Thursday’s News & Notes

Syracuse — ALL-STAR BREAK
Zach Walters went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two strikeouts while making three assists and two putouts at shortstop, as the International League defeated the Pacific Coast League, 4-3. Syracuse returns to action with a two-game road series against Rochester before returning home for another two against the Red Wings, then four against Louisville.

New Britain 4 Harrisburg 3
• Hill (L, 2-3) 6IP, 8H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• McCoy 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, K
• Bloxom 1-3, BB
• Howell 1-3, BB

Taylor Hill turned in his fifth straight quality start for the Senators, but lost as the offense fell one run short, 4-3 to the Rock Cats. Hill gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out two. Harrisburg mustered just seven hits total, with all three runs scoring on outs. Carlos Rivero and Justin Bloxom were the only two hitters to reach base twice, both going 1-for-3 with a walk.

Potomac 2 Lynchburg 1
• Schwartz (W, 7-3) 6IP, 5H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Wort (H, 3) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Taylor 4-4, 2-2B, RBI, OF assist at 2B
• Sanchez 3-3, R, 2B

Potomac outhit Lynchburg 12-7 but only won 2-1. The Hillcats turned six double plays, including an unusual unassisted double play as Cutter Dykstra struck out but interfered on the ensuing stolen base attmept. Blake Schwartz turned in yet another quality start, the only run coming on a solo HR as he let up just five hits, no walks, and fanned three over six innings. Rob Wort pitched two scoreless innings for the hold (no. 3) while Robert Benincasa danced around a single and two walks in the 9th for the save (no. 6). Michael Taylor singled and doubled twice, and drove in what proved to be game-winning run in the 6th as both he and Adrian Sanchez (3-for-3) had hits in each plate appearance. Roster move: RHP A.J. Cole activated from TIL.

Hickory 6 Hagerstown 0
• Mooneyham (L, 4-3) 5IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 5K, HR
• C. Davis 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Ramos 1-3
• Perez 1-3

The Hickory Crawdads put the pinch on the Suns, shutting out Hagerstown 6-0 on two hits to take first place in the Sally League North. Brett Mooneyham gave up five runs on five hits over five innings for the loss. The killshot came with two outs in the 3rd when Lewis Brinson broke open a 2-0 lead with a three-run homer off Mooneyham, who walked three and struck out five. Wander Ramos and Stephen Perez were the only two Suns batters to hit safely, each singling one in three at-bats.
Roster move: LHP Justin Thomas reassigned from Potomac.

Auburn 3 Tri-City 1
• Johansen 4⅔ IP, 3H, R, ER, 2BB, 6K
• Bafidis (W< 1-0) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K, 1-0 IR-S • Napoli (SV, 3) 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K • Ballou 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI • Gunter 2-4, R Three Doubledays pitchers made a three-run top of the 2nd stand up as Auburn defeated Tri-City, 3-1. Jake Johansen was an out short of qualifying for the win, letting in the Valley Cats sole run on three hits and two walks over four and 2/3rds innings. The Nats first pick of the 2013 Draft struck out six. Cory Bafidis finished the 5th and pitched a scoreless 6th for the win. David Napoli closed it out with one hit, no walks, and three K's over the final three frames for ths save, his third. Cody Gunter led the hit column with a 2-for-4 night as the Doubledays managed just six hits total. Roster move: RHP Joel Barrientos placed on the 7-Day DL; LHP Cory Bafidis reassigned from Hagerstown.

GCL Nationals 5 GCL Marlins 0
• J. Rodriguez (W, 3-0) 5IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 7K
• Silvestre 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Bautista 3-5, 2R, RBI, 3SB
• Pleffner 1-1, 2B, SF, 3RBI
• Medina 1-3, R, BB, RBI

Rehabbing Shawn Pleffner drove in three in the first two innings as the G-Nats blanked the G-Marlins, 5-0. Jefry Rodriguez got the win, tossing five scoreless innings with four hits allowed, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Rehabbing RHPs Pat Lehman and Cameron Selik both turned in a scoreless inning before Hector Silvestre closed it out with two straight 1-2-3 innings. Rafael Bautista singled three times, scored twice, and stole three bases to the lead the lineup. Roster moves: Pleffner, Mike McQuillan assigned from Hagerstown, Selik assigned from Potomac for minor-league rehab.

DSL Nationals 11 DSL Rojos 6
• Yrizarri (W, 3-1) 5IP, 6H, 4R, 3ER, BB, K
• Reynoso 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K
• Aguero 4-4, 3R, BB
• Alvarez 3-5, R, BB, RBI, 2SB
• Corredor 3-6, 3R, RBI

A seven-run 2nd busted the open a 2-0 game as the D-Nats, who swept a doubleheader yesterday (*ahem*), won their third straight game. 18-y.o. Venezuelan Deibi Yrizarri got the “W” four runs (three earned) allowed on six hits and a walk while striking out one over five innings. The D-Nats pounded out 16 hits total, led by “Fred” Aguero, who went 4-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.