Tuesday’s News & Notes

Syracuse vs. Indianapolis – PPD
SSDD, but they’ll shoot for the makeup this afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m. But don’t hold your breath.
Roster move: RHP Trevor Gott optioned from Washington.

Reading 6 Harrisburg 0
• Estevez (L, 0-1) 4⅓ IP, 7H, 6R, 6ER, 4BB, 6K, HR, WP
• Valdez 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Jones 3-3, SB
• Gushue 2-3, HBP

Harrisburg was shut out on seven hits and struck out 13 times against three Reading pitchers for a 6-0 loss in the series opener. Wirkin “For the Weekend” Estevez gave up all six Fightin runs on seven hits and four walks over just four and a 1/3rd innings to take the loss. Roman Mendes and Phillips Valdez locked it down the rest of the way, but the Senators were like their counterparts in DC and couldn’t get anything productive done, going 0-for-8 with RISP and leaving seven men on base. Hunter Jones singled three times while Taylor Gushue singled twice and was Victor Robles’d to lead the Harrisburg offense. Roster move: RHP Jaron Long reassigned from Syracuse.

Salem 9 Potomac 4
• Sharp 4⅓ IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 3K, HR, HBP
• Fuentes (W, 1-1) 2⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 3K, HBP
• Noll 3-5, R, RBI
• Davidson 2-5, R, 2-2B
• Wiseman 2-5, R

Carter Kieboom’s grand slam punctuated a seven-run 4th as the P-Nats hosed the Sox, 9-4. Sterling Sharp ran into trouble again on the second turn through the lineup as Salem got to him for one in the 4th and chased him with one out in 5th to deny him a “W.” He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks and struck out three. Steven Fuentes finished the inning and pitched two more scoreless frames to earn the win. Eight of the nine Potomac batters reached base and the one that didn’t—Bryan Mejia—still contributed with a sac fly. Jake Noll led the hit column with a 3-for-5 night, followed by Austin Davidson and Rhett Wiseman at 2-for-5.

Hagerstown vs. Delmarva – PPD
Like Syracuse, the players got another unscheduled day off on Monday. Unlike the Chiefs, it may actually be almost warm enough to play today in Hagerstown. Meanwhile, Juan Soto and Ben Braymer were named Player and Pitcher of the Week for the Sally Lg for the April 5-15 timeframe. As noted elsewhere, Soto has been tearing the league a new one up with four HR’s and eight XBH’s for a line of .361/.489/.861 with 10 walks, seven runs scored, and 19 RBIs. Braymer, who turns 24 next Saturday^*, has turned in 11⅔ scoreless innings for two wins in three appearances.
^{* Managing expectations – the work is never done.}