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Thursday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Lost, 11-2 @ Norfolk,
7:05 p.m.		 Hill (3-8, 5.06) vs.
Wright (1-0, 0.87)
Harrisburg Lost, 6-2 vs. Erie,
7:00 p.m.		 Mapes (7-6, 3.49) vs.
Lewicki (0-0, 1.80)
Potomac Won, 4-3
(10 inn.)		 vs. Wilmington,
7:05 p.m.		 Blackmar (1st High-A start of
’16) vs. Griffin (1-4, 5.98)
Hagerstown Lost, 5-0 @ Delmarva,
7:05 p.m.		 Guilbeau (0-1, 4.84) vs.
Costello (0-0, 2.45)
Auburn Won, 1-0 OFF DAY N/A


Durham 11 Syracuse 2
• Cole 3⅔ IP, 6H, 7R, 7ER, 3BB, 4K, HR
• Davis 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Turner 2-4, R, 2B, SB(25)
• Bostick 2-4, R, HR, RBI

The Chiefs scored early and late, but not often as the Bulls stampeded them for an 11-2 loss in the series finale. A.J. Cole didn’t make it out of the 4th, as Durham’s Jaff (not a typo) Decker connected on his 90th pitch for a three-run jack that had him hit the road. Cole finished with seven runs allowed on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Trea Turner doubled, stole third, and came in on a grounder to second for the first Syracuse run in the 1st while Christopher Bostick homered in the 9th for the second run. Both men went 2-for-4 while the rest of the lineup was 2-for-25.

Erie 6 Harrisburg 3
• Whiting (L, 0-1) 5⅔ IP, 10H, 5R, 5ER, 0BB, 3K, 2HR
• De Los Santos 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Difo 2-4, 2R
• Kieboom 2-4, RBI

The longball was the difference in a 6-3 loss by Harrisburg to Erie. Sens starter Boone Whiting gave up two HR’s in the first four innings to account for three of the five runs he was charged with on 10 hits total. He walked none and struck out three over five and 2/3rds innings while suffering his first AA loss. Wilmer Difo singled twice and scored twice while Spencer Kieboom, Shawn Pleffner, and Neftali Soto each had an RBI to lead Harrisburg’s seven-hit, five-walk attack.

Potomac 4 Wilmington 3 (10 inn.)
• Williams 6IP, 7H, R, ER, BB, 3K, HR
• Orlan (W, 5-2) 2⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 3BB, 2K, 1-0 IR-S
• Schrock 2-5, R, HR, RBI
• Abreu 1-4, SB

Max “For Those About To” Schrock came big again in extras, smacking a solo shot in the bottom of the 10th to extend his hit streak to 11 games and give the P-Nats a 4-3 win over the Blue Rocks. It was just the fourth hit of the night for Potomac, which took advantage of two Wilmington errors and a hit batsman to score its first three runs in the 3rd and 4th innings. Austen Williams got yet another no-decision with one run let in on a solo HR and seven hits total over six innings. He walked one and struck out three. R.C. Orlan was the winner in relief, pitching two and 2/3rds scoreless innings to close out the game

Kannapolis 5 Hagerstown 0
• Bourque (L, 0-4) 4IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 0K, HR
• Torres 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• DeBruin 1-3, BB
• Tillero 1-3

Two Kannapolis pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout of Hagerstown, 5-0. James Bourque was run into the wall by the Intimidators for four runs on eight hits and three walks to lose for the fourth time in six starts. It was, of course, moot as one run would have been enough to beat the Suns. Veteran Grant DeBruin was the sole Hagerstown batter to reach base twice with a single and a walk. Randy Encarnacion and Jorge Tillero collected the other two singles.

Auburn 1 Lowell 0
• Mills (W, 3-1) 5IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 4K, WP
• Harmening (H, 2) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Noll 2-2, 2B, BB
• Perkins 1-3, R, BB

Better news in upstate New York as four Doubledays pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout of the Spinners, 1-0. McKenzie Mills walked two and allowed the first Lowell hit over the first five innings to earn his third win. Russell Harmening tossed two perfect frames for the hold, his first. Kevin Mooney worked the second Spinner single and a walk in the 8th as he also earned a hold. Angher Cespedes set ’em down in order in the 9th for save no. 3. Blake Perkins led off the Auburn 1st with a single, took third on Dan Johnson’s safety, and scored on fielder’s choice. Dan Noll singled, doubled, and walked in his NYPL debut to pace the ‘Days six-hit, three-walk offense. Roster moves: RHP Kyle Simonds (19th Rd.) reassigned from GCL Nationals

19 Commments

  1. Is it just me, or has Hagerstown’s offence completely disappeared since the promotions of Schrock and Robles to Potomac?

    (Luke – have you had the chance to see Robles play in person yet?)

    1. I plan to get down to Woodbridge sometime this month–my only worry is that Schrock is hitting so well he could get a quick bump to Harrisburg before I get to see him play.

    2. Table setter replacements
      Green
      on Guilbeau and Blackmar
      Pink slip headed to James Borque
      ??

    3. Yes, I have and it’s no different than my first impression from last August when I saw him in West Virginia: a potential 5-tool player with plus speed and good defense.

    4. Look @ tonight’s game vs Delmarva
      Page hits number 7. Good
      Humidity in Cito field
      We would hit tatters

  2. My word, what has happened to A.J. Cole? He looked destined to great things at one point.

    Like Kirkie, I look forward to some scout’s take on Victor Robles from Luke.

    1. I don’t get why they haven’t converted him to relief pitching now that Giolito has passed him on the depth chart, and Lopez and Voth clearly also look like better starter options. I gather they were hoping he’d pitch well enough to have some trade value.

      1. Yeah, it seems Cole’s future is now in the bullpen, having been surpassed by Lopez and Giolito, and having locked down Strasburg long term. Though none of that was certain on Opening Day.

        I’m really not sure what sort of value Cole would have on the trade market. He’s been unspectacular, but dependable in Syracuse this season. He posted a 4.14 ERA, 56 K, 17 BB, through 63 IP in May and June. He also managed to collect 6 QS in 11 games.

        And he’s still only 24 (Pirates’ super prospect Taillon is a few months older than Cole).

        I’m sure Rizzo is actively shopping him around for some bullpen depth. But you wonder if Cole himself could be an answer.

  3. Unfortunately, Stevenson is really scuffling at AA. I wrote a few weeks ago that I was concerned about his lack of power, and so far he has yet to get an XBH at Harrisburg.

  4. I just saw the Nats apparently signed Mat Latos to a minor league deal last week?!

    This raise a couple questions. Does he go to Syracuse or Harrisburg? And why hasn’t he joined a team since signing the deal on June 29?

    1. They might be planning a quick recall back to the big club, which would avoid burning an option. Just a guess.

  6. So is anyone else mildly curious about what the Nats have in McKenzie Mills?

    He didn’t show much, at least statistically, his first 2 seasons out of HS, but he has had an above average start to this year and seems to be getting better. And he’s just 20 and is a 6-4 lefty.

    Could prove to be nothing more than minor league fodder. But the progress combined with his age, height and throwing hand, has me intrigued.

    Also, between him, Watson and 19-year old Yonathan Ramirez, Auburn has a trio of late-bloomer type lefties. If they go one-for-three in getting to the majors, that’s a (nother) good haul for the Nats.

    1. McKenzie Mills is very intriguing. Love his size, age and K/rate (1 per inning); he does need to cut-down on his walk rate. He was an 18th rounder out of HS in 2014, who the Nats have brought along very slowly. The Nats have drafted very well over the past few years.

      Also, responding to the post above, 9 games is a way-too small sample size to be concerned about Stevenson’s slow start in H-burg. FWIW, I didn’t understand the promotion has his numbers in Potomac had flattened out in June, and Batista is the everyday CF and lead-off hitter in Harrisburg. It appears a primary motivation for elevating Stevenson was to free up a spot for Robles in Potomac. Hope to be wrong, but I don’t see Stevenson as anything more than an MLB forth OF. Robles is the one that could be an impact player, but not for at least two years.

      1. I take your point about Stevenson’s upside, and that he wasn’t exactly dominating Potomac, but I have to disagree with your estimation of Bautista as an everyday CF, as well as a lead off hitter. He’s played himself out of a starting job. If you’re going to criticize Stevenson for cooling off since his quick start, you should acknowledge Bautista has batted a pretty pathetic .238/.284/.285 since May 1.

        If promoting Stevenson is necessary to keep Robles’ development on track, then so be it. So far Bautista has been the worst of the CFs in the system.

      2. And nats have a laundry list of lefties @ DSL
        Love Abreu in 3 hole for Potnats
        Fluke night for mets tonight !

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