Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Lost, 4-3 | vs. Lehigh Valley, 6:35 p.m. |
Cole (8-8, 4.26) vs. Pivetta (0-0, 3.60) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 4-2 | vs. Erie, 7:00 p.m. |
Brady (3-6, 3.34) vs. Turley (5-8, 4.06) |
| Potomac | Lost, 1-0 | @ Wilmington, 6:35 p.m. |
Williams (4-3, 4.05) vs. Ray (6-6, 5.31) |
| Hagerstown | Postponed | @ Rome, 5:00 p.m. |
TBD and TBD vs. Sanchez (6-9, 5.20) and Caicedo (2-5, 5.13) |
| Auburn | Lost, 4-3 (10 inn.) |
@ Hudson Valley, 7:05 p.m. |
Ramirez (3-2, 4.38) vs. TBD |
Toledo 4 Syracuse 3
• Giolito 7IP, 7H, R, ER, 0BB, 10K
• DeFratus (H, 1; L, 0-1) 1⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 0K, WP
• Davis (BS, 4) 2BF, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 2-2 IR-S
• Skole 1-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Lobaton 3-4, R, RBI
Lucas Giolito was brilliant for seven innings, the Chiefs ‘pen was anything but as they coughed up three runs in the 9th to lose to the Mud Hens, 4-3. The top Nats prospect fanned ten without issuing a walk while giving up a run on seven hits and was ahead 3-1 when the offense scored twice in the top of the 8th. In the 9th, Justin DeFratus took the loss when he gave up three singles in the space of four batters and Erik Davis blew the save by giving up two singles to the two batters he faced. Jose Lobaton led the Syracuse offense with a 3-for-4 night, but no other batter reached base twice as the Chiefs drew no walks and struck out 10 times. Roster moves: RHP Koda Glover recalled to Washington; RHP Justin DeFratus reassigned from Harrisburg.
Erie 4 Harrisburg 2
• Blackmar (L, 3-3) 8IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 3K, HR
• Runion 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 1K
• Pleffner 2-4
• Marmolejos 2-4
Harrisburg outhit Erie, 8-5 but the Seawolves outscored the Senators, 4-2. Mark Blackmar took the loss as he gave up all four Erie runs on four hits (including a homer) and two walks over eight innings. He walked two and struck out three but lost for this third time at AA. Shawn Pleffner celebrated his 27th birthday with a two-hit night while as he, Jose “Orange” Marmolejos, and Nick Rickles all went 2-for-4 to combine for six of the eight singles Harrisburg registered.
Wilmington 1 Potomac 0
• Crownover 6IP, 4H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Mayberry (L, 3-4) 2+ IP, 3H, R, ER, IBB, 4K
• Schrock 2-4, 2B
• Mejia 1-4, 3B
The P-Nats dropped their fourth straight with a 1-0 walkoff loss to the Blue Rocks, shaving their lead over Lynchburg to just 1½ games. Matt Crownover and Zach Lovvorn opened a donut shop on the Frawley Stadium scoreboard, as the two starting pitchers pitched shutouts for six and seven innings respectively. Wilmington pushed across the lone run in the 9th after two singles and an intentional walk by reliever Whit Mayberry loaded bases and Elier Hernandez did not strike out, pop out, or hit the grounder Potomac needed for a chance to go to the 10th. Max “For Those About To” Schrock singled and doubled while Bryan Mejia tripled to account for three of the five hits and six of the eight total bases the P-Nats collected.
Rome vs. Hagerstown – PPD
Wet grounds forced the postponement of Wednesday night’s game between Hagerstown and Rome. They’ll try to make it up today with a twi-night doubleheader.
Hudson Valley 4 Auburn 3 (10 inn.)
• Bogucki 4IP, 1H, 2R, 0ER, BB, 2K
• Held (L, 1-2) 2⅓ IP, 3H, R, ER, BB, K, WP
• Ortiz 2-5, 2B, RBI
• Perkins 0-2, 2BB, CS
The Doubledays took advantage of seven walks to score three times on just three hits with no stolen bases. The Renegades took advantage of four errors and a wild-pitch walkoff to win 10 innings, 4-3. Auburn starter A.J. Bogucki went the first four innings with two unearned runs let in on a hit and a walk while striking out two. The loss went to Samuel Held in his third inning of work after a leadoff double, a bunt single, and a wild pitch plated the gamewinner with one out in the 10th. Oliver Ortiz singled and doubled and drove in a run while Blake Perkins, Dalton Dulin, and Clayton Brandt each drew two walks to lead the Auburn offense.
Carter and his pills.
What’s that old saying ??
He is raking in a lineup Josh
Johnson very content with .
The Nat nation needs a few promotions for NP conversstion
Matthew Grace one of September
Call ups?? Dusty needs some Sept
Grace lol
Good sign
Lose two in Denver. No ground lost
In NL East
This pool is too cool on VC
Peguero liked by most in nats
Nest??
Gil. Are you still sticking with
Adding a few GCL kids to auburn
After we might see Suns reenforced
For playoffs especially after two
Weeks on the road ?
After going 3-for-4 with a walk today, Juan Soto is now hitting .345, which is second in the GCL. He’s 17.
Meanwhile, Carter Kieboom homered for the 4th time in 6 games. He’s 18.
I’d love to see Soto, Kieboom and Anderson Franco (hitting .275 at 19) get a taste at Auburn this year but the Nats will probably be conservative with these guys.
What is the rush to promote Keiboom? He finally feels comfortable, is getting confidence, and you want the Nats to promote him to play two weeks in Auburn? Why?
What’s the point in having him play a handful of games against college players?
What’s the harm?
He’s obviously handling the level he’s at now. A taste of a higher level this year can help him next.
Further, if a player is ready and performing, he should be promoted to get him the best competition he’s ready for and to reward the performance at the current level.
The best reason to promote players is to get someone else a look now that they know the player mastered the level. Soto to upstate NY? How is his English? Franco played in Auburn last year; why not now? But who, then, sits?
Kieboom? Only recently got hot – is there a need at the upper levels? or do you groom him (and Soto, Franco) all winter to see if he can make a leap to Hagerstown as did Agustin and Robles? But Robles is a special case and not the norm.
Just as the reason not to is the hazard of having him stew all winter on a poor performance to end the year. It depends on the player and his mental makeup.
Soto has been dominant all year. Coming over stateside to start his career. Franco has already been to Auburn and fared OK last year. For those two, the risks are actually lower.