Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Syracuse | Won, 2-0 | vs. Charlotte, 6:35 p.m. |
TBD vs. Stephens (3-4, 4.36) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 3-2 (10 inn.) |
vs. Hartford, 6:30 p.m. |
Crowe (AA debut) vs. Garcia (3-1, 2.68) |
| Potomac | Won, 12-0 | vs. Frederick, 7:05 p.m. |
Crownover (3-8, 5.36) vs. Dietz (0-4, 8.31) |
| Hagerstown | Postponed | @ Augusta, 5:35 p.m. |
Alastre (4-6, 4.81) and A. Lee (3-2, 4.37) vs. Marte (8-5, 4.01) and Phillips (4-6, 4.26) |
| Auburn | Lost, 4-2 | vs. Batavia, 6:30 p.m. |
Stoeckinger (1-1, 1.17) vs. Guerrero (2-3, 3.08) |
| GCL Nationals | Won, 9-4 | OFF DAY |
Syracuse 2 Charlotte 0
• McGowin (W, 1-1) 8IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 9K
• Marmolejos 2-4, 2B
• Robles 0-2, 2BB, SB, CS
Roster moves: RHP Jefry Rodriguez recalled to Washington; RHP Jimmy Cordero optioned from Washington.
Harrisburg 3 Hartford 2 (10 inn.)
• Mapes 6IP, 6H, R, ER, BB, 3K
• Mendez (W, 6-4) 1IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, BB, K
• Read 4-5, 2B, 2RBI, 2PB(5)
• Gamache 2-2, 2B, E(8)
• Keller 2-4, R
Raudy Read’s two-out, two-strike, two-run double lifted the Senators past the Yard Goats for a 3-2 win in 10 innings. The walk-off hit made a winner out of Roman Mendez, who had let in the free runner in the top of the 10th on two sacrifices (bunt, fly). Tyler Mapes got the start and pitched six innings of one-run ball on six hits and one walk while fanning three. Read also singled three times while Dan Gamache added a single and a double off the bench to power the Harrisburg offense. Roster moves: RHP Wil Crowe promoted from Potomac; RHP Wirkin Estevez released.
Potomac 12 Frederick 0
• Raquet (W, 2-2) 5IP, 5H, 0R, 4BB, 2K
• Acevedo 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Corredor 2-3, 2R, 2HR, 2BB, 4RBI
• Garcia 3-5, R, 4RBI
• Sagdal 3-4, 2R, 2B, BB
Potomac ran its win streak to five as they pummeled Frederick for 14 hits in a 12-0 shutout. Nick Raquet wobbled through five innings in which the Keys did not score despite nine baserunners (five hits, four walks) for his second win. Carlos Acevedo, Steven Fuentes, and Jeremy McKinney combined for four scoreless to complete the whitewashing. Aldrem Corredor homered twice, walked twice, and drove in four, as did Luis Garcia while going 3-for-5 to lead the P-Nats attack. Roster moves: LHP Taylor Guilbeau activated from the 7-Day DL.
Hagerstown vs. Augusta – PPD
The Suns were rained out for the 43rd (OK, fine – 19th) time last night vs. the GreenJackets. They’ll try to make it up tonight with a doubleheader.
Williamsport 4 Auburn 2
• Fletcher 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Guillen (L, 5-2) 5IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 6K
• O’Connor 3-5
• Sanchez 2-3, 2B, BB
Williamsport never trailed as they doubled up Auburn, 4-2 to take the series, 2-1. Aaron Fletcher went the first two innings and gave up two hits without a walk or a run scored. Angel Guillen took the loss on five innings of three-run relief on five hits and a walk while striking out six. Pablo “Cruise” O’Connor (pictured above) found a way for three singles in five trips to the plate while Jose Sanchez reached base three times with a walk, single, and a double to lead the Doubledays offense. Roster move: OF Justin O’Connell reassigned from the GCL.
GCL Nationals 9 GCL Marlins 4
• Irvin 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• P. Gonzalez (W, 1-1) 3IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, K
• L. Pena 4-4, R, 3B, HR, 4RBI
• Chisholm 2-3, 3R, 2B, 3B, BB, RBI
• W. Perez 3-4, 3R, 2B, 2RBI
The G-Nats broke out for four runs in the 5th to take a 6-1 lead and held off the G-Marlins for a 9-4 win. Jake Irvin made the look-see start for two scoreless, hitless, walkless, whiffless innings. The win went to Pedro Gonzalez for three innings of one-run relief on two hits and a walk while fanning one (1). Landerson Pena was a double shy of the cycle as he went 4-for-4 with four RBI, followed by Blake Chisholm with a double, triple, a walk, and one RBI, and Wilmer Perez with two singles and a double with two RBI.
Justin Connell gets promoted with only two (2) extra-base hits in 93 plate appearances??? Color me confused. In 206 PAs as a pro, he has only six extra-base hits.
Terrific start for McCowin, who is really pushing for an MLB look.
Not sure what more Aaron Fletcher or Pablo O’Connor have to prove at Auburn. Fletcher’s ERA there is 0.92 with an 0.86 WHIP.
Yes, another great outing for McGowin. His AAA ERA this year is now 0.86.
I think the Nats have more starter depth than the conventional wisdom indicates. It’s just in unexpected places.
This may sound like an echo : color me confused : is that really Pablo OConner in photo ? I looked up his photo in college releases. Hmmm.
Call me Shirley if Kyle McGowin gets a MLB cup of coffee
Chisholm trail to Auburn should be next .,, see what burly Blake can do
Interesting that of all the GCL players, Connell gets the promotion.
I would have thought he would have begun the season in Auburn, but has done little this year to merit a promotion, and is still age appropriate for the level (19).
Meanwhile, guys like Blake Chisholm (.297/.426/.473), Jesus Morales (.305/.339/.347), Wilmer Perez (.333/.377/.449) and Colton Pogue (.294/.351/.402) have all batted better and are too old for the level. But I guess none of them are OFs.
Maybe this spells a promotion for O’Connor, Rhinesmith or Wilson? Not sure how many more starts the Mendoza Trio of Choruby, Esthay and Upshaw have left in Hagerstown.
My guess would be that Upshaw has a longer leash since he was higher pick/bigger bonus guy. With the struggles of the guys mentioned, though, it’s refreshing that they finally seem to have gotten some folks in the teens/20s rounds in 2018 who might actually be able to hit at A-A+: O’Connor, Rhinesmith, Wilson, Marinconz, Daily, etc.
Yes, things have been really funky for me with the posting of comments here the last few days. Hope the issue is one that Luke can have looked at upstream. The comments have been posting, but after you click post, you can’t see them anymore. I’ve had to completely reboot the browser to come back to the page and see the comments.
Choruby was drafted in the same vain as Jake Sundberg : aka good player to fill out outfield depth ?
Sundberg adept with squeeze bunting for Keister several times the last month I notice
By the way, there’s some funky stuff going on with the comments not appearing…
Read is hitting .459 over his last 10 games. Realize his defense is weak, but given the abject lack of offensive production from the MLB catching corps, wonder if we could see Raudy up soon.
Also, I had forgotten that the Nats’ affiliation with Cuse ends after this year (the Mets bought the franchise). Anyone know the most likely AAA affiliate for the Nats next year? (The Mets AAA affiliate is currently in Vegas (which is among the reasons why the Mets bought the Chiefs franchise; that doesn’t seem like a logical fit for the Nats).
Read had 2 passed balls last night. I heard the Nats want someplace closer than Vegas for AAA. I heard Nashville was a possibility since they are an Oakland affiliate.
If the Nats are smart, they’ll get Nashville from the A’s.
Vegas is a lot closer for them too. It will probably involve a trade.
The decision rests with the owners of those two teams not the A’s or the Nats. Unfortunately I just researched this and it appears that all the IL teams are out of play for the next affiliation dance and there’s only a half dozen that aren’t signed for 2019 and beyond left. The Nats could theoretically get assigned to Vegas because all the other chairs are taken.
There is an airline which does Vegas- DCA frequently
If Marmelos repeats AAA and its Vegas. He could hit 20 in that air
Not unless they can find a glove without holes in it. He is a terrible catcher.
Best of luck to Wirkin “For The Weekend.” Estevez was one of the first guys signed into the Nats’ system after the Smiley fiasco. That’s a LONG time trying to climb the ladder.
Koda Glover promoted to the Nats today. Herrera to the DL.
Harrisburg is a pretty strong team. I don’t know if they are all ‘prospects’ but that lineup looks powerful. I wish I lived closer to check out a game.
I see Kieboom has leveled off some. It changes nothing about his potential to me, but I always thought this talk about him starting 2019 at 2B for the big club was very premature, and maybe this stretch quiets that down. When you see a Robles or Soto skyrocket through the system, you can sometimes get lulled into believing that happens frequently, but even in this era of younger players, it is still very rare. I’d say a 2020 ETA is more realistic for Kieboom.
I see Crowe finally got the often hoped-for promotion. I hope he does well. I’m kind of skeptical on him.
On the comments, i’ve Always had problems seeing the comments from my iPad. Never on my phone or desktop though, which is just odd.