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Friday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Lost, 5-3 @ Columbus,
7:15 p.m.		 Giolito (1-1, 4.11) vs.
Merritt (8-7, 3.94)
Harrisburg Lost, 8-4 vs. Binghamton,
7:00 p.m.		 Brady (3-6, 3.54) vs.
Knapp (1-0, 5.25)
Potomac Lost, 3-2 @ Frederick,
7:00 p.m.		 Crownover (3-4, 4.70) vs.
Horacek (5-10, 4.39)
Hagerstown Lost, 4-2 vs. Kannapolis,
7:05 p.m.		 Baez (7-7, 4.42) vs.
Killian (9-4, 4.00)
Auburn Lost, 5-0 vs. Batavia,
7:05 p.m.		 Ramirez (3-1, 4.36) vs.
Mertz (0-1, 4.15)


Rochester 5 Syracuse 3
• Cole (L, 8-8) 7⅓ IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 10K
• Espino ⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K, HBP, 1-0 IR-S
• Soto 2-4, R, 2-2B
• den Dekker 2-4, 3RBI

A.J. Cole struck out a season-high of ten but took the loss as the Syracuse ‘pen gave up three runs late in a 5-3 loss to Rochester. The 24-y.o. longtime prospect pitched into the 8th for the second time this season and was charged with three runs on seven hits. He walked none but saw his won-loss record fall to 8-8. Matt Grace let in the decisive (inherited) run in the 8th and then two more in the 9th. Neftali Soto doubled twice while Matt den Dekker singled twice and drove in three, including the third and final Chiefs’ run in the 9th as the offense collected 11 hits but no walks.

Altoona 8 Harrisburg 4
• Blackmar (L, 3-2) 6IP, 7H, 8R, 8ER, 5BB, 0K, 0HR
• Self 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Bautista 2-5, R, 2B
• Kieboom 1-2, BB, SF, RBI

A six-run 2nd by the Curve put this game away as the Senators were doubled up, 8-4. Mark Blackmar let in all eight Altoona runs on seven hits and five walks. He struck out as many you did last night while losing his second game. Derek Self and Wander Suero both turned in a scoreless inning in relief. Rafael Bautista singled, doubled, and scored a run while Spencer Kieboom singled, walked, and hit a sacrifice fly to lead the Harrisburg offense, which had seven hits total and whiffed 11 times.

Lynchburg 3 Potomac 2
• Mayberry (L, 3-3) 6⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 5K
• Orlan 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 2K, 2-0 IR-S
• Abreu 2-5, R, 2-2B, RBI
• Keller 2-4, BB

SSDT on Thursday night as the wheels came off the Potomac bus in the 7th to lose the game, 3-2, and the series, 2-1 to Lynchburg. Starter Whit Mayberry was perfect through four and 2/3rds until a Texas Leaguer dropped in front Dale Carey. Lynchburg scored three times in the 7th as three straight one-out hits led to one run, a wild pitch sandwiched between two walks (one intentional, the other abominable) led to another, and a sacrifice fly plated what proved to be the gamewinner. The P-Nats rallied with two outs in the 9th to get tying and winning runs on, but Osvaldo Abreu didn’t have a third double in him as he grounded out to third to end it.

Asheville 4 Hagerstown 2
• Rodriguez (L, 7-9) 7IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 3K
• Borne 2IP, 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 2K
• Sagdal 3-4, R, 2B
• Reetz 2-4, 2B

The Suns’ circling the drain took a sixth spin with another 4-2 loss, this one to the Tourists in the series opener. Jefry Rodriguez turned in seven innings for the second time this season, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out three but lost for the 9th time. The trio of Rhett Wiseman, Ian Sagdal, and Jakson Reetz combined for six hits, including a homer (Wiseman) and two doubles (Sagdal and Reetz) but the rest of the lineup produced just two hits and three walks.

Connecticut 5 Auburn 0
• W. Davis (L, 2-4) 5IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 3K
• Harmening 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K, HBP
• Panaccione 2-4, 2B
• Brandt 1-3

Connecticut shut out Auburn 5-0 to complete the three-game sweep and hand the Doubledays their fourth straight loss. Weston Davis bore the brunt of the Tigers’ assault, giving up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three as he lost for the fourth time this summer. Russell Harmening tuned in three scoreless innings of relief but the offense did not respond, as they were held to just six hits. Paul Panaccione was the sole Auburn to reach base twice as he went 2-for-4 with a double.

10 Commments

  1. Looking forward to seeing what AJ Cole can do with the Nats in September. I still think he can be an effective reliever if they choose to convert him.

    Can easily see a bullpen next year that features Solis, Treinen, Glover, Gott, Cole and perhaps Lopez.

    Also, this Michael A. Taylor kid hitting .333 looks pretty good!

    1. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cole get tapped to be the fifth starter for at least one game. He’s perfectly lined up to start next Tuesday, and that was a really good outing he just had.

      1. A couple of solid starts would also raise any potential trade-value he has this winter.

      2. Just saw where Lopez is expected to get the start tomorrow against the Braves. Now it comes down to who replaces Ross long term if the latter cannot come back this season. With Giolito and Lopez approaching their innings limits, Cole and Latos would seem to be the most likely options.

  2. Way too much is being made of Lopez’ innings management. He has never had arm problems and does not get overused in his starts. For some reference point, look at younger arms like Joan Baez (99 IP) and Pedro Avila especially (93 IP) and recognize that the Nats have given Baez 30% more innings than his previous year and Avila…wait for it…50%!

    Rizzo has said in the past that they work off of the perception of when someone’s arm is tired. Lopez has barely exceeded his IP for 2015. Relax.

    As for Ross, I think they are managing his innings to keep him fresh for the home stretch. There is too little consternation about him to take his “injury” seriously, and we all know the Nats use DL as a taxi-squad for a variety of reasons.

    1. Note that I said “IF” Ross cannot return. None of us are in a position to know how badly he is injured or whether he will be able to come back at all. If he can, great. If not, they almost certainly will not allow Giolito or Lopez to make the additional 10 starts it would take to finish out the season.

      1. If Lopez’ pitches well tomorrow, he will get additional starts down the stretch. May be not 10, but I have never heard from Rizzo that Lopez is on a strict innings limit (BTW, his injury last year was to his knee; Lopez is not a TJ surgery survivor like Stras, Fedde and Giolito; pretty sure Lopez threw for the Nats in the Viera last October) and Lopez has not been managed like he is on a strict innings limit.

    2. Not entirely true. Lopez had a sore arm in 2013, which was attributed to “bone weakness” and sourced to Lopez himself, which, should have at least merited a call to an orthopedist to ask an opinion. But, what do I know? I only have two degrees in Journalism.

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