Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 1-0; Lost, 2-0 |
vs. Rochester, 1:05 p.m. |
T. Hill (1-0, 1.42) vs. Wheeler (0-1, 3.09) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 6-3; Lost, 2-1 |
@ Altoona, 6:00 p.m. |
Alderson (0-0, 4.22) vs. Glasnow (1-0, 0.82) |
| Potomac | Won, 6-0 | @ Wilmington, 10:35 a.m. |
Schwartz (0-1, 4.09) vs. Mills (0-1, 4.50) |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 6-3 | vs. Delmarva, 10:35 a.m. |
Reyes (0-1, 5.59) vs. Grimes (0-0, 9.72) |
Syracuse 1 Rochester 0 — GAME ONE
• Cole 6IP, 5H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Meek (W, 1-0) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Martinson 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Taylor 2-2, BB, SB, CS
Jason Martinson’s leadoff, walkoff HR in the bottom of the 7th broke up the Star Trek convention on the stadium scoreboard and gave the Chiefs a 1-0 win in the opener. A.J. Cole outdueled former Nats farmhand Alex Meyer, tossing six shutout innings with five hits, no walks, and three whiffs. It was the first time in three starts that he did not give up a HR. Michael Taylor rounded out the Syracuse hit column with a pair of singles, a walk, and a stolen base in his first game back from DC.
Rochester 2 Syracuse 0 — GAME TWO
• Bleier (L, 0-1) 4IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Lively 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Taylor 1-2, BB, SB
• Johnson 1-2, 2B
The Redwings dropped a deuce in the 4th inning and stifled the Chiefs in the second game to take the second game, 2-0. Richard Bleier started and was charged with both Rochester runs on six hits and a walk to suffer the loss. Michael Taylor singled, walked, and stole a base but the Syracuse offense was held to just four hits and two walks total.
Harrisburg 6 Altoona 3 — COMP.
• Self (W, 1-0) 2IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K
• De Los Santos (S, 3) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Perez 2-4, BB, 2RBI, SB
• Lisson 3-4, 2R, HR, RBI
In the continuation, Harrisburg scored twice in the 7th to tie and three in the 9th to double up Altoona, 6-3. Derek Self got the win with two scoreless innings as the first reliever out of the ‘pen. Abel De Los Santos tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his third save. Stephen Perez singled twice, walked once and drove in two while Mario Lisson finished at 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a HR.
Altoona 2 Harrisburg 1 — GAME TWO
• Espino (L, 0-2) 6IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K, HR
• Ramsey 2-3, R, SB, OF assist at 2B
• Hague 2-3, 2SB
The Curve took the nightcap, 2-1, on a 5th-inning HR by Sebastian Vale. Paolo Espino pitched all six innings for the Sens, allowing both runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two. Caleb Ramsey and Ricky Hague combined for four hits and three stolen bases as the Harrisburg offense was limited to six hits and one walk total.
Roster moves: OF Delta Cleary Jr. released; OF Derrick Robinson reassigned from Syracuse; RHP Robert Benincasa placed on the 7-Day DL; RHP James Simmons activated from XST.
Potomac 6 Wilmington 0
• Rauh (W, 2-0) 7IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Thomas 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Kieboom 1-3, R, 2BB
• Mesa 2-4, 2B, 2RBI
• Ward 2-4, R, RBI, SB
Three Potomac pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout of Wilmington, 6-0. Brian Rauh gave up both hits along with a walk while setting down three on strikes over seven innings. Justin Thomas and Cody Davis each turned in a scoreless inning in relief. Spencer Kieboom reached base three times on a single and two walks while Narciso Mesa and Drew Ward both went 2-for-4 as the P-Nats racked up 10 hits and four walks total.
Delmarva 6 Hagerstown 3
• Bach 5IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Mooneyham (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K, HR, WP
• Gardner 1-3, R, 2B, BB, SB
• Masters 0-2, 2BB, CS
Brett Mooneyham picked up where he left off in 2014, giving up four runs in his second inning of relief as the Shorebirds defeated the Suns, 6-3. Connor Bach started and let in two runs on six hits and a walk over five innings, but left the game with a 3-2 lead. Mooneyham pitched around a walk and a wild pitch in the 6th but gave up a single, double, another walk, and a HR in the 7th for the blown-save-loss. Hagerstown scored three times on just three hits but also drew six walks and stole a base.
Roster moves: OF Wilman Rodriguez placed on the 7-Day DL; IF Cody Dent activated from XST.
Trea Turner Update
Turner pushed his hit streak to nine games with a single in four trips to the plate in a 3-2 San Antonio loss to Springfield.
In the stud update, we have ….
Wimer Difo .972 OPS
Trea Turner .890 OPS
I know it’s early, but WOW!
It is very encouraging. With Desmond as good a gone, at least one of them has to rise quickly. I am disappointed tat Joe Ross has had a bit of a slow start, but I am just being greedy.
Hopefully both can sustain this level over the next few months, and each get promoted a level around the ASB, otherwise, we’ll be looking at one blocking the other.
Nats are a contender and have needs. Hope they hold onto both but we have to get used to rooting for guys like Sousa, seeing them get traded, and then becoming fans of their new teams. Hence I root for As in AL West, Padres in NL West for Derek Norris whose Hagerstown season was my original fancrush, I believe. I get mad at guys like Werth who not only are paid more than I feel they are worth but block homegrown guys. I’m thoroughly convinced that there were enough bats in the system that Werth could be gone, Taylor or Souza could have replaced him, and you’d have 60 million more dollars for other needs. Werth’s deal is oy worth the money if they win a World Series in uniform to me. I’m biased, though. Taylor gave me that game used broken bat, and I’m a Christian, who while not bible thumping, appreciates Sousa’s faith turning him into a candidate for a Josh Hamiltonesque turnaround with more sustainable results. I’m holing that he has a great career as an all star but Trea Turner turns out to be our Never.
Should say Jeter, not never. Dang autocorrect!
I have to imagine Taylor’s instructions were to work on his plate discipline. The big league power is there, the fielding tools are there (just needs to get comfortable), and the speed is there. He just needs to become a bit more discerning at the plate. His 3:19 BB:K ratio is a bit concerning.
So it’s nice to see him take 2 BBs and only strike out once in 6 plate appearances yesterday.
Great point, and I feel AAA journeymen junk is what he needs to see. Veterans are going to throw him slop. AA fireballers didn’t phase him one bit!
I know Jordan missed his start when called up to DC, but I thought he would have been plugged in before now, rather than been skipped entirely. Are there any rumors of an injury?
if there is another Roark among the Nats prospects my pick is Brian Rauh
His WHIP is a stellar .0.736
A shout out also to Drew Ward. At a full 3 years below league average, Ward has found his footing and is moving up.
He’ll probably spend the full year with the PNats, but at only shade over 20 years old, that is no problem.
I love that the Nats were aggressive with Ward’s development. The Nats can be too risk averse at times. I mean, just look at how few high schoolers they draft each year. And the few they do draft, they handle them with kid gloves.
Even when Ward struggled over the past couple years, he’s never looked in over his head. But much like Taylor, one of the Nats few other HS hitters, Ward’s power appears to be one of his last skills to develop.
It’s an exciting lineup in Potomac. I think Ballou and Kieboom, despite their advanced ages, still have a future with the Nats, much like too-old-to-be-a-prospects Rafael Martin and Steven Souza.