Sunday’s News & Notes
The Nats swept on Saturday night, including a pair of walkoffs in Potomac and Harrisburg
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup (’18 Stats at the Level) |
| Fresno | Won, 8-4 | vs. Reno, 4:05 p.m. | Espino (4-5, 5.85) vs. Vazquez (7-4, 5.57) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 6-5; Won, 4-2 | vs. Bowie, 1:00 p.m. | Sharp (6-3, 4.33) vs. Lowther (5-3, 2.53 @ A+) |
| Potomac | Won, 5-1; Won, 5-3 | vs. Fayetteville, 1:05 p.m. | Raquet (5-3, 4.91) vs. Donato (6-0, 2.04 @ A-) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 6-5 | @ Greensboro, 2:00 p.m. | Peguero (5-3, 2.93 @ SS-A) vs. Case (1-0, 1.80 @ SS-A) |
Fresno 8 Reno 4
• Voth (W, 1-0) 5IP, 9H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 9K, 3WP
• Adams (H, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Noll 3-4, 2R, 2-2B, SB
• Wilson 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Reynolds 1-4, R, HR(GS), 4RBI
Matt Reynolds’s grand slam in the 6th tore open a 3-2 lead as Fresno doubled up Reno, 8-4. Austin Voth fanned nine but also gave up nine hits as he needed 95 pitches to get through five innings of two-run ball. Four Grizzlies pitchers combined to strike out 18 total. Jake Noll singled once and doubled once while Jacob Wilson singled, doubled, and drove in a run to lead the Fresno attack.
Harrisburg 6 Bowie 5 – GAME ONE
• Fedde 5IP, 4H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Baez (W, 1-0) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Davidson 3-4, R, CS
• Sagdal 2-3, R, 2B, BB
• Ward 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
After Erick Fedde did his best imitation of Drew Storen, melting down in a five-run 2nd after a pitch-clock violation turned a 3-2 count into a two-out walk, the Senators rallied for one in the 4th and four in the 5th to tie then walked off in the 7th on a walk (Ian Sagdal), a pair of singles (Drew Ward, Spencer Kieboom), and a Rhett Wiseman sac fly to win the opener, 6-5. Joan Baez struck out two and walked none in two innings of relief to pick up his first AA win. Ward and Michael Taylor both homered while Davidson and Sagdal both reached base three times to lead the Harrisburg offense.
Harrisburg 4 Bowie 2 – GAME TWO
• M. Sanchez (W, 1-0) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 4K, HR
• Barrett (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Ward 1-3, R, HR, 3RBI, K
• Wiseman 1-3, R, HR, RBI, K
Ward and Wiseman both hit their second big flies of the season to account for all four runs as the Senators took the doubleheader from the BaySox, 4-2. Mario Sanchez returned to the Nationals organization with a win on five innings pitched, with both Bowie runs allowed on four hits (one HR) and a walk while setting down four on strikes. Veteran relievers Dakot Bacus and Aaron Barrett both put up a goose egg to earn the hold and save, respectively.
Potomac 5 Fayetteville 1 – GAME ONE
• Tetreault (W, 1-0) 5IP, 5H, R, ER, BB, 5K
• Fuentes (SV, 1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Corredor 2-3, R, RBI
• Masters 1-3, 2B, 2RBI
• Freeman 1-3, R, SB
Potomac 5 Fayetteville 3 – GAME TWO
• Borne 4IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR, HBP
• Lee (W, 1-0) 3IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 4K
• Corredor 2-4, 2R, 2-2B, 2K
• Sundberg 2-2, R, BB, HBP
• Abreu 1-2, R, BB, 2RBI
Alex Dunlap stranded eight baserunners before finally cashing in two Last Night in Woodbridge.
Hagerstown 6 Greensboro 5
• Irvin 5IP, 8H, 5R, 4ER, 0BB, 4K, HR, 2WP
• Fletcher (W, 1-0) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• German (SV, 1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Lara 3-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI, E(2)
• Harrison 3-4, R
• Canning 2-4, R, BB, 2RBI, SB
Gilbert Lara’s three-run HR in the 8th combined with four no-hit innings of relief got the Suns into the win column for the first time, 6-5. Jake Irvin got the start but was ineffective, as he let in all five Grasshoppers runs on eight hits over five innings. He walked none and struck out four. Aaron Fletcher and Jhonatan German both struck out three over two scoreless innings to get the hold and the save. Lara and “the other guy we got for Gio” both went 3-for-4 and combined to score three runs while Gage Canning walked once, singled twice, and drove in two to power the Hagerstown offense.
If I remember correctly, it took the affiliates several months to sweep on a day. Only took about 3 days to get it done this year, and with 2 double-headers to make it a bit tougher.
A lot to like so far to the start of the minor league season. Ward is picking up where he left off, with 2 2B and 2 HR in his first 3 games. Canning, Wiseman, Corredor, Lara and Harrison all starting well too. Hope they can sustain it.
Ward crushed both of his homers well over the 405 foot sign in right center field. Fedde had 1 bad inning. He struck out the side once and ended with 6 strikeouts.
Fedde ought to dominate AA at this point. One bad inning is no excuse.
If Ward shows power and still manages the high OBP of last season his left-handed bat could see the majors this season at age 23.
Meanwhile, it looks like the baseballs are juiced again … maybe the why of the rash of early homers?
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/48260/moonshot-the-baseball-is-juiced-again/
Gilbert Lara is intriguing. Stay tuned.
Drew Ward, who turned 24 last November, has been written off by a lot of people. His .OPS last year was .833 and if he can keep getting better he has a good chance.