Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Postponed | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 17-5 | @ Altoona, 6:30 p.m. |
Demny (1-0, 0.00) vs. Sadler (1-0, 1.80) |
| Potomac | Lost, 7-2 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Hagerstown | Won, 6-0 | vs. Delmarva, 6:35 p.m. |
Pineyro (0-1, 12.00) vs. Blackmar (0-1, 4.50) |
Syracuse vs. Buffalo — PPD
The rains that shortened Tuesday night’s game also put the kibosh on the Wednesday afternoon finale between Syracuse and Buffalo. It will be made up with a doubleheader on August 12. The Chiefs return to action tomorrow as they open their home schedule against Lehigh Valley with an afternoon game at Alliance NBT Bank Stadium.
New Britain 17 Harrisburg 5
• Treinen (L, 0-2) 5⅓ IP, 7H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 2K, HR
• Lozada 1-3, R, BB, HR, RBI; 1IP, 2H, 4R, 4ER, BB, 0K, 2HR
• Head 2-4
• Bloxom 2-4, 2B
The Rock Cats pounded the Senators for 17 hits (including seven HRs) to complete the three-game sweep with a 17-5 win. The Harrisburg ‘pen gave up 15 of the 17 runs over the last four frames, with four charged to utility/mopup man Jose Lozada in get-it-over-with ninth inning. Starter Blake Treinen, who couldn’t make it out of the third in his previous outing, took the loss with five runs on seven hits (three HR) over five and a 1/3rd innings. Jerad Head and Justin Bloxom both went 2-for-4 to pace the Sens offense.
Salem 7 Potomac 2
• Ray (L, 1-1) 6IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 7K, HR
• Self 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Dykstra 2-4, R
• Oduber 2-4, 2B
The P-Nats offense was held to less than six runs for the first time this season in a 7-2 loss to Salem that capped off a 2-4 homestand. Starter Robbie Ray gave up three runs (two earned, all in the 5th) on five hits (including a solo HR) and a walk over six innings but was charged with the loss. Randolph Oduber singled and doubled in place of Billy Burns as the leadoff man while Cutter Dykstra singled twice as the two combined for four of the six P-Nats hits.
Hagerstown 6 Lakewood 0
• Schwartz (W, 2-0) 5IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
• Harper 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Henke (SV, 1) 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 3-3 IR-S
• Schill 2-3, 3RBI, SB
• Lopez 2-4, R, 2B, BB
• McQuillan 2-4, R, BB, SB
Three Suns pitchers combined on four-hit shutout as Hagerstown blanked Lakewood 6-0 to complete a three-game sweep. Starter Blake Schwartz won his second straight start with two hits let up over five frames with no walks and six set down on strikes. Bryan Harper followed with two strong innings before running into trouble in the 8th, loading the bases with one out. Travis Henke escaped the jam with a strikeout and flyout and set ’em down in order in the 9th for his first save. Lakewood pitchers probably want no more of Wes as Schill struck them for two singles and three RBI to lead the Suns attack.
Skole on DL’d changes whole Sens dynamic
I opted not to lead with this in one of the recent LNIWs, but a reminder from Leo Durocher: If you ain’t got a bullpen, you ain’t got s!@#
I actually expected the H-burg bullpen to be really good this year. I happened to check the score after 5 at 2-2, and then checked back at what happened to be the middle of the 9th and was shocked to see 17-2. In this game looks like they left Treinen in an inning too long, and then it got completely out of hand with uncharacteristic shellackings for Rob Wort & Aaron Barrett.
Probably not important but is Travis Henke any relation to Tom Henke? Great reliever for Toronto and I believe he ended with St. Louis.
Nephew.
I can’t see Skole coming back in less than six weeks from a fractured wrist. You have to be careful with wrists — if you rush treatment you risk causing permanent damage.
I imagine that all of us here thought that the Nat’s minor league pitching was a tad iffy. However, I’m going to look at the situation in terms of the glass half full, especially for the p-nats. Ray’s starts have been encouraging. Cole is a high end prospect who only needs a bit more consistency. And I’ve always liked Jordan. Now if only Purke could live up to expectations, that could be quite a rotation.
And I think low A might be better than expected. Then there’s AA and the glass suddenly became half empty unless Solis comes back strong.
Do you concur with my thoughts on the p-nats, Luke, or am I missing something signifigant?
I do. The teams haven’t cycled through their rotation twice yet, never mind getting a look at the rest of the league at least once. Teams have played two opponents in roughly a week. It’s still early, and that cuts both ways.