Tuesday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 7 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 6
• Cole 4⅓ IP, 6H, 4R, 3ER, 4BB, 2K
• Grace (W, 1-0) 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K, 1-0 IR-S
• Martin (SV, 3) 1IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Taylor 2-2, R, 2B, BB, SB
• Laird 2-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Rhymes 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI

Michael Taylor had an adventuresome but successful AAA debut as he led Syracuse to a crucial 7-6 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to hold onto 1st place in the I.L. North. It began with a whimper as Taylor ran down a deep flyball to the warning track in right-center to record the first out but dropped the ball for an error to let the first Baby Bomber run score. It ended with a bang as the 23-y.o. doubled in Emmanuel “Still Not Webster” Burriss for the game-winning run to cap a three-run 7th and a 2-for-2 night (he also walked and stole base). The Chiefs committed four errors total, which compounded poor outings by starter A.J. Cole and reliever Ryan Mattheus, but the offense saved the day. Brandon Laird went 2-for-4 with a two-run HR while Will “Skills” Rhymes went 2-for-4 with a two-run double to combined with Taylor for six of the nine Chiefs hits. Matt Grace got the win, his first at AAA, while Rafael Martin did his best to keep the cardiologists of Syracuse employed by requiring a gundown of Zelous Wheeler at the plate by third baseman Brandon Laird to help him record his third save.

Reading 5 Harrisburg 1
• Simms (L, 2-3) 3⅔ IP, 8H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, K, HR
• Bates 2⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 2-0 IR-S
• Keyes 2-4
• Vettleson 1-3, BB, SF, RBI

The Fightin’ Phils beat on the Senators for two in the 1st round inning and never looked back in a 5-1 decision versus Harrisburg. Starter and loser John Simms gave up three more in the 4th, starting with a leadoff homer by Zach Collier. Colin Bates recorded the final out in the fourth as part of two and 1/3rd innings of stellar, three-strikeout pitching for one of the few Senators highlights on the night. The Harrisburg offense was limited to just one run, which came on a Drew Vettleson sacrifice fly after the Sens loaded the bases with no outs in the 8th. A strikeout and a groundout sandwiched around a walk ended the Harrisburg threat in the 8th while a double play ended the game in the 9th

Potomac — OFF DAY
While the P-Nats were taking care of business in Zebulon over the weekend, the Hillcats were swept by the Dash two hours to the west in Winston-Salem to open up a three-game lead for Potomac over Lynchburg. For the second week in a row, the Carolina League’s division leaders will meet in Woodbridge for a pair of night games and getaway day matinee — and a possible 2014 Mills Cup preview.

West Virginia 5 Hagerstown 2
• Suero 5IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 4K, HBP
• Cooper (L, 7-4) ⅔ IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, BB, 0K, HBP
• Kieboom 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Lopez 1-3, R, HR, RBI

A four-run 6th put this one away as the Power shorted the Suns, 5-2. Wander Suero made the spot start and turned in five strong innings with one unearned run and one hit allowed. He walked none and struck out four. West Virginia greeted Andrew Cooper with three straight hits and five total in the space of nine batters as the 22-y.o. reliever was charged with his fourth loss. Hagerstown was held to just three hits and two walks total, as solo shots by Spencer Kieboom and Carlos Lopez accounted for both Suns runs.

Auburn 7 Staten Island 6 (10 inn.)
• Ott 4IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 5BB, 3K, HR, WP
• Sanchez (W, 4-0) 2⅓ IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K, 3-0 IR-S
• D. Ramos (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Gunter 2-4, R, RBI
• Gardner 1-3, 3R, HR, RBI, 2BB, SB
• Page 2-5

Jeff Gardner homered with two out in the 9th to force extras, where Auburn struck again with two down as Clay Williamson drove in pinch-runner Willie Medina from second to snatch a 7-6 win away from Staten Island and take the series, 2-1. Travis Ott started and went the first four innings, but walked five and gave up three runs on three hits, including a two-run shot in the 4th. After the Doubledays took a 5-3 lead in the 6th, the Yankees put up a picket fence with single runs in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to take a 6-5 lead. Mario Sanchez, who stranded three in the 7th before giving up a run of his own in the 8th, got the win. David Ramos set them down 1-2-3 in the 10th for the save, his first for Auburn and second for the 2014 season.

GCL Nationals 12 GCL Cardinals 2 (7½ inn.)
• Rivero 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, BK
• Lee (W, 1-0) 1⅔ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, BB, K, HR, 2WP
• Lora 3-5, 2R
• Florentino 2-5, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Rosario 2-3, 2R, BB

The G-Nats took a 6-0 lead after two and cruised to a 12-2 win that was shortened to 7½ innings by rain. Felipe Rivero tossed three scoreless innings to start with just two hits and no walks allowed. The win went to Nick Lee though he was largely ineffective, with two runs let in on three hits and a walk over an inning and 2/3rds. Edwin Lora went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, followed by Dionicio Rosario, who also reached base three times on two singles and a walk in four PAs.
Roster move: RHP Joan Baez reassigned from the DSL Naionals.

DSL Nationals 13 DSL Rojos 0
• Bermudez (W, 4-4) 5IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Guance 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Mota 3-6, R, 2B, RBI
• Pimentel 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Robles 2-4, 3R, 2B, BB, 2RBI

The D-Nats broke open a 1-0 game with an eight-run 4th while three pitchers combined to limit the D-Rojos to no runs and five hits for a 13-0 shutout. Juan Bermudez finally evened his won-loss mark at 4-4 with five one-hit, one-walk innings with four K’s. Hector Guance and Ramses Rosario both went two scoreless innings in relief with two hits given up. Every starter reached base with Israel Mota leading the hit column at three with two singles and a double, Luis Rengel driving in three with a two-run single and a sac fly, and Andres Martinez drawing four of the nine walks taken by the D-Nats.