Friday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 6 Columbus 5
• Milone 2⅓ IP, 6H, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 0BB, 2K, 2R HR, 3R HR
• Zinicola 2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Hyde (W, 2-0) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Bixler 3-5, 3R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Aubrey 3-5, R, 2B, 2RBI
• J Valdez 4-5

Syracuse mounted a spirited comeback from a 5-2 7th-inning deficit to bail out starter Tom Milone in a 6-5 victory over Columbus. Milone was victimized by the long ball, giving up a two-run homer to former Nat Nick Johnson in the 2nd, and a three-run shot to former major leaguer Shelley Duncan. Credit goes to the Chiefs bullpen of Ryan Tatusko, Zech Zinicola, Lee Hyde, Jeff Mandel, and Atahualpa Severino that pitched six and 2/3rd scoreless innings. The Chiefs had 15 hits in all. In the 7th, the Chiefs began their comeback with a Chris Marrero RBI single. In the 8th, the Chiefs scored three runs on three singles and a double to take the decisive 6-5 lead. With the win, the Chiefs improve to 46-58, four games ahead of fifth-place Buffalo and fifteen games in back of first-place Lehigh Valley in the I.L. North.

Harrisburg 2 Binghamton 1 14 Innings
• Arnesen 8IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB, 9K, HR
• VanAllen 2IP, 1H, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
• Lehman 2IP, 1H, 0ER, 0BB, 3K
• C Martinez (W, 2-3) 2IP, 1H, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
• Rahl 3-6, R, 3B, RBI

Harrisburg outlasted Binghamton 2-1 in a 14-inning game (plus a one-hour, fifty-four minute rain delay) that ended well after midnight. Starter Erik Arnesen was excellent, yielding only a 7th-inning solo homer to Juan Lagares. Derek Norris helped engineer Harrisburg’s response with a leadoff walk and a stolen base in front of a Chris Rahl RBI single. From there, two stingy bullpens took over. Corey VanAllen, Pat Lehman, and Carlos Martinez combined for six shutout innings before Harrisburg mustered a merciful two-out rally in the 14th that began with a Rahl triple. Finally, Tim Pahuta hit a walkoff single to give Harrisburg the 2-1 win. With the victory, Harrisburg improves to 60-46 and remains in first place, 1½ games ahead of both Bowie and Richmond in the E.L. West.

Potomac 7 Wilmington 5
• Demny (W, 7-9) 7IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 10K, 0HR
• Wort (S, 3) ⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Dykstra 3-4, R, HR, RBI, SB, CS
• Hood 2-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI, 2SB
• Souza 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Soriano 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI

With two runs in and three hits allowed in the 1st, Paul Demny’s afternoon looked to be short. But Potomac rallied for three in the second and Demny settled down and in as the P-Nats went on to a 7-5 win. Demny allowed just two more hits and struck out eight of his season-high 10 batters over the next six innings to earn his team-leading seventh win. Cutter Dykstra and Francisco Soriano both homered while Steve Souza and Destin Hood both singled and doubled as the foursome collected eight of the 11 Potomac hits. Neil Holland relieved Demny and pitched a scoreless 8th but got knocked for three runs in the 9th before Rob Wort came on to get the last out for his third save. The win puts Potomac at 20-13, two games behind Frederick, which comes to town this weekend for three games — a chance for the Keys to get some breathing room or the P-Nats to reclaim first place.

Delmarva 5 Hagerstown 4
• Cole (L, 2-6) 3IP, 5H, 5ER, 3BB, 3K
• Applebee 5IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 6K
• W Moore 1-2, 2R, 2B, RBI, 2BB
• Cuevas 1-2, 2RBI, BB

Hagerstown starter AJ Cole was roughed up for five runs in just three innings in a 5-4 Hagerstown loss to Delmarva. Blake Kelso, Adrian Sanchez, Wade Moore, Mills Rogers, and Justino Cuevas all had hits for the Suns. Hagerstown scored two runs in the 1st on a Wade Moore RBI double and Justino Cuevas RBI single. DelMarva came back with two runs in the bottom of the 2nd and three runs in the 3rd on two walks and two doubles against starter AJ Cole. Paul Applebee pitched five innings of shutout relief to keep the Suns in the game. Aided by two Shorebird errors, the Suns managed a two-run rally in the 8th that just fell short. With the loss, Hagerstown falls to 16-16, 4 1/2 games behind first-place Hickory in the Sally North. As predicted by one of our commenters, Colin Bates has joined the Suns from the Doubledays, along with Justino Cuevas coming up from the GCL while Chris McKenzie has been placed on the 7-Day DL.

Hudson Valley 3 Auburn 1
• Estevez 5IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
• Hill (L, 0-1) 3IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 5K
• Montilla 2-4, 2B
• Moldenhauer 2-4

For the second straight night it was a pitcher’s duel in Auburn, but this time the Doubledays came out on the short end of the 3-1 tally. Wirkin “For The Weekend” Estevez pitched five scoreless innings with just four hits allowed, no walks, and six strikeouts, but left with the score tied at 0-0. The jig was up (and the news was out) as the Renegades had it made against Auburn reliever David Hill, scoring three times in the 7th on a double, walk, and two singles. Just three Doubledays collected base hits, with Russell Moldenhauer and Angel Montilla going 2-for-4 and Billy Burns going 1-for-3. The loss denied Auburn a shot at sole possession of first place, as they remain tied with Jamestown and Mahoning Valley with a 22-18 record.

GCL Cardinals 6 GCL Nationals 4
• Encarnacion 4⅓ IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Heredia 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Jo. Rodriguez 3-6, 2RBI
• Schill 2-6

The clutch hit eluded the G-Nats all game long, as 15 men were left on in a 6-4 extra-innings loss to the G-Cards. Johan Rodriguez led the 11-hit attack with a 3-for-5 effort, followed by Wes Schill’s 2-for-6 effort. Pedro Encarnacion got the start and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. Andy Santana took the loss with two unearned runs allowed in the top of the 11th, as the G-Nats committed three errors for the game. The loss cuts the elimination number to 14 and puts the G-Nats at a 12-20 mark, 11 games behind the G-Marlins in the GCL East.

DSL Cubs2 13 DSL Nationals 2
• Guzman 5⅔ IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 4K
• Vasquez (L, 1-1) 2IP, 7H, 7R, 6ER, BB, 0K
• Geraldo 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Ramirez 0-2, R, SB

Surprisingly, no position players pitched in this 13-2 demolition of the D-Nats by the D-Cubs2. Eleven runs were scored in the final three innings, breaking a 2-2 tie. The D-Nats managed just four (4) hits and drew just three walks while the bullfighters defense committed five errors. Jesus Guzman got the start and gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four. Enigmatic Junior Geraldo (no DOB listed) homered in what appears to be his professional debut. The loss evens the D-Nats record at 25-25, five games behind the D-Rangers in the B.C. South.