Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Syracuse | Lost, 12-7 | vs. Toledo, 6:35 p.m. |
Voth (3-2, 5.15) vs. Carpenter (1-5, 5.72) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 6-3 | @ Hartford, 10:35 a.m. |
Rodriguez (3-3, 4.33) vs. Castellani (3-2, 4.65) |
| Potomac | Tied, 0-0 (Susp.) |
@ Salem, 5:00 p.m. |
TBD and TBD vs. TBD and TBD |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 7-0 | vs. Hickory, 7:05 p.m. |
Johnston (0-1, 2.51) vs. Alexy (1-4, 5.13) |
Syracuse 10 Toledo 2
• Vargas (L, 1-5) 4IP, 10H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 2K, 3HR
• Valdez 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Wilson 4-6, 2R, 2B, HR, 4RBI
• Sierra 3-5, RBI, SB
• Gonzalez 2-4, R, 2B, BB
Toledo’s Ronny Rodriguez hit for the cycle and drove in five in a 12-7 win over Syracuse. Taylor Hill Cesar Vargas gave up three HR and 10 hits total for seven runs over four innings for his fifth loss. He walked two and struck out two. Phillips Valdez turned in two scoreless innings while the offense crept to within two at 7-5 before David Goforth and Carlos Torres were plucked by the Mud Hens five runs in the 8th and 9th innings. Jacob Wilson drove in four while going 4-for-6 followed by Moises Sierra at 3-for-5 to lead the Chiefs offense.
Harrisburg 6 Hartford 3
• Dragmire (W, 5-2) 7IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 5K, 2HR; 1-3
• Mendez (SV, 2) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Ward 2-4, 2R, 2B, RBI
• Gutierrez 2-3, R, HR, RBI
(No mention of why he was replaced by Perez in the 7th; he singled and was put out at second on a groundout in the 6th)
The longball was also a factor in the Sens’ 6-3 win over the Yard Goats as Kelvin Gutierrez, Adam Walker, and Osvaldo each went deep and combined for five RBI. Brady Dragmire also gave up two solo shots and seven hits over seven innings as he won his fifth. He walked one and struck out five. Matt Grace gave up an unearned run in the 8th on two hits while Roman Mendez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. After a 2-for-35 start in his first 11 games, Drew Ward is now hitting his weight (and .292 since May 5) after a single and a double with two runs scored while Gutierrez also had two hits in Harrisburg’s ten-hit parade.
Potomac 0 Salem 0 – SUSP., Bot. 3rd
Somehow they managed to play into the 3rd before the rains came and suspended play in the bottom of the 3rd. They’ll try again tonight to finish the game, perhaps even play two. Weather permitting, natch.
Hickory 7 Hagerstown 0
• Raquet 6IP, 5H, R, ER, 2BB, 4K
• Fuentes (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K
• Garcia 2-4, RBI
• Upshaw 0-1, BB, SAC, SB(11)
The Suns handed Nick Raquet a commanding 2-0 lead after three but couldn’t push across any more as the Crawdads scored three times without an answer for a 3-2 win. Raquet held Hickory to just one run on five hits and two walks over six innings. Steven Fuentes notched the blown-save-loss with two runs allowed on three hits over two innings. Luis Garcia was the sole Hagerstown batter to reach base twice as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Let’s pause for a moment to recognize a career milestone — Gutierrez finally made it to double digits in homers . . . for his career.
Raquet looks ready for promotion, perhaps with a corresponding move of Crowe to AA. Interesting to see that Kyle Johnston got a start this week. Those three have been the best thus far from the big crop of arms in last year’s draft.
Johnston takes the bump in his 4 IP slot before another arm run out
Luke, did you see Giants added Taylor Hill for AAA?
Draft next week followed by first half All Star nods followed by more promotions.
Let’s see Nats draft that prep , switch hitting catcher
Kelvin seemed to hurt his leg when he was running out an infield single. The trainer and manager attended to him and he stayed in. However, he ran slow to 2nd base when the next better grounded out and was pulled from the game.
Thanks. This is the kind of info that *used* to be found in local newspapers but now it’s even more hit or miss.
It’s time to give a shout-out to Matt Skole, who finally made the show with the White Sox, and hit a homer in his 1st game to boot. At the tender age of 28.
After 7 years in the Nats organization it warms this seamheads heart.
Three cheers for Skole! He did not give up the dream , even when his career ran out of steam last year.
As for Gutierrez, it appears his power is awakening as many have anticipated it would. His home runs this year are all in recent play, and his bat has been very strong lately.
Drew Ward is having himself a big day as well. Another guy who, on the precipice of oblivion, has shown that he may not be done just yet. He’s a nice young man, and it was fun to see him blast a double off the CF wall in a spring game this year.
And then there are the many lessons of Yadiel Hernandez, the best hitter in the Nats minors not named Juan Soto. For a fraction of what hemorrhagic spenders like the Red Sox and Dodgers have shredded on shiny objects hyped by ageism and limited scout vision, the Nats now have a player who is perhaps major league ready and who has developed over the wall power to a 5’9 frame without losing plate discipline. A very underrated story.
Rizzo and the scouting department have really, really earned their stripes this year.
I cannot wait for the June draft and then, news of the short season placements and who has matured enough to make the next step.
Hopefully the Nats wise investments in their international operations likewise translate into quantity international signings of more Difo-Lopez like underrecognized talents who have it in them to go all the way. When one sees Soto, of course, and the less heralded 18 year old Garcia, I cannot wait for Pineda and Mendez to hit the field and to see who will join then that we have not yet met.
Who cares what the pundits say? The Nats organization, owned by the Lerner’s, is obviously in extremely good shape right now, and built for the long haul.
Does Michael A. become a 4th outfielder/pinch runner when Eaton returns?
Beyond this year, I guess a lot depends on where Harper lands, Robles, Soto, etc.
Got an offer for him for fantasy and trying to decide.
thanks
For Syracuse? Prolly not. I’m fairly certain he won’t get sent down, which is about as focused as I get on the big club. I don’t play fantasy baseball so I have no opinion or advice.