Friday’s News & Notes

Syracuse vs. Lehigh Valley — PPD
Rain postponed the finale of the two-game series between the IronPigs and the Chiefs to August 23. Syracuse returns to upstate New York for a two-game breather before heading back out on the road for a pair of four-game series in Georgia and North Carolina.
Roster moves: PH Greg Dobbs outrighted from Washington; CF Brian Goodwin placed on the 7-Day DL.

Richmond 8 Harrisburg 6
• Simmons 4IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 4K, 2HR, HBP
• Bates 4IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K,
• Leonida 2-3, 2B, BB, RBI
• Dykstra 2-4, 2R, 2B, BB, HR, RBI
• Keyes 2-5, 2R, HR, 2RBI

Harrisburg came up on the wrong end of a see-saw battle as they fell to Richmond 8-6 at Metro Bank Park. After Kevin Keyes put the Senators up 2-0 in the first inning on his 13th home run, the Flying Squirrels answered with five runs of their own in the 2nd. Harrisburg starter James Simmons allowed back-to-back home runs to start the inning and then got roughed up for three additional runs on four hits during the frame. The Senators then tied the game back up, before the Flying Squirrels took the lead for good, by scoring two runs off Colin Bates in the 7th and then adding an insurance run in the 9th. Cutter Dykstra also contributed to the Senators’ offense with his fifth home run of the season.

Potomac vs. Wilmington — PPD
Like the folks in Central Pennsylvania, officials in Northern Delware pulled the plug on the series finale between Potomac and Wilmington. The two teams play again at Frawley Stadium in late August but a makeup date has yet to be determined (best guess: Wednesday, August 27).

Lakewood 4 Hagerstown 1
• Johansen (L, 4-3) 4IP, 6H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K, 3WP
• Ullmann 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Kieboom 1-4, 2B, RBI
• Ballou 1-4, R, 2B

The BlueClaws answered the only Suns rally with a three-spot in the 4th and cruised to a 4-1 victory to take the series, 2-1. Jake Johansen failed to go five innings for the fifth straight time, giving up all four Lakewood runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three in his third loss. Isaac Ballou and Spencer Kieboom smacked back-to-back doubles in the 4th to tie the game at 1-1 for the only two extra-base hits of the six that Hagerstown managed for the game.

Mahoning Valley 4 Auburn 2
• Lopez (1-2) 6IP, 1H, R, ER, BB, K
• D. Williams ⅓ IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K
• P. Valdez 2⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 2-0 IR-S
• Masters 1-4, R, 2B
• Marmolejos-Diaz 1-4, SF, RBI

A two-run rally in the seventh inning was not enough as Auburn fell to Mahoning Valley, 4-2. The Doubledays fell behind early as the Scrappers took a 4-0 lead, scoring one run in the second and adding three more in the 7th. Auburn made it a ballgame in the bottom half of the seventh with runs on an RBI single by Jose “Orange” Marmolejos-Diaz and also added another run on a sacrifice fly by Osvaldo Abreu. Auburn starter Reynaldo Lopez allowed only a one hit over six innings of work, but suffered his second defeat of the season. Roster moves: RHP David Fischer released.

GCL Cardinals 11 GCL Nationals 4
• Estevez 3IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Reyes (L, 0-1) 2IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K
• Gutierrez 2-3, R, BB
• Rosario 2-3, BB, RBI, CS

The G-Cards scored six unanswered runs as they dropped the G-Nats to .500 with an 8-2 pummeling. Wirkin “For The Weekend” Estevez gave up a two-run shot in his third inning of work and three hits overall in his second start back from TJ surgery. Luis Reyes was charged with the loss with two runs on four hits over two frames. Kelvin Gutierrez and Dionicio Rosario both went 2-for-3 with a walk as the G-Nats managed seven hits and four walks on the afternoon.

DSL Mets1 6 DSL Nationals 5 (10 inn.)
• Fuentes 4IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, BB, 4K, WP, 2HBP
• N. Ramirez (L, 2-3) 1+ IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K
• Cespedes (BS, 2) 2BF, 1H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Robles 2-3, 2R, 2-2B, CS(5)
• G. Ramirez 2-3, R, SB

The D-Nats rallied to tie the game at 4-4 with runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings and took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th. The ‘pen however couldn’t retire anyone in the bottom of the 10th as the D-Mets drew two walks and hit three singles to score twice and take this one, 6-5. Steven Fuentes dug a 4-0 hole with five hits, a walk, two hit batsmen over the first four innings. Malvin Pena and Yonathan Ramirez both turned in two scoreless to make the comeback possible. Victor Robles and Gilberto Ramirez both went 2-for-3 to power the D-Nats offense, with the 17-y.o. Robles doubling twice and getting caught stealing for the fifth time while the 21-y.o. Ramirez doubled once and swiped his 17th base.