Saturday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 4-0; Lost, 11-2 |
vs. Rochester, 7:05 p.m. |
Ross (2-1, 2.40) vs. Dean (6-7, 3.25) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 6-3 | vs. Erie, 7:00 p.m. |
Bleier (6-3, 2.96) vs. Green (2-11, 5.00) |
| Potomac | Won, 4-2 | @ Winston-Salem, 6:30 p.m. |
Dickson (1st A+ Start of ’15) vs. Guerrero (1-1, 4.84) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 7-6 | vs. Delmarva, 7:05 p.m. |
Morales (A- Debut) vs. Walker (3-1, 3.33) |
| Auburn | Won, 13-1 | vs. Staten Island, 7:05 p.m. |
Fedde (1-0, 1.50) vs. TBD |
Syracuse 4 Rochester 0 — GAME ONE
• Cole (W, 1-4) 6IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Meek 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Turner 2-3, R, 3B, 2RBI, CS
• Nelson 2-3, RBI
A.J. Cole’s winless streak ended with a 4-0 Syracuse win over Rochester in Game One. Cole threw six shutout innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two to win his first AAA game since August 25, 2014. The Chiefs broke open the 0-0 game with a three-run 3rd, highlighted by Trea Turner’s two-run triple. Turner, Chris Nelson, and Darin Mastroianni each had two hits as Syracuse collected 10 in just six turns at bat.
Rochester 11 Syracuse 2 — GAME TWO
• Hill (L, 3-4) 4+ IP, 6H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 1K, HR
• Johnson 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Turner 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Hague 2-3
You know it’s a bad night when the most effective pitcher is a position player. Rochester scored nine unanswered runs from the 4th to the 6th before Josh Johnson shut them down with a 1-2-3 seventh. The loss went to Taylor Hill, who gave up five runs on six hits and two walks over four-plus innings. Syracuse managed just six hits, though one was Trea Turner’s second AAA home run.
Roster moves: RHP A.J. Cole activated from 7-Day DL; RHP Taylor Hill optioned from Washington; RHP James Simmons released.
Erie 6 Harrisburg 3
• Pivetta 6IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K, HR
• Runion (L, 3-1) 1IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 2K
• Bostick 3-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Dykstra 2-5, R, HR, RBI
Erie struck for three runs in the 7th to break a 3-3 tie and take the series opener vs. Harrisburg, 6-3. Nick Pivetta turned in a quality start of three runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings in his AA debut. Sam Runion was rung up for the deciding runs on three hits in his one inning of work. Tablesetters Cutter Dykstra and Christopher Bostick both homered and combined to go 5-for-9 as the Sens collected 10 hits total.
Roster move: IF Wilmer Difo recalled to Washington.
Potomac 4 Winston-Salem 2
• A. Williams (W, 1-0) 6IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K
• Mapes (H, 2) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Mesa 3-5, R, SB
• Norfork 2-4, 2B, RBI
The P-Nats scored early but not often, but the pitching held up as they doubled up the Dash, 4-2. Austen Williams got hit hard early, giving up two runs in the space of four batters before he settled in to retire 10 straight before issuing his second walk. He would finish with both Winston-Salem runs allowed on three hits over six innings to win his High-A debut. Lineup bookends Narciso Mesa and Khayyan Norfork combined for five of the nine Potomac hits on the night.
Roster move: C Adderling Ruiz, 1B Jimmy Yezzo activated from 7-Day DL; OF Brandon Miller retired; RHP Aaron Barrett MLB Rehab assignment ended.
Hagerstown 7 Delmarva 6
• Bach 4IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 3K
• Orlan (W, 3-1) 3⅓ IP, 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 1K, HR
• Walsh (SV, 6) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, 1-0 IR-S
• Marmolejos-Diaz 2-4, 2R, 2B, 3B, BB, 2RBI
• Mejia 3-5, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Page 2-4, 2B
The Suns scored twice in the bottom of the 6th to change the score for the fifth and final time as they edged the Shorebirds, 7-6. R.C. Orlan got the win in relief, allowing a home run over three and 1/3rd innings. Connor Bach started but was knocked for five runs on six hits and three walks over four innings. “Orange” Marmolejos-Diaz walked, doubled, and tripled, scored twice and drove in two to pace the Hagerstown offense.
Roster move: C Matt Reistetter reassigned from Potomac
Auburn 13 Batavia 1
• J. Rodriguez (W, 1-2) 6IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 8K
• Borne 2IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Kerian 2-3, 2R, 3BB, 2RBI
• Sagdal 2-4, R, 2BB, 4RBI
The Doubledays put up a season-high 13 runs up on the board as they neutered the Muckdogs, 13-1. Jefry Rodriguez struck out eight and gave up the lone Batavia run on two hits and two walks as he pitched six innings for just the second time this season (both wins). Luis Guzman was the beer man, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts while the rest of the Auburn lineup pounded Batavia pitchers for 14 hits and drew 10 walks.
Trea Turner went 0 for 17 upon being promoted to Syracuse; since then he is hitting .390. He doesn’t walk enough (2 in Syracuse) but doesn’t strike out that often either (13 times in 16 games). Considering the Nats’ current injury and other problems, could we see him in the majors before September?
I hope not. The Nats are unlikely to trade Desmond for pennies on the dollar, and the infield situation will be plenty crowded assuming Rendon returns shortly after the ASG.
Throwing Turner to the wolves in the middle of a pennant race isn’t a good idea anyway. It would start his arbitration and free agency clocks a year early and he would likely struggle as he adjusts to the bigs. I’d much rather they have him under team control for his age 29 season, when he will be in his playing prime.
Miller retiring means that picks 2,3,4 & 6 from the 2012 draft have already been released, retired or traded for the proverbial bag of baseballs. Looks like the ultimate grading of that draft for the Nats will be almost entirely dependent on how well Giolito does as a big leaguer.