Sunday’s News & Notes

Gwinnett 1 Syracuse 0 (5 inn.)
• Valdez (L, 2-2) 4+ IP, 5H, R, ER, BB, K
• Lowery 1-1

Xavier Avery led off the bottom of the 5th with a double and was escorted off the field when the umpires ordered the tarp on. Sixty-two minutes later, the game was called for a 1-0 Gwinnett win over Syracuse. Phillips Valdez took the loss with one run and five hits allowed with one walk and one strikeout over four-plus innings. Jake Lowery singled in the third for the only Chiefs hit and baserunner. Roster moves: RHP Wander Suero optioned from Washington; OF Rafael Bautista released.

Richmond 3 Harrisburg 0 – GAME ONE
• Long (L, 1-3) 6IP, 10H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Collier 1-3, 2B
• Gamache 1-3, 2B

The Senators were shut out on four hits, 3-0. Jaron Long went the distance as he was strafed for 10 hits and all three runs, but did not issue a walk and struck out three. Zach Collier and Dan Gamache both doubled while Kelvin Gutierrez and Hunter Jones both singled to comprise the Harrisburg hit column.

Harrisburg 3 Richmond 2 – GAME TWO
• Rodriguez 5IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 6K
• Mendez (W, 3-2) 2IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, BB, 3K
• Gushue 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Perez 2-3

The party didn’t get started until 8th when both teams scored all their runs. Jefry Rodriguez went the first five and gave up one hit and one walk while striking out six. He threw 65 pitches. Roman Mendes got the win but gave up both Flying Squirrel runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three over two innings. Taylor Gushue singled, doubled, scored a run, and drove in a run while Stephen Perez had two hits (nos. 15 and 16) to lead the Harrisburg offense.

Lynchburg 5 Potomac 3 – GAME ONE
• Baez (L, 2-5) 4⅔ IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 5BB, 1K, HR
• Guilbeau 1⅓ IP, 3H, R, ER, BB, 2K, HBP, 3-3 IR-S
• Perkins 3-4, 2B, RBI
• Sagdal 3-4, R
• 1-11 RISP, 10 LOB

Lynchburg went to town on Potomac for four runs in the 5th en route to a 5-3 win. Joan Baez left with a 2-1 lead and two out in the 5th, though the bases loaded, when Taylor Guilbeau let ’em all in (seven of nine inherited runners for the season) as the southpaw sandwiched a walk between two doubles before getting the third out. Baez would be charged with four runs on four hits and five walks over four and 2/3rds for his fifth loss. Blake Perkins and Ian Sagdal both went 3-for-4 but the P-Nats were just 1-for-11 with RISP and left on 10 baserunners.

Lynchburg vs. Potomac – CNCLD
Game Two was cancelled outright, which complicates the three-way race for the C.L. North’s division title by making the maximum number of games played uneven between the three teams in contention (Potomac, Salem, Lynchburg) and creating the chance for a team to win by just a half game (e.g. Hagerstown, 2013). The P-Nats and Hillcats are slated to play their final first-half matchup this afternoon. Potomac then heads west to play Salem for five games (weather permitting) before returning home to face Buies Creek for four games. Meanwhile, Lynchburg plays Frederick for five games before hosting Salem for four games. With a 2½ game lead, and the two teams chasing them playing each other, the P-Nats are in the driver’s seat, needing roughly four or five wins to clinch the first-half title.

Hagerstown vs. Delmarva – CNCLD
Rain also cancelled the second game between the Suns and Shorebirds and will not be made up.

NYPL Update
Rosters are expected to be unveiled on Wednesday or Thursday with play beginning on Friday. Meanwhile, you can learn more about how the team, which is community-owned, has been preparing for the 2018 season.

GCL Update
You’ve got another eight days to wait until the G-Nats begin their GCL East title defense.

DSL Update
As noted in the comments, there are very few holdovers from the 2017 edition. With 23 players born 2000 or later, they are younger than the league average for both pitchers and position players. Not only that, they’re pretty good: 6-1 in their first seven games, averaging 7.3 runs scored to 3.6 runs allowed.