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Thursday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Lost, 3-0 vs. Norfolk,
6:35 p.m.		 Cole (3-2, 5.46) vs.
Miranda (1-3, 3.58)
Harrisburg Won, 3-1 OFF DAY N/A
Potomac Won, 3-0;
Won, 2-0		 vs. Carolina,
7:05 p.m.		 Valdez (4-1, 4.07) vs.
Parsons (0-0, 4.43)
Hagerstown Won, 2-1 @ Greensboro,
7:00 p.m.		 Baez (1-3, 4.82) vs.
Castellanos (1-1, 4.03)


Lehigh Valley 3 Syracuse 0
• Espino (L, 1-4) 6IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 7K, HR
• Davis 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Ramsey 1-3
• Goodwin 1-4, 2B

Three Lehigh Valley pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout of Syracuse for a 3-0 win in the series finale. Paolo Espino took the loss, giving up three runs on five hit, including a two-run HR in the 5th. He walked four and struck out seven. Erik Davis and Matt Grace each turned in a perfect inning in relief. Brian Goodwin doubled for the sole extra-base hit while Caleb Ramsey, Trea Turner, and Tony Campana each singled to round out the hit column.

Harrisburg 3 Erie 1
• Lopez (W, 1-3) 6IP, 4H, R, ER, BB, 9K
• Suero (H, 4) 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Soto 2-4
• Perez 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI

Reynaldo Lopez kept the ball in the yard and struck out a season-best of nine as he and the Sens won, 3-1. The 22-y.o. flamethrower gave up the one Erie run on four hits and a walk over six innings as he finally got a “W” for 2016. Wander Suero (2IP) and Bryan Harper (1IP) combined for three shutout innings of relief to earn the hold and save, respectively. Isaac Ballou’s two-run double following a Stephen Perez bases-full walk accounted for the three Harrisburg runs.

Potomac 3 Carolina 0 – GAME ONE
• Reyes (W, 3-2) 6IP, 5H, 0R, BB, 7K
• Brinley (SV, 5) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Ward 2-3, R, 2B
• Keller 2-3, RBI

Luis Reyes and Ryan Brinley combined on a six-hit, seven-inning shutout as Potomac took the opener, 3-0. Reyes gave up six hits and a walk over six inning for his third win while Brinley worked around a single in the 7th for this fifth save. Drew Ward and Alec Keller both went 2-for-3 to lead the P-Nats offense.

Potomac 2 Carolina 0 – GAME TWO
• G. Ross (W, 1-1) 5⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Orlan (SV, 4) 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 1-0 IR-S
• Mesa 2-3, 2B
• Sevenson 2-4, RBI

Greg Ross and R.C. Orlan completed the DH sweep with a cmbined two-hit shutout as the P-Nats prevailed, 2-0. Ross gave up both hits over five and a 1/3rd innings as he won his first game. Orlan retired all five batters faced to earn his fourth save. Lineup bookends Andrew Stevenson and Narciso Mesa each had two hits to pace the 10-hit, two-walk offense.

Hagerstown 2 Lakewood 1
• Rodriguez (W, 3-2) 5IP, 5H, R, ER, 2BB, 3K
• Lambert (H, 2) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Peterson (SV, 5) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Robles 1-3, 2B, RBI
• Dent 1-3, R

Make that six straight for the Suns as they edged the BlueClaws, 2-1 to sweep the series and finally overtake the Crawdads for 1st place in the Sally League North. Jefry Rodriguez won for the third time with five innings of one-run ball on five hits and two walks while fanning three. Trey Lambert and Tommy Peterson combined for four shutout innings to notch the hold and save, respectively. Victor Robles’s RBI double plated Cody Dent for the gamewinner as both men went 1-for-3. The Suns managed just five hits and one walk total.

13 Commments

  1. Very strong pitching performances across all 5 games! What’s extra special is the quality of our bullpens this season. Just look at those who pitched last night:

    Davis 1.80 ERA
    Grace 1.69 ERA
    Suero: 1.50 ERA
    Harper: 1.06 ERA
    Brinley 0.56 ERA
    Orlan: 1.45 ERA
    Lambert: 3.18 ERA
    Peterson: 1.02 ERA

    Maybe we can now hold off using so many high draft picks on relievers. Rounds 4, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 15 yielded relievers last year.

  2. Lopez delivers at hype level. Time for his buddy Giolito to start doing the same.

    Among the relievers, Brinley is the one to watch. He didn’t get as much notice as Glover but started the year at A+ after only a half season in the pros and has been extremely effective. I would think that the immediate success of Glover and Brinley as relievers contributed to the decision to give Andrew Lee an extended look as a starter.

    It’s curious that with the seeming backlog of arms at the lower levels, the Nats are using two 26-year-old starters at Potomac in Ross and Whiting (both will turn 27 at the end of the summer). Both have been effective, so good for them, but it’s more promising to see the success of 21-year-old Reyes in the other game.

    1. They’re placeholders until the powers that be decide to promote arms from Hagerstown. Sometimes they get released, sometimes they get moved up (like Robinson).

      1. Lee looked like the odds-on candidate for the first ticket to Potomac until he surrendered an eight spot this week. He may still be first up. Crownover has worked starter-like innings with only one start but has done very well. I would think he and Rodriguez may be in line for mid-season promotions as well. Avila has been great, but they may hold him back because he’s so young. I guess Lopez did get a taste of Potomac at the end of the season at around the same age.

        Austen Williams could be a candidate for a return to Woodbridge from the wrong direction.

        1. Robert Orlan does not get much mention here, but he is being used in high leverage situations and impressing. Old enough to get a social promotion. Blocked on the lefty totem pole by Harper, himself very deserved of promotion, and by the underachieving Nick Lee. Lots o discussion about the dominoes following Turner, but what happens when Belisle is ready?

          System shows a lot of bullpen talent. I’m really hoping for a draft influx of college (not HS) power batsmen with the work ethic and tools to be great defensively. Need catchers and corner OF, 1B for post Zimm era..

          1. I practically did a rain dance for power bats in last year’s draft, but didn’t get much, even though they did devote the first three picks to hitters. Stevenson is a slap hitter, and Perkins is promissory note for five years from now. Wiseman was really about the only power hope they picked, unless you count Kerian (0 HRs at Auburn) or Andrew Lee, who they kept on the mound. It’s hard to argue with the wide-ranging success they’ve had with the pitchers they took, but the overall draft didn’t do much to address the power void. The LHP void, yes; the power void, no.

          2. Keep an eye on Schrock and Sagdal as power prospects. They are still in their first year post-college.

          3. Jeff mentioned awhile back that we could use more lefthanded starters. I agree with him. And they won’t likely be coming from the Dominicans.

          4. Spot on
            Two notices this week
            Frank Wren buys Mel Rojas Jr.
            From pirates after being around his dad
            In Montreal
            Guess who is credited with signing
            Suarez in San Francisco ?? Jose ALOU!

    2. Ross and whiting buying time for some
      Guys below especially Latin .
      Just like Dickson , McGregor Bach and
      Others did last two years

    1. First in the Carolina League in OPS (the one guy ahead of him for the season has already been shifted to AA) and second in HRs. If a light has truly gone on for him, that would be YUGE

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