Saturday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 6 Norfolk 5
• Duke (W, 11-4) 6IP, 9H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Garcia (SV, 4) 1⅓ IP, H, 0R, BB, 2K, 3-1 IR-S
• Hill 2-2, 2R, 2B, RBI
• Brown 2-4, R, RBI, SB
• Johnson 2-4, R, 2B, RBI

The Chiefs rallied for two runs in three consecutive innings and rode out the Tides comeback bid for a 6-5 win. Zach Duke got the win but gave up four runs on nine hits, including a two-run HR in the 1st. Christian Garcia earned his fourth save by stranding two of three runners in the 8th and pitching a scoreless 9th. Koyie Hill, Corey Brown, and Josh Johnson each had two hits. Eury Perez went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his AAA debut. Roster moves: C Jeff Howell placed on the 7-Day DL to make room for Perez on the Syracuse roster.

New Britain 13 Harrisburg 2 — GAME ONE (Comp.)
• Demny (L, 6-5) 3IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, K, 2HBP, 2WP
• Gilliam 3⅔ IP, 6H, 7R, 7ER, 3BB, 4K, 2HR
• Nicol 2-4, 2R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Van Ostrand 2-4, RBI
• Walters 2-4

The Rock Cats picked up where they left off on Thursday night and pummeled the Senators, 13-2. Robert Gilliam “started” in place of losing pitcher Paul Demny, and was savaged for seven runs over three and 2/3rds on six hits and three walks. Sean Nicol led the attack with a 2-for-4 effort, scoring twice and hitting his first HR of the season. Brian Goodwin went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his AA debut.

New Britain 5 Harrisburg 4 — GAME TWO
• Rosenbaum (L, 7-7) 6⅓ IP, 8H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 3K
• Nelo ⅔IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K, 1-1 IR-S
• Walters 2-3, 3B, HR, RBI
• Nicol 2-3, 2B, RBI

Hector Nelo couldn’t strand the runner he inherited from Danny Rosenbaum, letting in the game-winner in a 5-4 loss that extended the Harrisburg losing streak to seven games and dropped the Senators below .500 at 49-50. Brian Goodwin reached base in his eighth PA with a walk in the last of the 7th but only made it to third base after a sacrifice and two groundouts ended the inning and the game. Rosenbaum took the loss, charged with all five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three. Zach Walters tripled and homered to lead the offense.

Potomac 8 Myrtle Beach 3
• Meyer (W, 1-0) 6IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 7K
• Carr 2IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, K
• Taylor 3-5, 3R, 2-2B, HR, RBI
• Souza 2-4, RBI
• Martinson 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 2RBI

Alex Meyer won his Carolina League debut as Potomac pounded out seven extra-base hits in an 8-3 win over Myrtle Beach. Meyer tossed six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out seven. Michael Taylor doubled twice and hit his second HR, joining Jason Martinson and Ricky Hague in the longball fest. Steve Souza Jr. went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his return to High-A.

Augusta 10 Hagerstown 3 — GAME ONE
• Jordan 4IP, 5R, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 0K
• Holt (L, 2-2) 2⅓ IP, 6H, 6R, 5ER, BB, K
• Newsome 3-3, 2R, 3B, RBI
• Jimenez 2-3, 2B, RBI

The curse of the GBI continues as Greg Holt (yesterday’s “Good” for Hagerstown) got roughed up for six runs on six hits and a walk as the Suns were stung by the GreenJackets, 10-3. Taylor Jordan went first four innings and gave up three runs on five hits and two walks with no strikeouts in his return to Low-A. Brett Newsome led the Hagerstown offense with two singles and a triple, scoring twice and driving in a run.

Augusta 1 Hagerstown 0 — GAME TWO
• Hansen 6IP, 9H, 0R, BB, 3K, HBP, WP
• Bates (L, 4-3) 1IP, H, R, ER, BB, 0K
• Burns 1-2, BB, OF assist at 3B
• Newsome 1-2, BB
• Miller OF assist at HP

After stopping 11 baserunners from scoring through six innings, Augusta’s 12th baserunner made it home in the 7th for a 1-0 and a doubleheader sweep. Bobby Hansen Jr. scattered nine hits, walked one (intentionally) and hit a batter over six innings, getting defensive help via two double plays and two kills from the outfield and picking off a runner at first. Colin Bates took the loss when a one-out walk scored on a two-out single. The Suns were held to just three hits but drew five walks, with Billy Burns and Brett Newsome both reaching base twice.

Auburn 4 Batavia 3
• Lee 5⅓ IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 9K
• Boyden (W, 1-0) 2⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, K
• Renda 2-4, R, RBI
• McQuillan 1-2, R, 2B

Auburn rallied two runs in the 9th to break a 2-2 tie and held off a late Batavia charge for a 4-3 win. Starter Nick Lee went five and 2/3rds innings and gave up two runs on five hits and a walk but struck out nine. Michael Boyden got the win in his NYPL debut with two and 2/3rds scoreless innings of relief, allowing a hit and two walks. Tony Renda led the hit coulmn with a 2-for-4 night, driving in the deciding run in the 9th. Roster move: RHP Gregory Baez optioned to GCL.

GCL Nationals 8 GCL Astros 7
• Anderson 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Vasquez (W, 1-5) 5⅓ IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, K
• Piwnica-Worms 3-3, 3R, 2B, BB, RBI
• Eusebio 2-4, R, 2B, 3RBI
• Rendon 1-4, 2B, 2RBI, 2K

The G-Nats held off a late charge from the G-Astros for an 8-7 win. Daury Vasquez got his first win despite a pedestrian five runs allowed on nine hits and two walks over five and a 1/3rd innings. Will Piwnica-Worms reached base four times with three singles and a walk to lead the hit column. Anthony Rendon struck out twice but doubled in two. Dixon Anderson, a ninth-round pick from the 2011 draft, tossed a 1-2-3 first for his professional debut. Roster moves: LHP Graham Hicks assigned from Washington (signed 6/7 as FA following release by Chicago Cubs on 5/30).

DSL Nationals 4 DSL Cubs2 3
• Suero ⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Valdez 4⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K
• A. Ramirez (W, 1-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Cerda 3-4, 2R, 2B, HR, 2RBI
• Read 2-4, R, 2B

Kevin Cerda’s two-run home run in the last of the 9th gave the D-Nats a 4-3 walkoff win vs. the DSL Cubs2. Cerda was a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 for the afternoon and scoring twice. Starter Wander Suero left after just two batters, with no notation of injury in the MiLB.com recap. Philips Valdez went the next four and a 1/3rd innings with no runs and two hits allowed, with a walk and four strikeouts. Cerda’s shot made a winner out of Algenis Ramirez, an 18-y.o. OF who’s pitched in relief twice before.