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Friday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Lost, 5-0 vs. Pawtucket,
7:05 p.m.		 Fedde (1-1, 7.30) vs. TBD
Harrisburg Won, 8-6 @ Richmond,
7:05 p.m.		 Crownover (0-4, 4.91) vs.
Herb (1-0, 9.00)
Potomac Lost, 4-0 @ Salem,
7:05 p.m.		 Borne (4-3, 2.04) vs.
Jimenez (9-3, 3.30)
Hagerstown Lost, 7-5 vs. Charleston,
7:05 p.m.		 W. Davis (0-2, 5.73) vs.
F. Perez (5-3, 3.03)
Auburn Won, 8-7 @ Vermont,
7:05 p.m.		 B. Hill (0-0, 0.00) vs.
Blanco (1-2, 3.54)
GCL Nationals Won, 5-4 vs. G-Cards,
12:00 p.m.		  

Pawtucket 5 Syracuse 0
• E. Jackson 3IP, 5H, R, ER, 0BB, 2K
Roster moves: SS Ryan Jackson retired; 3B Michael Almanzar assigned from Washington; RHP Jaron Long placed on the 3-Day TIL.

Harrisburg 8 Richmond 6
• T. Hill 6⅔ IP, 6H, 4R, 2ER, 0BB, 1K, 0HR
• Eitel (BS, 1; W, 3-2) 1⅓ IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 1K, HR, WP, 1-1 IR-S
• Hernandez 3-4, 2R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Joseph 2-4, 2R, SF, 2RBI, CS
• Keller 2-4, R, RBI

The Sens rallied for two in the 9th and got a game closer to fifth place with an 8-6 win over the Flying Squirrels. Taylor Hill kept the ball in the yard but ran out of gas in the 7th as Richmond got three runs to pull within two at 6-4. Derek Eitel, who let in one inherited runner in the 7th, gave up the tying runs in the 8th. He would vulture the win as Jose “Orange” Marmolejos, Corban Joseph, and Dan Gamache all singled in the 9th inning rally. Yadiel Hernandez led the Harrisburg hit column with a single, double, and a homer. Roster moves: OF Isaac Ballou released; IF Mario Lisson, RHP Kyle McGowin placed on the 7-Day DL; OF Zach Collier, RHP Wirkin Estevez, LHP Braulio Lara activated from the 7-Day DL; IF Dan Gamache promoted from Potomac.

Salem 4 Potomac 0
• Reyes (L, 5-10) 6IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 5K, 2HR
• Bacus 2IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, BB, 3K
• Masters 2-3, BB
• Wiseman 3-4

Salem bewitched Potomac for a second straight night, 4-0. Luis Reyes only gave up three hits but two of those were homers, as he lost for the 10th time while giving up three runs over six innings with three walks and five whiffs. Rhett Wiseman led the offense with a 3-for-4 night while David Masters also reached base three times with two singles and a walk. The P-Nats were 1-for-11 with RISP and left on 12 baserunners.

Charleston 7 Hagerstown 5
• Watson (L, 5-4) 2IP, 8H, 6R, 6ER, 0BB, 1K, 2WP
• Fuentes 4IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K, HR
• Neuse 2-5, 2RBI
• B. Perkins 1-4, 2R, BB, SB, OF assist at 3B

The Riverdogs scored early and often again as they built a 7-2 lead and held on for 7-5 win over the Suns. Tyler Watson was hit hard for the third straight start as he allowed six runs on eight hits over just two innings for his fourth loss. Sheldon Neuse singled twice and drove in two while Blake Perkins singled, walked, and stole a base to pace the Hagerstown offense.

Auburn 8 Aberdeen 7
• Braymer 4⅓ IP, 7H, 5R, 2ER, BB, 9K, HBP
• McKinney (W, 1-0) 2⅔ IP, 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 5K, 2-1 IR-S
• N. Perkins 2-3, 2R, 2B
• Scudder 2-3, R, BB, RBI
• Choruby 0-2, R, 2BB

Auburn got a touchdown and an extra point in the 4th and a rouge in the 7th as they held off Aberdeen, 8-7 to take the series, 2-1. Ben Braymer got the start but couldn’t go the requisite five as he was lifted with one out in the 5th. He was charged with five runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk while fanning nine. Jeremy McKinney got the win though he let in one inherited runner and gave up one of his own runs over two and 2/3rds innings. Nick Perkins came off the bench to pinch-run for Pedro Severino (HBP) in the 1st and went 2-for-3, as did Jake Scudder to lead the Doubledays’ attack.

GCL Nationals 5 GCL Marlins 4
• Galindez 1⅔ IP, 2H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 1K, HBP
• Jimenez (W, 2-0) 3IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Antuna 2-4
• Cramer 1-4, 2RBI
• Senior 0-2, 2BB

The G-Nats scored twice with two out in the 8th to pull within one run, then got two more in the 9th without any hits (HBP, BB, E, GO) as they won their 10th in 13 games, 5-4 vs. the G-Marlins. Nelson Galindez got the start and was ineffective, putting on more baserunners (7) than batters retired (5) while letting in three runs (all earned). Jose Jimenez scattered four hits over the final three innings (all scoreless) to win his second game. Yasel Antuna got two of the G-Nats’ five hits while Eric Senior drew two of their five walks. Roster moves: LHP Will Crowe assigned from Washington (2017, 2nd Rd. pick); RHP Jake Cousins reassigned from Auburn.

13 Commments

  1. Still not sure what to think of Edwin Jackson. The numbers are good – a WHIP and an ERA both under 1.00 – but they always seem to come with him avoiding trouble either in the way of bunches of hits or too many walks. Granted, he hasn’t done both at the same time, and as long as that happens, he should be OK. But how long can that last?

    That said, he’s a veteran guy who is living up to his end of the deal at AAA (one of the few Nats to do so) so pretty soon they are either going to have to give him a shot in DC, either out of the pen or as a 5th starter, or let him go.

    1. EJax picked well in the majors as recently as 2015, almost totally out of the bullpen. He was not good in his return to starting in 2016. Right now, the guess would be that the big club would want him as the long man in the role most recently held by Jacob Turner. I guess the question would be whether they would give the spot to Jackson, or to Fedde. Part of that question also may ride on whether Ross is healthy enough to make his next start on Tuesday.

      As far as I’ve seen, the Nats have yet to make a corresponding move to the demotion of Solis. Presumably, some pitcher is en route to join the team in Cincy.

        1. Ultimately, EJax will likely disappoint. That is his track record, and he is past his prime years.

          That said, not sure the Nats have any better 5th starter options in the short term if Ross needs to go on the DL. Fedde probably is not stretched out enough, and he couldn’t get an out in second to last start. Turner’s track record is worse than EJax, and AJ has a 6+ ERA.

          Not exactly an array of awesome options. If EJax is the choice, it’s because of the lack of better alternatives rather than based upon the notion that he has finally figured out how to pitch at age 34.

          1. . . .”it’s because of the lack of better alternatives.” Exactly.

            A thousand times “no” to Cole seeing the majors again this year. I don’t wish the guy buried forever, but there’s no argument that he hasn’t been good this year.

            I wouldn’t mind seeing Fedde get his feet wet at the big-league level while they’ve got a comfortable lead. There was a lot more pressure when Giolito and Lopez got their looks last year in the midst of a more competitive race. On the flip side, unless Ross goes on the DL, Fedde might not pitch much as the long man, so they might prefer to see him pitching more regularly in Syracuse.

    2. Ryan Jackson got depressed @ Cuse and retired ??
      Cat Ballou ty for the years in the chain .
      Looks like the Cuban turning heads in front office after all .
      Nice to see Bryce 34 perk up

    1. I really don’t understand the rants on Cole. He made one MLB start this year and it was a quality start. I guess if you want to look at AAA stats he has largely disappointed but he has had moderate success for the Nats.

      1. Cole gave up 11 hits and 8 runs in only 2.2 IP in his last start. He’s not exactly at peak form right now. Fedde had the one nasty outing where he didn’t retire a batter but otherwise has been pretty good recently.

        I’m not a Cole hater. I’d be thrilled if he got back on track. But he has a 6.27 ERA and 1.73 WHIP this year.

    2. Adams has pitched well of late (0.69 ERA 13 IP 18Ks), but his walk rate is alarming and will not play well on the MLB level. For the season, Adams has walked 29 in 36 innings and even during his recent hot streak he walked 8 in 13 innings. I know Adams throws gas, and high velocity guys can get away with streaky wildness, but I preferred Wander Suero’s ability to command the strike zone (1 BB in his last 10 appearances) over Adams. The Nats do avoid moving anyone off their 40 man roster with this move, but there are candidates that can be dropped with no material impact.

      1. Adams has given up the same number of walks this season as he has hits, which is an astounding stat. He’s only given up one run total over his last 10 appearances, though.

        I guess Cordero (who has been much better recently) and Voth would be the most vulnerable on the 40-man, although I don’t know that they would be too worried if they DFA’d Sanchez, either. I’ve been a long-time Voth fan, but this year has been brutal for him.

  3. Wow, it’s difficult to get excited about almost anything in the Nat’s minor leagues. I believe four of the six affiliates are entrenched in last place and have practically no players making any kind of impact. Even Robles, although steady, is a bit ho-hum. I haven’t seen anyone on BA’s weekly prospect list in a dog’s age.
    And the pitching overall is atrocious. Even Watson has fallen on hard times.
    At least Hagerstown is hanging in there. But the team was much more exciting when it had Kieboom and Soto in the lineup.
    And the GCL looks interesting with the young international players and some of this year’s draft picks. Sigh!

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