Tuesday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 3 Lehigh Valley 2
• Duke 6IP, 6H, 2R, 0ER, 2BB, K
• MacDougal (W, 1-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Johnson 2-4
• Perez 1-3, 2R, BB, SB
• Rivero 1-3, 2B, 2RBI

It was a pitcher’s duel in upstate New York as Syracuse edged Lehigh Valley, 3-2. Starter Zach Duke gave up two unearned runs over the first six innings, scattering six hits and walking two with one strikeout. Recently acquired FA reliever Mike MacDougal was the beneficiary of a 1-2-3 seventh as rehabs Jayson Werth (walk) and Chad Tracy (single) set up Carlos Rivero for a routine groundout that sent in Werth for the game-winning run. Eury Perez singled to lead off the game and hit safely in the 11th straight game since his promotion. Byron Kerr has confirmed what many suspected: RHP Josh Wilkie has been released following the completion of his 50-game suspension.

HARRISBURG SENATORS — OFF DAY
It’s a brief, three-game trip to Binghamton for Harrisburg, as the Senators look to stop a four-game losing streak. It’s also the beginning of two-week stretch where they will go back-and-forth between New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia as they play both the Mets and the Richmond Flying Squirrels home and away.

POTOMAC NATIONALS — OFF DAY
Likewise, it’s a short homestand for Potomac this week before six games in seven days against the Southern Division’s top two teams in Winston-Salem and Myrtle Beach.

West Virginia 14 Hagerstown 2
• Hansen 5IP, 8H, 8R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K
• Newsome 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K, 2-1 IR-S
• Miller 2-4, R, HR, RBI, SB
• Ramsey 2-5, SB

The Suns probably wished this one had been rained out after all. After an 88-minute rain delay, West Virginia put up eight runs in the first two innings en route to a 14-2 beatdown of Hagerstown. Bobby Hansen Jr. suffered the loss, giving up eight runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts over five innings. Both Suns relievers that followed were charged for a six runs combined over two-plus innings with Brett Newsome mopping up in the 8th, retiring three of four batters faced. The Suns were held to just seven hits with Justin Miller leading the charge by going 2-for-4 with a solo home run. Roster moves: OF Billy Burns placed on the 7-Day DL, 1B/DH Newsome activated from the 7-Day DL.

Auburn 9 Tri-City 5
• Mooneyham (W, 1-0) 6IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Benincasa 2IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 2K
• McQuillan 2-5, R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
• Norfork 3-4, 2R, 2B, RBI
• Renda 3-4, R, 2RBI

Auburn took the rubber game between the two division leaders with a 9-5 win, holding off a late charge from Tri-City. The ValleyCats roughed up Bryan Harper and Michael Boyden for five runs in 9th with Derek Self coming in to retire one batter for the second straight outing and be credited with his seventh save. The Doubledays pounded out 15 hits with eight of nine batters hitting safely. Mike McQuillan doubled and homered and drove in three to lead the offense, improving to .327/.424/.477 in 35 games between the GCL and the NYPL. Roster moves: IF Stephen Brooks reassigned to the GCL, OF Narciso Mesa promoted from the GCL.

GCL Cardinals 4 GCL Nationals 1
• Hudgins (L, 2-3) 6IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, 4K, HR
• Peters 1IP, 1H, 0R, ER, BB, 0K
• Chubb 2-4, 2B
• Eusebio 1-3, 2E

Eight of the nine G-Nats batters hit safely, but consecutive hits came just twice as the G-Nats lost 4-1 to the G-Cards. The G-Nats hit into two double plays and went just 1-for-7 with RISP, stranding seven baserunners. Will Hudgins took the loss, giving up all four runs on five hits, including a two-run shot in the 3rd. Wilson Eusebio and John Peters both tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Austin Chubb led the hit column with a single and a double in four ABs.

DSL Nationals 5 DSL “Redbacks” 3
• De La Cruz 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Gomez (W, 6-3) 4⅔ IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 5K
• K. Rodriguez (SV, 7) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Read 2-4, R, 2B
• Bautista 2-4, R, BB, 2SB (30, 31), OF assist at 2B
• Abreu 2-3, BB, RBI, 2SB (17, 18)

The D-Nats got back over .500 by defeating the Cincy/Arizona co-op “Redbacks,” 5-3. Elisaul Gomez got the win (#6) in relief, giving up all three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks over four and 2/3rds innings. Kelvin Rodriguez earned the save (#7) with a scoreless ninth. Like the G-Nats, eight of the nine batters hit safely, with CF Rafael Bautista and SS Osvaldo Abreu both reaching base twice and stealing two bases. The 19-y.o. Bautista is now hitting .314/.407/.371 and has stolen 31 bases in 49 games while the 18-y.o. Abreu has posted a line of .284/.385/.368 with 18 steals in 41 games.