Sunday’s News & Notes

Norfolk 5 Syracuse 2
• Long (L, 1-3) 5IP, 10H, 4R, 3ER, BB, 2K
• Grace 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Ramsey 1-2, 2BB
• Lombardozzi 2-4, R

As it has more often than not in 2016, the clutch hit eluded Syracuse as they fell last night to Norfolk, 5-2. Jaron Long was rolled for 10 of the 15 Tide hits and four of the five runs in his five innings. He walked one and struck out two while losing his third AAA game. Caleb Ramsey walked twice while Steve Lombardozzi singled twice as the Chiefs managed just seven hits and were 0-for-7 with RISP.

Akron 6 Harrisburg 3
• Valdez (L, 2-2) 4+ IP, 4H, 6R, 6ER, 7BB, 4K, HR
• Brinley 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Ballou 2-4
• Kieboom 1-3, BB, RBI

It was too little, too late for the Senators as they fell into 6-0 and only made it halfway out for a 6-3 loss to the RubberDucks. Phillips Valdez was charged with all six Akron runs on four hits, including a three-run HR to third batter he faced in the 5th. He walked seven and struck out four while losing his second AA game. Isaac Ballou singled twice while both Spencer Kieboom and Kevin Keyes singled and walked to pace the Harrisburg offense.

Carolina 6 Potomac 5
• Crownover 5⅔ IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 5K
• Orlan (H, 4; L, 5-3) ⅓ IP, 2H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 0K
• M. Sanchez (BS, 2) ⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, K, 3-3 IR-S
• Schrock 2-4, R, BB, HR, RBI
• Vettleson 2-4, R, RBI, 2SB
• Masters 2-4, R

Apparently, if you have to choose, you should pick bad defense over poor relief. At least that’s what Carolina demonstrated as six errors weren’t enough to give away the game. Potomac’s 9th-inning meltdown turned a 5-3 win into a 6-5 loss and cost Matthew Crownover his first A+ “W.” In fairness, the Mudcats should have gotten more against the southpaw starter, who issued four walks and gave up six hits (including two doubles and a triple) over five and 2/3rds innings but only gave up two runs. Likewise for the P-Nats, who only got two unearned runs and stranded six despite stealing five bases against Sal Giardina, who committed three errors but smacked the game-winning double against Mario Sanchez. R.C. Orlan took the loss as he retired just one of four batters faced but was credited with a hold nonetheless.

Hagerstown 4 Delmarva 2
• Baez (W, 6-6) 5IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 10K
• Hearn 3IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 7K
• Encarnacion 2-2, 2BB, RBI, 2CS
• La Bruna 1-1, R, RBI, 3BB

It was almost the same story in Salisbury, Md., as the Shorebirds scored twice in the 9th in a 4-2 loss to the Suns. Joan Baez struck out a career-high 10 batters in five scoreless innings with one hit and one walk allowed as he evened up his won-loss record at 6-6. Taylor Hearn piled on seven more over the next three frames, though he gave up four hits and needed 63 pitches to do it (vs. 80 for Baez). Philip Walby loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batsman in the 9th, getting a groundout in between, before giving way to Mariano Rivera III who let in one run on a sacrifice fly and the other on a single before ending the threat with a flyout to deep right-centerfield. Randy Encarnacion and Angelo La Bruna both reached base four times with two RBI, three singles, and five walks combined to lead the Hagerstown offense.

State College 10 Auburn 3
• Ramirez (L, 2-1) 1⅔ IP, 5H, 7R, 5ER, BB, 2K
• Banks 2-5, R, 2B, 3B, RBI
• Barrera 2-4, 2B
• Brandt 2-3, 2B

A touchdown and an extra point in the 2nd was the difference as State College took another one from Auburn, 10-3. Doubledays starter Yonathan Ramirez didn’t make it out of the inning as he was charged with the aforementioned seven runs (five earned) on five hits and a walk while fanning two to lose for the first time this season. Nick Banks doubled and tripled while Tres Barrera and Clayton Brandt both singled and doubled to lead the Auburn attack.

GCL Update

The G-Nats sit atop the GCL East (five teams this year) with an 8-5 mark after back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday. Still no Anderson Franco, but Juan Soto has cooled off to a mere 1.155 OPS through 11 games. Sample sizes for the age-appropriate pitchers are still too small to comment on.

DSL Update

The D-Nats are on a four-game losing streak to fall below .500 at 14-16. Brailin Mesa (18-y.o.) remains the top hitter among the regulars with a .323/.377/.430 line while Yelmery Sisnero (also 18) is the top pitcher thus far, having given up just one earned run in five starts (22⅔ IP) with 22K and 5BB for pitcher’s line of 0.40/2.40/0.97.