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Friday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Syracuse Lost, 9-5
(10 inn.)		 vs. Scranton/Wikes-Barre, 7:05 p.m. Dragmire (1st AAA start of ’18) vs. Rogers (5-5, 3.72)
Harrisburg Won, 12-2 vs. Richmond,
7:00 p.m.		 Rodriguez (4-3, 3.57) vs.
Johnson (5-5, 3.98)
Potomac Won, 2-0 vs. Buies Creek,
7:05 p.m.		 Mapes (5-1, 2.04) vs.
LaRue (3-3, 4.80)
Hagerstown Won, 7-6 vs. Columbia,
7:05 p.m.		 TBD vs. TBD
Auburn Opening Day vs. Batavia,
6:30 p.m.		 TBD vs. TBD

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 9 Syracuse 5
• Valdez 6⅔ IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 7K, 2HR, BK
• Gott (L, 0-1) 1⅓ IP, 3H, 5R, 4ER, BB, 2K
• Wilson 3-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Falu 2-5, R, 2B, RBI
• Sierra 2-5, RBI

Any doubts that Syracuse hasn’t reverted to the mean should be removed with last night’s six-run meltdown in the 10th for its sixth straight loss, 9-5 to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Phillips Valdez pitched into the seventh and let in three runs, two via the longball, on five hits and a walk. He fanned seven. Trevor Gott set the side down in order in the top of the 9th and retired just one of five batters faced (on a sac fly) in the 10th to take the loss. Jimmy Cordero was only slightly less ineffective as he gave up back-to-back doubles before getting the last two outs. The Chiefs got two runs back in the 10th on their 12th hit of the night (an Irving Falu double) and a wild pitch. Jacob Wilson led the hit column with two singles and a double and drove in two.

Harrisburg 12 Reading 2
• Rodriguez (W, 5-3) 5IP, 2H, 2R, 0ER, 4BB, 6K, BK, WP
• Harper 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Gamache 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Gushue 3-5, 2R, HR, 2RBI
• Ward 2-5, 2R, 3B, 2RBI

The Senators completed the sweep of the Fightins with a 12-2 knockout, thanks to three home runs. Jefry Rodriguez allowed both Reading runs on two hits and four walks over five frames to notch his fifth win. He struck out six. Kaleb Fleck and Bryan Harper each turned in two scoreless innings to close out the game. Taylor Gushue, Dan Gamache, and Khayyan Norfork all went deep with Gushue leading Harrisburg’s 13-hit parade with 3-for-5 night and two RBI.

Potomac 2 Buies Creek 0
• Baez (W, 3-5) 7IP, 3H, 0R, 3BB, 4K, WP
• R. Pena (H, 3) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Mills (SV, 6) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Wiseman 2-3, 2B
• Barrera 1-3, R

It’s an even year, so that means Potomac makes the playoffs, right? Three P-Nats pitchers shut out the Astros out on three hits, 2-0 to clinch the C.L. North first half title. Joan Baez turned in his best outing of the season as he went seven full innings, allowed the aforementioned three hits and three walks, and struck out for to win his third game. Ronald Pena and Jordan Mills both pitched a perfect inning to earn the hold and save, respectively. Rhett Wiseman singled and doubled to lead the Potomac offense, which was held to just five hits and two walks. With the “W,” Tripp Keister becomes the winningest manager in franchise history with 314.

Hagerstown 7 Lakewood 6
• Johnston 4⅓ IP, 5H, 4R, 3ER, 4BB, 4K
• Morse (BS, 1); W, 2-0) 1IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 0K
• Antuna 3-4, 2R, 2B, SF, 3RBI, SB(6), CS(5)
• Baez 2-3, 2R, 2B, SAC
• Scudder 2-4, 2R, 2B

The Suns blew a 5-0 lead after four innings but eked out a 7-6 win in regulation to prevent a four-game sweep the BlueClaws. Kyle Johnston started and pitched into the 5th where he put on four of the first five batters he faced before he was lifted. Sam Held was the first man out of the ‘pen and allowed both inherited runners to score as well as one of his own to tie things up at 5-5. The win, along with a blown save, went to Phil Morse while Carlos Pena worked around a two-out singled in the 9th to earn the save, his second. Yasel Antuna had three hits and three RBI for his 12th multi-hit game of the season (H/T Suns PR) as Hagerstown pounded out 11 hits total.

Auburn – OPENING DAY
As usual, the Auburn roster still has not been released. And yesterday afternoon, we learned that the Nationals probably won’t release it any earlier in 2019 and 2020, either. The Doubledays open at home this year against Batavia for three games before heading out to Williamsport and Mahoning for the next six games.

20 Commments

  1. I guess this makes Keister sort of the managerial version of Crash Davis. At least he’s bloomed where he’s been planted! And there are certainly a lot worse areas to be planted with a minor-league job than the suburbs of a major metropolitan area.

    Keister also had Carter Kieboom back in the lineup, for the whole game, so whatever was keeping him out was apparently minor.

    Third straight scoreless start for Jefry Rodriguez, although it did take him 90 pitches to get through five innings. One would think he’s put himself in position to get more major-league time this year.

    1. I agree that JRod is the next man up, when/if the Nats need another starter.

      1. Some quick moves:

        6 of the top 10

        12 of the top 20

        And 23 of 40 overall have already signed. Don’t know how many are currently playing in the CWS and therefore unable to sign yet, but that’s an impressive number already, especially since a few of the picks (Wilcox, Blessie, Binelas, Baca and Menhart HSers taken in the mid 30s) were throw away picks strongly committed to colleges already.

        By my count, there’s only about 12 more players who will be looking to sign.

  3. I recall two years ago Luke the auburn roster was released like at game time in Aberdeen.
    This is a repeat. Great happening with Baez having a QS
    GCL roster has some time on its release too.

    1. I’m curious to see who they push to Auburn for the OF. Connell played well in the GCL last year, and Mendez held his own at age 17. Senior got injured before he had a chance to show much, but he was JUCO all-America. They also took interesting college OFs Gage Canning, Cody Wilson, and Jacob Rhinesmith in the ’18 draft. As a 5th-rounder, Canning seems a lock to get sent to Auburn, but it’s hard to say with the other two.

      1. Go with Rhinesmith and Wilson to join surfer dude sun devil, Choruby and Pryor. O’Conner too

    2. This might be a reach but.: will brass
      Give another chance to kids like R. Sosa , Carlos Sanflir , Pena , Mesa
      Luis Aquino along with the excess NCAA signees not assigned to auburn
      On GCL?!?

    3. Rooting for the long return road for Aaron Barrett. David Smith that rare
      West coast arm still in system.

  4. According to the bonuses reported on MLB Draft Tracker, the Nats signed 2nd round pick UCONN LHP Tim Cate exactly at slot value ($986K), 3rd round pick Vandy RHP Reid Schaller nominally lower than slot value ($551K)and FSU RHP Andrew Karp 39K less than slot value ($200k). Other top 10 picks have signed but their bonuses have not been reported (at least not on the MLB site).

    The Nats signed their 11th round pick Frankie Bartow RHP Miami for $125K and 14th round pick U of Houston LHP Aaron Fletcher for the same amount.

    1. The MLB site is pretty frustrating. I’ve seen reports that a number of guys beyond the first 10 rounds have signed, but only a handful are indicated on MLB.com. I guess we’ll know a little more when some of them show up in the Auburn box score.

  5. I am excited to see the development of a few guys in particular in Auburn. Led by OF Justin Connell who hit .323/.407/.365 in 30 GCL games. He could really be a sleeper as he had more walks (14) than strikeouts (10) in GCL.

    Also interested in the development of athletic OF Ricardo Mendez and C Israel Pineda who hit .288 in 17 games in GCL.

    Lastly I want to see how SS Jose Sanchez, the forgotten big bonus baby shortstop after Antuna and Garcia who are both at Low-A. I hear Sanchez is the best defensively and there is some potential with the bat so we will see.

  6. And just like that I saw the Doubledays roster and Connell is not on it. I am surprised by this. Not sure why they wouldn’t want to test him in Short Season after how he played last year in GCL. I guess he will repeat GCL.

    Interesting that Telmito Agustin is on the roster guess he will be rehabbing with Auburn.

  7. Raudy Read has been assigned to Harrisburg at this point its consider a rehab assignment. Given the lack of offensive production at catcher on the Nats, not beyond the realm of possibility that he gets a big league shot soon.

    2. Nice 72 hours. QS from Reyes ( with a tater) , Baez , Mapes 9 K CG ( Burg beckons ) and Wirken for weekend not bad of late.
      Good time of year springing up.
      Come up more Latin arms

  8. Auburn roster:

    http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t458

    It’s important for folks to remember that there will be a lot of flux here over the next couple of weeks as guys sign, get processed, and get assigned. None of the ’18 pitching draftees are at Auburn yet.

    What the Doubledays do have are EIGHT outfielders, which should be interesting. No Connell or Senior, though, although there’s nothing that says they won’t be there in a few weeks. Agustin figures to get back to Potomac after just a few ABs. The three ’18 draftees Canning, Wilson, and Rhinesmith are there, as is 18-year-old Mendez.

    Among the pitchers who have reported, I’m particularly interested in Galindez, the big HS lefty draft pick from ’17 who had a strong start in the GCL last year.

    1. Interesting to see how fast Augustine rehabs for getting back up to POTNATS or that Burg promotion.

      Oliver Ortiz last chance saloon
      Or a guy to plug into Hags if Corredor sent up to Potomac in that upward domino effect after All Star ⭐️ games ??

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