Saturday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 5 Lehigh Valley 2
• Mandel (W, 6-5) 7IP, 7H, R, ER, BB, 6K, HR; 2-3, R, RBI
• Garcia (S, 13) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Brown 2-5, 2R
• Teahen 2-5, R, 2B, 3RBI

With five runs in the first two “ups” and seven strong innings from Jeff Mandel, the Syracuse Chiefs cruised to their fourth straight win with a 5-2 victory over the Lehigh IronPigs. Mandel also contributed to his own cause with a 2-for-3 night at the plate, including an RBI single. He allowed one run on a home run, walked one and struck out six. Christian Garcia struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. Mark Teahen led the offense with a 2-for-5 night, driving in three.

Bowie 9 Harrisburg 2
• Pucetas (L, 7-6) 6⅓ IP, 9H, 6R, 6ER, 2BB, 5K
• Martin 1⅔ IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 0K, 1-1 IR-S
• Hood 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Bynum 1-2, R, HR, BB, RBI

A five-run seventh broke open a 3-2 game as Harrisburg dropped its third straight, 9-2. Kevin Pucetas took the loss, charged with six runs on nine hits and two walks and five K’s. Home runs by Destin Hood and Seth Bynum prevented the shutout as the Senators only managed one other hit, a single by Brian Goodwin, while striking out 13 times.

Potomac 3 Carolina 0
• Swynenberg (W, 7-5) 6IP, 4H, 0R, BB, 5K
• Carr (H, 3) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 0K
• Wort (SV, 13) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Ramirez 3-4, R
• Sanchez 2-5, R

Three Potomac pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout of Carolina, 3-0. Matt Swynenberg got his seventh win with four hits and one walk allowed over the first six frames, striking out five. Adam Carr walked two in his inning of work but gave up no hits. Rob Wort earned his 13th save by throwing two scoreless innings, giving up a hit, walking none and fanning two. J.P. Ramirez went 3-for-4 to lead the eight-hit Potomac offense.

Hagerstown 4 Asheville 3
• Schwartz 6IP, 5H, R, ER, 0BB, 7K
• Holt (BS, 3; W, 5-2) 2IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 0K
• Mirowski (SV, 3) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Higley 2-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI
• Miller 2-4, R, RBI, 2SB

After coughing up the lead in the top of the 7th, the Suns rallied for two in the bottom half and held on for a 4-3 win. A loss by Hickory dropped the MiLB.com-listed magic number to two, but with a lead of four in the loss column with three games to go, Hagerstown clinched the second-half Sally League Northern Division title. Greg Holt got the blown-save-win in relief of Blake Schwartz, who allowed just a run on five hits over six innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. J.R. Higley paced the Suns attack with single, double, and a walk while driving in one run and scoring another. Roster moves: RHP Leonard Hollins placed on the Temporary Inactive List; LHP Kylin Turnbull activated from the 7-Day DL.

Auburn 8 Mahoning Valley 6
• Fischer 4IP, 7H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, K, HR
• Pena (W, 1-0) 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Self (SV, 13) ⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 2-1 IR-S
• Martinez 2-4, R, BB, RBI
• Ramos 2-5, R, 2B, 2RBI

Auburn overcame an early 5-0 deficit, scoring eight runs across the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings and surviving a late charge by Mahoning Valley for an 8-6 win. Starter David Fischer was tattooed for five runs on seven hits and two walks over four innings, with all five runs coming in the the second. Ronald Pena picked him with three scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. The Doubledays pounded out 10 hits, with Estarlin Martinez (2-for-4) and Wander Ramos (2-for-5) leading the charge. Batavia, however, continues to breathe down Auburn’s neck, winning its seventh straight game to remain one game behind in the NYPL Pinckney Division. The two teams meet in Batavia for two games on Sunday and Monday.