Sunday’s News & Notes

Lehigh Valley 4 Syracuse 2 — GAME ONE
• Roenicke (L, 4-5) 5IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, BB, K
• Stange 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Kobernus 2-3, RBI, CS
• Rhymes 1-3, R, 2B

In game one, Syracuse starter Josh Roenicke was felled by one bad inning. He gave up four runs in the top of the 5th to Lehigh Valley and the Chiefs’ offense failed to drum up an ample response. A leadoff homer by Leandro Castro to left started the fateful frame. Three singles and a double later, Syracuse found itself facing an insurmountable four-run hole. They did respond with two in the bottom of the 5th. Catcher Jhonatan Solano singled, Wil Rhymes doubled him over to third, and a sac fly by Josh Johnson scored Syracuse’s first run. After Emmanuel “I’m not Webster” Burriss was plunked, Kobernus singled in Syracuse’s second run. Lehigh Valley starter Brad “Thinkin’” Lincoln made sure that was all the runs the Chiefs would get en route to the seven inning complete game and a 4-2 score.

Lehigh Valley 5 Syracuse 0 — GAME TWO
• Holland (L, 1-1) 2IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, K, HR
• Grace 3IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, K
• Moore 1-2, BB
• Walters 1-3, 2B

Syracuse suffered an even worse fate in game two. A pair of doubles in the 1st off starter Matt Holland led to Lehigh Valley’s first run. A two-run homer by Nate Spears in the second made it 3-0. Matt Grace could not stop the bleeding in the third. He yielded four single and two runs, ending his streak without an earned run at 25. The doleful Syracuse fans were now seeing a 5-0 deficit on the scoreboard. After going with the complete game victory in the opener, Lehigh Valley took the committee approach to shut out the Chiefs in the nightcap. Kudos to Hector Neris, winner Jeremy Horst and Cesar Jimenez for limiting the Chiefs offense to just three singles and Zach Walters’ 17th double of the year. Roster move: OF Eury Perez reassigned from Potomac; MiLB.com is listing this as him still being on a rehab assignment, most likely to avoid having to add him to the Chiefs’ roster.

Richmond 7 Harrisburg 3
• Kroenke 5IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 5K
• Runion (L, 0-1) 2IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, K, HR
• Keyes 1-2, 2R, 2BB, HR, RBI
• Martinson 2-3, R, 3B, BB

The joy of Jose Lozada’s game-tying single in the top of the 8th was short-lived as the Squirrels went nuts on Sam Runion for four runs in the bottom of the 8th en route to a 7-3 win over the Senators. Runion gave up six hits total, including a home run, with no walks and one strikeout over the 7th and 8th innings. Zach Kroenke started and went the first five, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks with five K’s. Jason Martinson reached base three times on a single, walk, and a triple while Kevin Keyes homered and walked twice as Harrisburg registered eight hits and four walks total.

Potomac 6 Salem 1
• Spann (W, 7-4) 7IP, 6H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
• Mendez 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Martinez 3-5, 2R, 2B, OF assist at 2B
• Tejeda 2-4, R, BB, HR, 3RBI, SB
• Manuel 2-3, BB, 2RBI

Oscar Tejeda totaled a Mercedes while Matt Spann turned in seven shutout innings as Potomac stopped a four-game losing streak with a 6-1 win over Salem. Former Red Sox farmhand Tejeda smacked a three-run HR off Simon Mercedes to give Spann all the support he would need. The 23-y.o. southpaw tied his season-best with six K’s, walked none and let up six hits to win his 7th game for the P-Nats and 9th overall. Estarlin Martinez continues to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-5 with a double and two runs score to lead the 15-hit parade for Potomac.

Hagerstown 6 Delmarva 5
• Giolito (W, 5-2) 5⅓ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 9K
• Thomas (H, 2) 2⅓ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 4K, HR, 2-1 IR-S
• Lopez 2-4, 2R, HR, RBI
• Kieboom 2-4, 2RBI
• Ballou 1-3, BB, RBI, SB

Carlos Lopez’s solo HR in the top of the 9th proved to be the difference as Hagerstown nearly blew a 5-0 lead but survived with a 6-5 win over Delmarva. Lucas Giolito tied a season high with nine strikeouts as he pitched into the 6th for just the fourth time in 15 starts. He was charged with two runs on four hits and a walk while earning his fifth win. Lopez and Spencer Kieboom both went 2-for-4 as the Suns racked up 10 hits on the night.

Auburn 5 Lowell 4
• A. Williams 4⅔ IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 0BB, 4K, HBP, 2WP
• P. Valdez (W, 2-0) 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K, 1-1 IR-S
• W. Rodriguez 3-5, 2R, 2B
• Williamson 2-4, 2B
• Eusebio 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI

Diomedes Eusebio’s two-run homer capped off a three-run 8th as Auburn rallied from 4-2 down to win 5-4 over Lowell. Austen Williams was sloppy in the early going, hitting a batter and missing the catcher twice as the Spinners got to him for three runs in the 1st on just two hits. He would compose himself and pitch into the fifth, finishing with three hits allowed and four strikeouts over four and 2/3rds. Lowell returned the favor with a two-run error in the 1st but shut down Auburn until the 8th. That’s when Wilman Rodriguez doubled for his third hit of the night, came in on a single by “Orange” Marmolejos-Diaz, then Eusebio hit the killshot. Philips Valdez, who let in an inherited runner in the 7th, got the win with two scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th.
Roster moves: RHPs Robbie Dickey, Luis Torres reassigned from GCL Nationals. Tonight’s starter is TBD, best bet: Torres, who hasn’t pitched since July 12.

GCL Marlins 9 GCL Nationals 4
• Mattheus 1IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 2K
• Yrizarri (L, 1-1) 3IP, 7H, 8R, 8ER, BB, 3K, HR
• J. Ramirez 3IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 5K
• Guzman 3-5, R, 2-2B, RBI
• Gutierrez 2-5, R, RBI

The G-Nats answered the G-Marlins first two scores of one run and three runs, but had no response for the five-run 4th as the G-Marlins went on to win 9-4. Ryan Mattheus put in his rehab inning with a run let in on two hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. Deibi Yrizarri took the loss with eight runs allowed in three innings on seven hits, including a grand slam. Luis Guzman singled once and doubled twice to pace the G-Nats 10-hit attack. Roster moves: RHP Ryan Mattheus assigned from Syracuse for minor-league rehab.

DSL Nationals — OFF DAY
Much is made about the NYPL’s grueling schedule, but the DSL isn’t that much easier. Yesterday and today are the only planned consecutive days off from May 31 to August 23, with the DSL All-Star Game scheduled for this morning at 10:30 a.m.