power seems to have dropped off drastically from what was either projected, or what he achieved in low A (22 homers from memory?)

    So where does he go from here? Can he regain his power stroke? What’s the flaw in his swing that’s robbed him of the projected power – can’t get round on a ML fastball? Can’t hit the outside pitch with authority? Too pull-happy? Bat speed to slow? Swing too long?

    1. Again, this is a prospect that is ONLY 22 YEARS OLD in AAA. He has improved defensively. He has managed to walk a lot more and strike out less raising his OBP. He has 15 doubles to go with 8 homers. The power numbers probably will increase as he gets older and more seasoned. He still has plenty of time to iron things out in AAA. At least 2 years in addition to this one. There’s NO HURRY with both Morse and La Roche at first base. Unless an attractive trade appears he isn’t going anywhere for a bit.

    1. Manno or Jordan would be my guess, which would probobly mean Testa or Rosenbaum to AA

  5. jeff550 – isn’t Manno a leftie? If wally’s rumor is true that it’s a righty, my money would be on Jordan as you speculated.

  6. Is it too early to get really excited about Estevez?

    Couple his DSL numbers with his high K/9 numbers so far in the NY-Penn league and I think there’s potential there.

    From the scouting reports of people who have seen him, Estevez is already topping out at 91-93… imagine what he’ll reach once they actually put some muscle on his skinny frame.

    Of course, it’s all very small sample size… but I can’t help be impressed by a guy that seems to be a big time sleeper arm in the system.

  7. Sue,

    Taking my 12 year old son (a true seamhead if ever there was) to the P-Nats game tonight. Anyone in particular we should pay attention to?

    1. Heres a game you and your son can play. Get a program and take a look at the picture of the GM. While the game is in progress see if you can spot him doing anything besides selling cookies. Kind of like a “Where’s Waldo”.

    2. Eury Perez, Destin Hood, and Jeff Kobernus. In the late innings, Hector Nelo – not so much that he’s a prospect but that he can legitimately throw 96-98mph, occasionally over the plate, too.

  8. The suns roster shows Harper on the 40-man. Has he always been listed as such?

    And for anyone who is interested, the pitching at the Suns game was TOO good last night – it got us 14 innings, 11pm at night – and a win! Taylors home run was absolutely clutch, and it was pretty obvious the pitcher made quite a mistake and put the pitch right down the middle.

    Keyes is now hitting after that early move up slump and it was fun to see him hit that blast of a home run and then round third, toss his batting helmet and jump into the sea of Suns at home plate. But Freitas looks totally lost at the plate since the break, swinging and missing by 1-2 feet lost. I also heard from sources at the game that the “thumb” of harper was the reason he was sitting out again. I think it’s a good experience for him to see that the team can win without him. Maybe he’ll come to his senses and be the team player he needs to be to excel at this game. 🙂

  9. TBR…Harper signed a major league contract, which automatically places him on the 40 man.

  10. A buddy of mine bet me a free lunch that Harper would be called up before the end of the year due to contract reasons (getting the most of him while he’s under contract). I said ‘no way’ – maybe at the end of 2012 for a Sept. call up at the earliest. I base my projection on what I am seeing in the organization: trends, philsophy, quotes from the FO, track record etc…Am I going to enjoy a free steak lunch, or am I buying McD’s for my friend?

  11. i heard about the righty getting moved up from hagerstown too. potomac already has several lefties which sucks because Manno deserves to be there.

  12. Neil Holland is the righty confirmed that with Potomac . Joe you are correct Testa and Smoker throwing very well out of the Pen and remember Clegg was moved to the pen also. Way to many lefties , at the most you should have 2 or 3 . Most clubs should have such a problem. Hey a little advise to Rizzo and Harris . have manno bypass potomac, He is a ACC kid and I think he is 21 or 22 years old. lets see how he does. we need to get him out of hagerstown, no reason for him to be there anymore

  13. Here’s one for the ‘you never know what your’re going to see’ file… The GCL Nationals apparently turned a 3-1-3 DP in the game against the G-Cardinals (E.Martinez-C.Mesa-E.Martinez). How in the world did they do that??

    1. What about the 2-9-6 K that happened in the Nats game last night. Now THAT was one weird play.

      1. Actually, the 3-1-3 play never happened. There was no semicolon between the two DPs.

        It read: 2 (Peguero, A-Alvarez, C-Martinez, E, Meza, C-Martinez, E)

        It should have read: 2 (Peguero, A-Alvarez, C-Martinez, E; Meza, C-Martinez, E)

  14. agreed about Manno, Wally you make valid points . I think he could very well excel in Harrisburg. ACC player, really dominated at the low A level. Its a big jump but I think he is the kind of kid that can make that jump.

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