Wednesday’s News & Notes

Syracuse vs. Toledo — PPD
Rain postponed the opener of this three-game series. It will be made up tonight with a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.
Roster moves: 1B Chris Marrero activated from the DL, RHP Mitch Atkins placed on DL.

Akron 2 Harrisburg 1
• Pucetas 5+IP, 3H, 0R, 4BB, 2K
• Frias (BS, 2) 2IP, H, R, ER, BB, K
• McCoy (L, 7-2) ⅓ IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, K
• Bloxom 2-4
• Lozada 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• Rendon 1-4, K

The addition of the Nats’ top hitting prospect did nothing to stem the tide of losses, as Harrisburg lost for the seventh time in eight games, 2-1. Anthony Rendon was 1-for-4 with a strikeout and helped turn two of the three Senator double plays. Starter Kevin Pucetas went five-plus innings, giving up three hits and walking four. The tying and winning runs came on sacrifice flies in the 7th and 8th innings off relievers Marcos Frias and Jimmy Barthmaier, with Pat McCoy taking the loss. Jose Lozada’s first-inning home run was one of just six (6) hits Harrisburg would manage, as the Senators went 0-for-5 with RISP and stranded eight baserunners.

Potomac 7 Wilmington 5
• Gilliam 5IP, 6H, 5R, ER, 2BB, 7K, HR
• Olbrychowski (W, 5-10) 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K
• Wort (SV, 9) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K, 2-0 IR-S
• Hague 2-3, R, 2B, BB
• Ramirez 2-4, 2R, RBI
• Skole 0-3, RBI, SF

It was like a battle between a toothless dog and clawless cat, but Potomac overcame a self-inflicted 5-0 deficit for a 7-5 win over Wilmington. The P-Nats committed six errors to two by the Blue Rocks, who did their part to catch up by uncorking a pair of wild pitches, playing right field like a high-school scrub, and dropping popups and throws to the plate. Starter Rob Gilliam gave up one earned run on a moonshot to center and four unearned runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. Adam Olbrychowski got the win in relief, pitching the top half of the 6th when the P-Nats rallied for five in the bottom half. Rob Wort got the save in high-wire fashion, striking out the final batter on a called third strike on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded. Roster moves: 3B Matt Skole promoted from Hagerstown.

Hagerstown 4 Hickory 3
• Rauh (ND) 6IP, 4H, R, ER, BB, 5K, HR
• Meza (H, 4) 2⅔ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 5K
• Mirowski (BS, 1; W, 4-0) ⅓ IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 2-1 IR-S
• Newsome 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Higley 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Ortega 1-3, R, SAC, E

J.R. Higley’s RBI double in the bottom of the 9th gave Hagerstown its 10th walkoff win of the season, 4-3. The Suns’ 70th win also secured sole possession of first place in the Sally League North by a ½ game over the Power. Richie Mirowski got the dreaded blown-save-win in relief of starter Brian Rauh, who turned in six strong innings with just one run allowed on four hits and a walk. Higley and Brett Newsome both went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Suns’ offense. Roster moves: IF Khayyan Norfork promoted from Auburn, LHP Bobby Hansen Jr. placed on the 7-Day DL, RHP Wirkin Estevez activated from the DL.

AUBURN DOUBLEDAYS — ALL-STAR BREAK
The N.L. All-Stars crushed the A.L. All-Stars, 8-1 in the New York-Penn League All-Star game. Here’s how the Doubledays performed:
• Schill 0-3, starting SS
• Martinez 2-4, 2R, 2-2B, starting LF
• Ramos 1-3, off the bench, RF
• Pleffner 1-2, off the bench, 1B
• Manuel 0-2, PH-DH

GCL Marlins 4 GCL Nationals 3
• Giolito 2IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, K
• Anderson 4IP, 5H, R, ER, BB, 5K, HR
• Mieses (BS, 1; L, 1-4) ⅓ IP, 2H, 2R, 1ER, BB, 0K
• Foat 2-4, R
• Piwnica-Worms 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI, 3K

Lucas Giolito gave up a run on two hits over two innings with no walks and one strikeout in his professional debut. The G-Nats, however, fell to the G-Marlins, 4-3. Dixon Anderson was stretched to four innings, allowing a run (home run) on five hits with a walk and five K’s. Adalberto Mieses took the loss by surrendering the tying and winning runs in the 7th. Matt Foat (2-for-4) and Will Piwinica-Worms (2-for-5) continue to produce on offense. Roster moves: OF Jordan Poole assigned from Auburn Doubledays, RHP Shane McCatty assigned from Potomac Nationals.

DSL Nationals 10 DSL Giants 8
• Valdez 3IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 3K
• Benitez (W, 3-2) 3IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 6K, HR
• Lopez (SV, 1) 2IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, 3K
• Novas 4-5, 4R, 2B, 3B, HR, 2RBI, 3SB
• A. Martinez 3-5, R, 2B, RBI

Randy Novas hit for the cycle and stole three bases to lead the DSL Nationals past the DSL Giants, 10-8. Starter Philips Valdez gave up two runs on four hits and two walks over the first three innings, while Juan Benitez got the win despite giving up five runs on five hits and three walks over the next three frames. Reynaldo Lopez was credited with the save for pitching the final two innings with a run on two hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. Roster moves: OF Armando Echenique on the 7-Day DL.