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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 4-1 vs. Lehigh Valley,
6:35 p.m.		 Cole (4-4, 5.82) vs.
H. Alvarez (0-0, 3.60)
Harrisburg Lost, 10-9 vs. Akron,
6:30 p.m.		 T. Hill (4-6, 5.54) vs.
Bieber (2-1, 2.83)
Potomac Lost, 9-3 @ Lynchburg,
6:30 p.m.		 J. Rodriguez (3-2, 3.06) vs.
Civale (10-2, 2.59)
Hagerstown Lost, 6-1 vs. Delmarva,
7:05 p.m.		 B. Hill (0-1, 5.40) vs.
Humpal (7-11, 4.16)
Auburn Lost, 8-2 @ Williamsport,
7:05 p.m.		 Romero (0-1, 5.91) vs.
Stewart (4-2, 4.44)
GCL Nationals Lost, 2-1;
Won, 5-0		 OFF DAY

Syracuse 4 Lehigh Valley 1
• Simms (W, 2-4) 7IP, 3H, 0R, 3BB, 9K
• Bautista 2-4, 2RBI
• Stevenson 2-4, R
• Skole 0-3
• Severino 1-3, R

John Simms tossed seven scoreless innings while striking out nine to lead Syracuse a 4-1 victory, its third straight. Roster moves: IF Adrian Sanchez optioned from Washington; C Jhonatan Solano placed on the 7-Day DL.

Akron 10 Harrisburg 9
• Voth 3⅔ IP, 8H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 4K, HR
• Bacus (BS, 1; L, 1-2) 1IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Hernandez 3-4, 2R, 2-2B, RBI
• Abreu 2-3, R, RBI
• S. Perez 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI

Harrisburg blew leads of 4-0 and 8-6 in a 10-9 loss to Akron. Austin Voth didn’t make it past the fourth for the fifth time this season as he gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks over three and 2/3rds innings in a no-decision. Dakota Bacus took the loss on a two-run homer in the 9th in his one and only inning pitched. Yadiel Hernandez singled once, doubled twice, scored twice and drove in a run to lead the Sens’ offense.

Lynchburg 9 Potomac 3
• Williams (L, 2-4) 5IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, BB, 7K, HR
• Reetz 2-4, 2-2B, 3RBI
• Carey 2-4, 2B

The P-Nats got three in the 9th to turn 9-0 demolition into a 9-3 defeat, failing to take advantage of the Keys’ 6-5 win over the Red Sox. Austen Williams let in four runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings while striking out seven in his fourth High-A loss. Neither Ronald Pena nor Jordan Mills could stop the onslaught as they gave up five runs over the next three innings. Jakson Reetz cashed in three straight walks issued with one out for a three-run double to break up the shutout. Reetz and Dale Carey both went 2-for-4 to account for four of the five Potomac hits on the night. Roster moves: 1B Ian Sagdal activated from the 7-Day DL; IF Tyler Beckwith placed on the 7-Day DL.

Delmarva 6 Hagerstown 1
• C. Pena 5IP, 0H, 0R, 3BB, 9K
• Morse (L, 0-4) ⅓ IP, 3H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 1K
• Banks 2-4, 2B, SB
• La Bruna 1-2, 2B, RBI, SAC

Hagerstown imploded in the 9th for five runs as they dropped to .500 in the 2nd half with a 6-1 loss to Delmarva and lowered their tragic number to two. Carlos Pena no-hit the Shorebirds for five innings, though he needed 84 pitches to do it while walking three and striking out nine. Phil Morse lost his third straight appearance and fourth game overall (all in August, in which he has a 14.09 ERA) as he was charged with the aforementioned five runs on three hits and two walks, with the “help” of Kyle Simonds, who failed to strand the two runners he inherited while retiring two of four batters to finish the 9th. Nick Banks led the Suns’ hit column of six with a single and double while stealing his 12th base.

Williamsport 8 Auburn 2
• Raquet 6IP, 8H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K, BK
• Smith (L, 3-4) 2IP, 8H, 6R, 6ER, 0BB, 1K, HR, 3WP
• Guibor 1-3, 2B, 2BB, 2RBI
• Pascal 2-4, R, 2B
• 0-6 RISP, 10 LOB, 15 batting K

SSDL in the NYPL as the Doubledays’ David Smith coughed up five in the 7th and one in the 8th in an 8-2 defeat to the Crosscutters. Nick Raquet went the first six innings and scattered eight hits for two runs. He walked none and fanned three. Smith also gave up eight hits, but in just two innings while losing for the fourth time. Austin Guibor reached base three times with two walks and a double and drove in both Auburn runs.

GCL Astros 2 GCL Nationals 1 – GAME ONE
• German (L, 1-4) 4⅓ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Peguero 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• L. Garcia 3-3, 2B, SB

In the first game, the G-Astros stopped the G-Nats four-game win streak with a 2-1 win. Jhonatan German gave up both runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six for his fourth loss. Luis Garcia collected all three G-Nat hits with two singles and a double and stole his 11th base.

GCL Nationals 5 GCL Astros 0 – GAME TWO
• Alastre (W, 3-1) 5IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 6K
• Zwetsch 2IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Evangelista 2-3, 3R, 2B
• Jo. Sanchez 2-3, R, 2RBI
• Pineda 2-3, 2RBI

In the nightcap (hey, it is Florida), the G-Nats shut out the G-Astros, 5-0 and reduced its magic number to one. Tomas Alastre went the first five, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out six for the win. Connor Zwetsch worked around three hits over the final two innings. Juan Evangelista scored three times and doubled while Jose Sanchez and Israel Pineda both went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the G-Nats’ attack.

25 Commments

  1. moving this from yesterday’s post
    Nats AZ Fall League players:
    Victor Robles
    Kelvin Gutierrez
    Taylor Gushue
    Dakota Bacus
    Jimmy Cordero
    Kyle McGowin
    Austen Williams

    Translation:
    One true prospect
    Marginal prospect to make it look a little less like checking off the box
    Catcher since Washington drew the short straw
    Reliever to eat innings
    Another reliever to eat innings
    Starter to keep the others well rested
    Another starter to keep the others well rested

    I suppose after eight of these I shouldn’t be disappointed. I get the distinct feeling that if Rizzo, et al could have done less, they would have.

    2. Yeah, that’s a rather shocking list. There’s THE uber prospect, a couple of quasi-maybe-still-sorta prospects in Gutierrez and Gushue, and a bunch of guys to eat innings. Jeez.

      That said, the big feeder for the AFL is usually AA. Who ya got? Marmolejos is on the 40-man and very likely bound for a cup of coffee in The Show when rosters expand. Read might as well. Ward, Abreu, and Voth have done the AFL . . . and have come back to have worse seasons. That leave Hernandez as about the only interesting guy, and at his age, he doesn’t have much need for the extra work on fundamentals.

      Moving down to Potomac, the omission of Johnson is a head-scratcher, although he is playing his first full-length season, so perhaps they think he needs a rest. Wiseman might have made some sense, a higher draft pick who is still struggling to show that he’s ready for the next level. Maybe Baez? He hasn’t had a completely healthy season, though, so maybe they don’t want to push it.

      All the talk of Romero seemed unlikely to me. He hasn’t pitched above Auburn, and he hasn’t done well there. It’s hard to see him being ready to face some top-tier AA-level hitters in AZ.

      1. My guess from last week:
        My best guess:
        3B Gutierrez
        INF Davidson/Sagdal/Noll (only one, but in that order)
        OF D. Johnson
        CF Robles

        SP Romero
        RP J. Rodriguez
        RP Pantoja

        But if we have to send a catcher, Read and Reetz are probably more deserving than Gushue.

        1. I think the four or so MLB teams that stock each AFL team do negotiate what positions they stock. Maybe the Nats were told only one OF, one INF, and one catcher? (It seems like they always send a catcher.) Maybe they sent Gushue to showcase him since Reetz has moved up and is hitting better? Who knows? Maybe they’ll try Gushue at other positions because of his power?

          I’ve wanted Davidson to get more of a look somewhere, or a AA promotion, for a while. His bat has always seemed solid. With his limited HR power, it would seem that 2B should be his position.

          1. Kudos KW
            Considering that Sagdal and Davidson are locks for Harrisburg ( God willing ), I could venture that Masters and Meijia can lend SS time for Sens since some believe Kieboom begins his 2b apprenticeship @ Potomac with Lora repeating SS.
            This only makes one wonder how Tripp will rotate Beckwith, Noll and even the big jump for Cajun Cole Freeman .
            Phil Caufeld should hunker down @ Hags next April with BB.

          2. Moving Kieboom from SS is news to me. I don’t see that happening next year as the Nats will want to keep him at that spot until he proves he can’t play it.

    3. Re: pitchers to eat innings

      How about:

      W. Suero, at 62 IP; has thrown 90+ in 2 of the last 3 seasons, therefore has many more to go
      P. Valdez, 90 innings below last season,
      Crownover, 3 IP below last season
      Joan Baez, 30 innings below last season
      Pantoja, 10+ innings below last season
      T. Peterson, 20+ innings below last season
      J. Rodriguez, 75 innings below last season
      M. Rivera, 20+ innings below last season

      They’re each younger and put up better numbers.

      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      1. Crownover makes a tad more sense since brass might be mixed on his starter vs bullpen future.
        Rodriguez in dog house with lengthy suspension ?

      2. I would like to see Suero eating innings on South Capitol in Sept., but I don’t know how likely that is since it would require a 40-man move.

        I’m still surprised that the Nats haven’t moved Gott to the 60-day DL, though. I’m pretty sure I saw that he had sports hernia surgery. Just go on and put the 60-day tag on him and give a Sept. look to someone like Suero or Hernandez. (Sorry, Matt Skole, I just can’t see them giving you a 40-man slot again right now.)

        1. Suero being left off the AFL roster could be an indicator that he is indeed heading for DC soon. The Nats are going to want extra bullpen guys, and right now Adams, Cole, Fedde and a presumably recovered Enny Romero are the only health pitchers on the 40-man roster likely to get the call (Madson will be back at some point, but the hopes that Glover will return seem to be fading).

          They have to place Suero on the 40-man roster this fall anyway to avoid losing him in the Rule 5 draft, so it makes sense.

      3. If several of these guys can earn AFL nods, then Bryan Meijia with his SS/2b/3b skills can bump up to AA, Meijia distractors!

    1. Very good news. The poor guy has missed most of the season. You have to wonder if they think he’ll be ready to start 2018 at Potomac, or if he’ll be back at Hags. I would think that Kieboom will be getting the push on to Potomac.

  3. Former farmhands Sheldon Neuse and Taylor Hearn also got named to the AZFL.

    Neuse will play on the same team as the Nats’.

  4. Hagerstown. Outfield April 2018?
    Guifoil, Texas AM Aggie , Ethsay,
    Soto. Ortiz evangelista??

  5. Is Robles hurt again? Been out of the lineup a couple of nights after a dreaded hbp.

    1. Except he didn’t leave the game immediately, ran the bases, and played defense in the next inning. The last time he was pulled from a game it was allegedly because he was showboating on defense. Perhaps he ruffled Matt Lecroy’s feathers again?

      1. Mick Reinhard tweeted that the HBP was off the knee and was bothering him enough to miss Tuesday’s game, and (presumably) last night’s.

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