Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 5-2; Lost, 6-5 | @ Lehigh Valley, 7:05 p.m. |
Rosenbaum (5-5, 4.04) vs. Smith (2-1, 3.12) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 2-1 | @ Erie, 7:05 p.m. |
Karns (5-3, 4.02) vs. Crouse (4-6, 4.54) |
| Potomac | Won, 5-3 | vs. Winston-Salem, 7:05 p.m |
Pineyro (0-0, 9.64) vs. Jaye (5-2, 4.96) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 4-1 | vs. West Virginia, 7:05 p.m. |
Pena (3-3, 4.32) vs. Heredia (1-0, 2.00) |
| Auburn | Won, 6-5 | @ Batavia, 7:05 p.m. |
Johansen (0-0, 1.93) vs. Newell (0-1, 1.80) |
| GCL Nationals | Lost, 1-0; Won, 11-0 | vs. GCL Cardinals, 12:00 p.m. |
Giolito (’13 Debut) vs. TBD |
| DSL Nationals | Lost, 3-0 (6½ inn.) | @ DSL Braves, 10:30 a.m. |
Reyes (2-0, 1.82) vs. TBD |
Syracuse 5 Rochester 2 — GAME ONE
• Maya (W, 4-5) 6IP, 6H, 2R, 1ER, BB, 2K
• Broadway (SV, 5) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Marrero 2-3, 2R, 2B, 2RBI
• Rahl 2-3, 2B, 2RBI
Yunesky Maya turned in his second straight quality start as the Chiefs took the opener, 5-2. Maya allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk while stirking out two to win his fourth game overall. Mike Broadway set ’em down 1-2-3 in the 7th to earn his fifth save. Chris Marrero and Chris RAhl both went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to pace the Syracuse offense.
Rochester 6 Syracuse 5 — GAME TWO
• Garcia 1⅓ IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K
• Tatusko (L, 1-3) 2IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, BB, K
• Brown 3-4, 2R, HR, 2RBI
• Kobernus 2-3, 2B, BB, 2RBI, OF assist at 3B
• Marrero 2-4, R, 2B, 3B
The RedWings’ three-run 4th broke a 3-3 tie as the Chiefs’ comeback fell short, 6-5. Christian Garcia got his rehab in early, starting the game but giving up two hits and two walks over an inning and a 1/3rd. He was charged with three runs, two earned, and struck out two. Ryan Tatusko took the loss with three runs on five hits and a walk over two innings. Corey Brown led Syracuse’s nine-hit attack with two singles and a HR, scoring twice and driving in two.
Roster moves: RHP Cole Kimnball removed from Washington 40-man roster, outrighted to Syracuse.
Erie 2 Harrisburg 1
• Gilliam 5⅔ IP, 3H, R, ER, 2BB, 7K
• Holland (L, 0-3) 1IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 1K
• Goodwin 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2E
• Leon 1-2, R, BB
The Senators snapped a scoreless inning streak at 26⅔ with a run in the 6th, but four errors led to a fourth straight loss, 2-1 to Erie. Brian Goodwin drove in Sandy Leon with a double to tie the game at 1-1. Goodwin and Leon combined for three of the five Harrisburg hits. Starter Rob Gilliam let in a run over five and 2/3rds, giving up three hits and two walks and striking out seven. Neil Holland took the loss with a run on two hits in the 8th.
Potomac 5 Winston-Salem 3
• Rauh 5IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 0BB, 0K, HR, WP
• Mirowski (W, 7-3) 2IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Benincasa (SV, 4) 2IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, WP
• Nieto 2-2, 3R, HR, 3RBI, 2BB
• Dykstra 2-3, 2B, BB
It was the Adrian Nieto show Last Night In Woodbridge.
Hagerstown 4 West Virginia 1
• Encarnacion (W, 6-4) 7IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
• Mendez (SV, 2) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Martinez 2-4, 2-2B, RBI
• Miller 1-3, 2R, BB
• Pleffner 1-1, R, HR, 2RBI (left w/ foot injury)
The Suns struck for three in the first to give Pedro Encarnacion all he would need as the Suns downed the Power, 4-1. Encarnacion threw seven innings of scoreless one-hit ball, fanning six and walking none for the win. Gilberto Mendez earned his second save, working around a hit in the 9th. Estarlin Martinez doubled twice and drove in a run to lead the Hagerstown offense.
Auburn 6 Batavia 5
• Turnbull 5IP, 6H, 3R, 0ER, 3BB, 4K
• Sylvestri (W, 2-0) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 0K
• Lippincott 1-5, R, HR, 4RBI (1st pro HR)
• Ballou 3-5, 2R
Bryan Lippincott’s three-run HR in the bottom of the 9th capped a five-run comeback as the Doubledays put down the Muckdogs, 6-5. Michael Sylvestri gave up a ninth-inning run in his lone frame worked but wound up the winner. Starter Kylin Turnbull put on nine baserunners (three walks, six hits) in five innings, giving up three unearned runs with four strikeouts. Eight of nine Auburn batters hit safely, with Isaac Ballou leading the way with a 3-for-5 night, and Jean Valdez as “el hombre de cerveza” with an 0-for-4 game.
GCL Marlins 1 GCL Nationals 0 — GAME ONE
• Voth 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Simms (L, 0-1) 2IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K
• Wa. Ramos 0-1, BB
Two Marlins farmhands combined on a seven-inning no-hitter as the G-Marlins edged the G-Nats, 1-0. John Simms took the loss with a run given up on two hits over two innings. Austin Voth got the start and tossed three scoreless freames, allowing one hit and no walks, and struck out three. Wander Ramos was the sole G-Nat to reach base without an error, drawing the lone walk of the game.
GCL Nationals 11 GCL Marlins 0 — GAME TWO
• Ott 1⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Webb (W, 1-0) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Suero (H, 1) 3IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Marmolejos-Diaz 3-4, 3R, 2B, 2RBI
• Gordon 3-3, 3R, 2B, BB, RBI
The G-Nats pounded out 14 hits in the second game of the doubleheader en route to an 11-0 smackdown. Four pitchers combined on the three-hit shutout, with Joe Webb getting the win and Wander Suero earning a hold. Jose “Orange” Marmolejos-Diaz and Garrett Gordon led the onslaught with three hits apiece, both singling twice and doubling once.
The Nats 2012 #1 pick Lucas Giolito is scheduled to make his first appearance of 2013 per MASN’s Byron Kerr.
DSL Braves 3 DSL Nationals 0
• Valerio (L, 1-2) 4⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 6K, HR
• Charlis 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Mota 1-1, BB
• Mendoza 1-3
The D-Braves struck for all three runs in the 5th as they took the rain-shortened contest, 3-0. Maximo Valerio took the loss and was charged with two runs on four hits, including a solo HR to open the frame. He walked one and struck out six. The D-Nats were held to just three hits, with Israel Mota the only D-Nat to reach base twice, singling in the 3rd and walking in the 5th.
The Nationals reportedly spent $600K of the $1.85MM they’ve been allotted to spend on IFAs on seven players yesterday. Amanda Comak of the Washington Times has the skinny on the seven.
What the heck has happened to Espinosa?
Player A: .131/.160/.172, 37% K%
Player B: .094/.169/.125, 48% K%
I’m sure you’d prefer Player A.
But who is that? It’s actually the major league average of pitchers this season. Player B is, of course, Danny Espinosa, who just single-handedly lost the second game for Syracuse. But before I get to that, this bears repeating, pitchers are batting better than Espinosa.
He left 7 guys on base (3 of whom were in scoring position). He grounded out in the 1st, flied out with runners on 2nd and 3rd, and then they IBB’d Kobernus to load the bases with one out to get to Espinosa, who naturally grounded into a rally killing double play, and finally grounded out in the 6th with runners on 1st and 2nd. He’s not even making decent contact.
In the first game, he also went 0-4, stranding 4 runner (2 in scoring position). In his first 3 at bats, he hit 3 pop outs that didn’t leave the infield. And in his last at bat, struck out with runners on 2nd and 3rd. The Chiefs literally would be better off just fielding 8 players.
So my original question is, how does this happen?? How does a major league batter suddenly become worse than guys (pitchers) whose batting plan is to pretty much close their eyes, swing and hope for the best?
Is Espinosa that mentally unsettled that it has rendered him incapable of hitting a baseball? Or is he just incredibly stubborn and selfish to refuse to admit that his shoulder is actually a problem? Is there another explanation I’m missing?
Espinosa’s troubles at the plate have gotten worse not better with his demotion to AAA. He bats second in the lineup and is an automatic out every time. He isn’t even making productive outs.
The Nationals need to convince him to have surgery on his shoulder. This will give him a face saving break and allow him to try and mentally reset himself. All that is going on now is only making it harder for him to find himself again.
This also points out the sad fact that Davey Johnson stayed way too long with him in the Majors and hurt his team’s won lost record.