Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 11-2 | vs. Rochester, 7:00 p.m. |
Lively (3-2, 3.91) vs. Johnson (9-7, 3.54) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 5-3 | vs. Portland, 7:00 p.m. |
Espino (6-4, 4.07) vs. Rodriguez (5-7, 4.14) |
| Potomac | Won, 8-1; Won, 3-0 |
@ Lynchburg, 6:05 p.m. |
Rauh (2-2, 4.00) vs. Scarpetta (3-6, 4.50) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 5-2 | vs. Greensboro, 7:05 p.m. |
Suero (3-1, 2.14) vs. Garcia (9-5, 4.69) |
| Auburn | Won, 5-4 | @ State College, 7:05 p.m. |
Van Orden (1-3, 5.04) vs. Gomber (0-2, 2.79) |
| GCL Nationals | Lost, 9-6 | @ GCL Mets, 12:00 p.m. |
TBD vs. TBD |
| DSL Nationals | 0-0 after 5 inn. (Suspended, Rain) |
@/vs. DSL Cardinals, 10:30 a.m. (COMP. DH) |
Bermudez (4-5, 2.10) vs. Fernandez (0-5, 5.79) |
Syracuse 11 Rochester 2
• Cole (W, 6-0) 6IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, HR
• Grace 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Lozada 2-3, 2R, RBI
• Perez 2-2, R, 2B, RBI <-- was hit by throw returning to 2B after RBI double, lifted for PR one batter later
• Schierholtz 3-5, R, HR, 4RBI
Syracuse scored early and often in a dominant 11-2 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New Chief Nate Schierholtz hit a three-run homer off RailRiders starter and loser Bryan Mitchell, scoring Emmanuel Burriss and Eury Perez before a single out was recorded. The rout continued with a Perez RBI double in the 3rd, scoring Burriss. Pinch-runner Jose Lozada would later score on a Tyler Moore sacrifice fly. Armed with a 5-0 lead, starter and winner A.J. Cole gave up a solo home run to lead off the 5th. Scranton’s Taylor Dugas walked with one out, advanced to third on a single by Carmen Angelini that was deflected by Will Rhymes and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Only Will Rhymes will want to delete this game from his laptop; every other Chief managed either a hit or an RBI. Fine bullpen work was turned in by Matt Grace and Ryan Mattheus, who bounced back from some tough outings with a perfect 9th.
Portland 5 Harrisburg 3
• Rivero 5IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 6K
• Bates (BS, 1; L, 1-3) 1⅓ IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, BB, 0K, 0HR
• Keyes 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Martinson 2-4
The Harrisburg Senators continued their losing ways with a 5-3 loss last night to the Portland Sea Dogs. Colin Bates blew a 1-0 lead in the top of the 6th on some small ball by Portland, including a sacrifice bunt to send Hunter Menesis to second and an RBI single by Ryan Dent to send him home. Following a two-run homer by Kevin Keyes that scored Cutter Dykstra in the bottom of the 6th, Bates gave up a two-RBI-double to Carson Blair in the next frame before he was asked to intentionally walk Stefan Welch. Meneses then singled off of new pitcher Tyler Herron to load up the bases before Harrisburg escaped with only minor damage on a sacrifice fly double play that scored Carson Blair but ended the inning with an 8-3-5-4 gundown of Welch at third. Robert Benincasa allowed Carson Blair to hit an insurance home run in the ninth.
Potomac 8 Lynchburg 1 — GAME ONE
• Bacus (W, 5-6) 6⅓ IP, 3H, R, ER, 2BB, 3K
• Davis ⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Severino 2-3, R, 2B, RBI
• Ballou 2-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI, SB
• Oduber 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI
Randolph Oduber grooved a two-run shot in the 1st, Isaac Ballou delivered the Earl Weaver special in the 2nd to give Potomac a 5-0 lead as they cruised to an 8-1 win in the opener. Dakota Bacus pitched into the 7th but couldn’t get the complete game shutout as Lynchburg got their only run after former National farmhand Justin Bloxom led off the 7th with a double and came around to score on another double by Will Skinner. Cody Davis took over from there and got the final two outs to finish the game.
Potomac 3 Lynchburg 0 — GAME TWO
• Turnbull 4IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Encarnacion (W, 3-4) 3IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Pleffner 3-4, 2-2B, RBI, CS
• Miller 2-3, R, RBI
With a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap, the Hillcats are Sniff’n’the Tears with their seventh straight loss while the P-Nats are in the driver’s seat with their sixth straight win. A resurgent Kylin Turnbull (2-0, 0.79 in August) spun four scoreless innings to start while Pedro Encarnacion completed the shutout with three blank frames to finish and earn his third win for Potomac. Shawn Pleffner singled once and doubled twice but saw his streak of eight straight steals snapped when Tyler Tewell caught him trying to steal third in the 3rd.
The twin losses dropped Lynchburg into third place while Wilmington won again to assume second place, trailing Potomac by 4½ games (five in the loss column). The Blue Rocks host the P-Nats next week for five games next Tuesday through Friday.
Hagerstown 5 Greensboro 2
• Pivetta (W, 13-8) 6⅔ IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 5K, HR
• Thomas (H, 3) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K,
• Dent 2-4, R, CS
• Bautista 2-5, R, SB, OF assist at HP
• Mesa 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, SB, HBP
Hagerstown pounced on the first Greensboro reliever for three runs in the 5th, added two more in the 6th and held on for 5-2 win. Nick Pivetta kept his one-game lead over A.J. Cole for the most wins in the Nats minors at 13. He gave up both Grasshopper runs on a two-run shot in the 7th, his fifth hit allowed over six and 2/3rds innings to go with one walk and five K’s. Leadoff man Rafael Bautista singled twice, stole his 66th base, and gunned down a runner at the plate in the 6th to lead the Suns nine-hit, five-walk attack.
Hagerstown now leads the Sally North by three games. Their magic number to clinch is nine with eleven games left to play.
Auburn 5 State College 4
• Bourque (W, 2-5) 5IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 2K, 2WP
• Feliz 1⅔ (H, 2) 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Langlois 3-5, R, 2B, RBI, SB
• Page 1-2, R, 2BB, RBI
• Gunter 1-3, R, BB, RBI
Just four of 15 hits racked up by the Spikes made it home as the Doubledays staved off elimination with a 5-4 victory. James Bourque earned his second win with five innings of two-run ball, though he put on ten baserunners with six hits and four walks. John Feliz and Connor Bach both earned holds while Tyler Mapes earned his fourth save Chad Cordero-style by loading up the bases with three straight two-out singles in the 9th before getting third out on a flyball. Brian Langlois accounted for half of Auburn’s eight total bases with two singles and a double as he went 3-for-5 with an RBI.
GCL Marlins 9 GCL Nationals 6
• Baez (L, 1-2) 3IP, 3H, 5R, 0ER, BB, K
• Jauss 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Reetz 3-4, R, 2RBI, SF, SB
• Lora 1-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI
• Corredor 1-3, R, 2B, 2BB
The G-Marlins got five in the 1st and two in the 6th to build a 7-3 lead, holding off a late charge by the G-Nats for 9-6 win and hand
the Washington mainland rookie team their third straight loss. Joan Baez took the loss, charged with those first five runs, which were unearned thanks to three errors committed on the first four balls put in play. He finished with three hits allowed, one walk issued, and one strikeout over three innings. Eighteen-year-old Jakson Reetz led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort, including a run scored, two RBI, and a stolen base.
DSL Nationals 0 DSL Cardinals 0 — SUSP. (5 inn.)
• Lopez 4IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• A. Diaz 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Mota 2-2 IP, H, R, ER, BB, K
• Peguero 1-2
The rain halted a combined no-hit bid by the D-Nats after five innigs, the score remaining as it was when the game begun at 0-0. Presumably they’ll complete this, then play seven innings today.
Roster move: P Aaron Diaz assigned from Washington.
boy oh boy I have to tip my hat to Mark Grace. He is having a super year Has to be a september call up. On the other hand how bad can Harrisburg get . This might be the worse team in the history of minor league ball
It is so nice to read the results without the over abundance of childish nicknames. The News & Notes is no place to practice for your 5th Grade Comedy Night.
Okay, no matter how you felt about the jokes, these comments are uncalled for. The staff of NP work hard producing this site for us fans of the Nats’ minor league system and they aren’t getting paid to do it.
+1
+2
First, thanks so much for maintaining this site, and especially for slogging your way through the drudgery of writing something interesting Every Doggone Day about yet another 5 or 6 baseball games. It must be taxing at times.
For what it’s worth — which is probably very little — I really enjoyed today’s writeups. Read every word. I think it’s useful to remember that a light and engaging tone doesn’t absolutely *require* puns. I do enjoy some playfulness, even when I personally don’t get the joke — in those cases, I just shrug and move on. That’s hard to do multiple times in each paragraph, though.
The bottom line is that I will always read these daily posts, even if it’s only to skim, and I would gladly pay double what I’m currently being charged. Just thought y’all might like a little feedback. Thanks again for the site.
Given I’m situated in a time zone about 5 hours ahead of Washington (ie the UK), I tend to make this site one of my regular lunchtime reads and have been know to hit refresh multiple times before getting my daily fix of what’s happening down on the Farm.
Keep on keepin’ on, is my message to those who take the time to write and contribute to this. As with all things minor-leagues related, the effort often goes under-appreciated, unrecognised, and can feel like a slog – but every now and again you guys here are genuinely the first to break news that is important. And often humerously or with feeling.
Obligatory on-topic point – Stunned by the success of Mark Grace and Martin in the ‘cyse pen this year. Any scouting reports on them – do they have what it takes to contribute at the MLB level?
And, from Luke’s link yesterday to BP’s scouting reports – the report on Lopez is glowing. “One of the best arms seen all year?”
Guys, know that I’m okay with some criticism… I cut my teeth reporting sports in a small town that had little else going for it. The jokes, puns, and musical references aren’t necessary — but they are fun when done well or, as I’m learning, in moderation. Still, my motivation is to keep reading and writing every day to maintain a skillset that I don’t get to use fully (but am still paying for, iykwim). I’m glad folks appreciate the effort and sometimes I’m simply amazed that so many people visit for a site that has no budget and relies on volunteerism and word of mouth.
Luke, keep doing what you enjoy. This blog is first and foremost for you. If readers here don’t enjoy your puns and nicknames, then they can leave. Since we, the readers, are not paying you, you owe us nothing. If you start doing what others want, and not what gives you pleasure, you will soon find yourself growing tired of it, and we, the readers, will begin to see less than daily updates. Sure, some of the nicknames may be a bit silly (though I love Wirkin “for the weekend” Estevez, and would likely have had never paid any mind to him otherwise), but they’re so inconsequential that it should make no difference to anyone. Keep up the great work! I’ll keep coming back each day, especially for the nicknames and the other bits that make this more than the play-by-play that you can read along with each box score on milb.com.
With my positive messaging out of the way, I have to say that I think it’s absolutely derisible and ridiculous that people are actually complaining about a couple nicknames that you’ve made up. If one stupid nickname is enough to kill their interest, then to hell with them. They’re better off not being here. They can read the box scores by themselves.
The best part about this site, besides the regular updates of course, is the platform for discussion. It’s great to hear so many different perspectives, if sometimes they can be a bit difficult to decipher, on so many obscure Nats farmhands. It’s not a coincidence that those voicing their displeasure are the ones who have added nothing to this site. Their loss is inconsequential to the continued success of this blog, and if they’re going to complain about it, I hope they stick to their word and never return.
^ this. Though my favorite (in many ways) is “Orange” Marmolejos.
+1 as well. I like Help Me Wander…
Luke you do a great job. You are better than Chris Berman with the
Nicknames cause he has been doing it too long .
No wonder you take road trips to get away from
The detailitis of so many players on so many affiliates.
Too bad more of these kids would pitch QS so you did
Not have report all the two starters a night with
Relievers on each affiliate.
But that is what we should remember : player development
Takes more patience from the dugout than the
Bleachers .
More later luke
Nats ink more kida
No one is forcing anybody to read through the news and notes. The cost/pun-joke-whatever, is $0.00 so if you don’t like it, take your money elsewhere. Personally, I enjoy reading the daily blogs and comments. For some of the jokes that I get, it might be my only chuckle for the day. I don’t always agree with the commenters but hearing the different perspective is worth my time. Luke, this is your site…keep up the great work! I appreciate it.
Only bothering to comment because of the comments thus far. I enjoy this site and thank you for all the hard work to maintain it. I personally would vote against the joke names. I don’t get much from it. But if that’s what helps you make this work for us, I don’t gave a damn. Thanks again, as a Nats fan I really appreciate all the work that goes into this.