Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Postponed | @ Charlotte, 6:15 p.m. (DH) |
Duke (14-5, 3.52) and Maya (11-9, 3.58) vs. Leesman (12-9, 2.46) and Zaleski (6-5, 3.77) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 2-1 | @ Richmond, 7:05 p.m. |
Perry (2-4, 2.82) vs. Kickham (11-10, 2.91) |
| Potomac | Won, 4-1 | @ Carolina, 7:15 p.m. |
Hill (0-0, 9.82) vs. Roberts (4-9, 5.91) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 8-0 | @ Greensboro, 7:00 p.m. |
Jordan (3-2, 3.19) vs. Lyman (2-6, 6.46) |
| Auburn | Won, 16-4 | @ State College, 7:05 p.m. |
Hudgins (0-0, 0.00) Sampson (0-1, 2.63) |
Syracuse vs. Charlotte — PPD
Rain forced a postponement and created a doubleheader for the Chiefs and Knights tonight in Charlotte. Meanwhile, Carlos Rivero and Corey Brown were both named to the International League’s 2012 postseason All-Star team at 3B and in the OF, respectively.
Harrisburg 2 Richmond 1
• Holder 5IP, 7H, R, ER, 2BB, K
• Frias (W, 4-4) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Tatusko (SV, 1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Bloxom 2-4, RBI
• Rendon 1-3, R, 3B, BB
The tables turned on Harrisburg as a cheap run in the 8th proved to be difference in a 2-1 win over Richmond, ending a four-game losing streak. Jose Lozada reached on a forceout, stole second and came in on two wild pitches with two outs to score the gamewinner. Marcos Frias got the win with a scoreless 7th in relief of starter Trevor Holder, who scattered seven hits over five innings and allowed one run, walked two, and struck out two. Justin Bloxom was the sole Senator to collect multiple hits with a 2-for-4 effort.
Potomac 4 Carolina 1
• Grace (W, 9-12) 6IP, 6H, R, ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Barrett (H, 2) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Wort (SV, 12) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Keyes 2-4, R, 2B, HR(20), 2RBI
• Skole 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Sanchez 2-4, R, 2B
Potomac finally got a win in North Carolina, ending an 0-16 run with a 4-1 victory over Carolina. The Nos. 1-4 batters accounted for all seven hits, with Kevin Keyes leading the charge with a double (27), a home run (20), and two RBI (74, 75). Matt Grace finished up a strong August with one run on six hits (yep, a home run) with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings for his third win in his last four starts and an ERA of 3.00 for the month. Potomac’s elimination number fell to three with Wilmington’s 6-5 win over Myrtle Beach, making a sweep-or-go-home scenario in Delaware this weekend even more likely.
Hagerstown 8 Greensboro 0
• Estevez 4IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K, 2WP
• Holt (W, 4-2) 3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Eusebio 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K
• Ortega 3-4, 3R, 2B, 3B, HR
• Dykstra 3-4, RBI
Three Hagerstown hurlers combined on a three-hit shutout as the Suns won their sixth straight game, 8-0. Wirkin “For The Weekend” Estevez got the start and went the first four, giving up a walk and two hits. Greg Holt got the win with three perfect innings of relief while Wilson Esuebio gave up a hit and a walk over the final two frames. Bryce Ortega doubled, tripled, homered, and drove in four to lead the Hagerstown offense, which pounded out 13 hits total. The win, combined with a loss by Hickory, lowered the Suns magic number to four with six games to play
Auburn 16 State College 4
• Lee (W, 2-1) 5IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 5K
• Medina 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Lopez 3-5, 4R, BB
• Kieboom 3-6, 2B, RBI
Auburn picked up where they left off last night and continued to pummel State College, 16-4, for a third straight win. Every starter had at least one hit, seven had two, and Carlos Lopez and Spencer Kieboom both had trifectas as the Doubledays skewered the Spikes moundsmen for 18 hits total. Nick Lee got the win with three runs allowed on four hits and four walks over five innings. He also struck out five. The win lowered Auburn’s magic number to seven with eight to play, including two against second-place Batavia, which swept a doubleheader to remain two behind.
For those who have seen him play, what is your opinion of Keyes? Obviously the power is there, but will he ever be able to hit for average? What about defensively?
Not sure if he’ll hit for average, but the power is certainly there. He has learned to cut down the swing and go the other way but the K rate has remained stuck around 24% all year, and that’s troubling. What’s encouraging is that he’s hitting more line drives. Defensively he’s adequate, runs well for his size but has a left fielder’s arm.
Luke, I’ve looked around, but been unable to find much info on Wort. Do you have any insight into how many pitches he has/what his velocity is? His stats this year (which are out of this world) are a product of things really “connecting” this year or if he’s just a big fish in a small pond, as he’s been in Potomac for 2+ seasons. Thanks.
Fastball-Splitter-Slider. I seem to recall an occasional curve but I think that’s probably a pitch he shelved once he became a reliever. Velocity is low-90s, usually around 92 and will touch 94. Has a deceptive motion, but some folks have wondered if it’ll “play” at the higher levels.
What the numbers don’t accurately reflect is his tendency to unravel with runners on base and give up long hits in bunches. Since he went on a tear of blown saves shortly after the C.L. All-Star Break, he’s been mostly used the way you’d expect such a reliever to be used: to begin an inning, and with some margin for error.
Nats prospects in the AFL
Paul Demny
Christian Garcia
Ryan Perry
Anthony Rendon
Brian Goodwin
And Jason Martinson
What’s the word on Holder? Has he suddenly become a decent pitcher? Is there actually major league potential there? I sincerely doubt it, but he seems to be getting better at the higher level. What is your take on him, Luke?
I doubt it, too, but the progress he was making at the tail end of his time with Potomac — keeping the ball down, working the corners, keeping the ball in the yard — has clearly continued. He always had those flashes of brilliance but couldn’t sustain them for more than a start or two until this year.
Congratulations to Matt Foat who was the only National named to the 2012 GCL All Star Team. Solid stats!