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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Fresno Won, 7-3 @ Sacramento, 3:05 p.m. Copeland (1-1, 6.51) vs. Suarez (2-1, 5.89)
Harrisburg Lost, 3-1 vs. Binghamton, 6:30 p.m. Mapes (2-1, 3.75) vs. Gonzalez (2-0, 3.93)
Potomac Lost, 2-1 @ Frederick, 7:00 p.m. Lee (1-1, 4.05) vs. Baumann (0-2, 3.86)
Hagerstown OFF DAY vs. Lakewood, 7:05 p.m. Cate (2-2, 1.62)
Adon (2-1, 3.80) vs. Brown (0-0, 0.00)

Fresno 7 Sacramento 3
• McGowin (W, 3-2) 6IP, 9H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 6K, 2HR
• Nuño (H, 3) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• J. Wilson 3-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Reynolds 2-3, 3R, 2B, BB, HR, RBI
• Cowgill 2-3, 2R, 2B, BB, CS
• Hernandez E(1) OF assists at HP, 1B

Kyle McGowin and Fresno both won their second straight as the Grizzlies declawed the River Cats, 7-3. McGowin scattered nine hits over six innings with three runs allowed (two on HRs nos. 5 and 6) but walked none and struck out six. Vidal Nuño3, Dakota Bacus, and Tanner Rainney each put up a goose egg while working around a hit to close out the game. Jacob Wilson remains red-hot (16-for-42, 3HR, 12RBI over last 10G) with two singles and a HR while driving in three to lead Fresno’s ten-hit, two-walk offense.
Roster move: SS Carter Kieboom optioned from Washington.

Binghamton 3 Harrisburg 1
• Sharp 6IP, 5H, 0R, BB, 7K
• Baez (BS, 1; L, 2-1) 1⅓ IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 1K, HR
• Guilbeau ⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, HBP, 2-2 IR-S
• Goeddel 1-3, 2B
• Ward 1-4, R, HR, RBI, 0K

The Sens ‘pen couldn’t make Drew Ward’s solo HR stand up as they gave up three in the 8th to lose the series opener, 3-1 to the Rumble Ponies. Sterling Sharp struck out a season-high of seven while shutting out Binghamton for six innings on five hits and one walk. Joan Baez danced around a pair of two-out singles in the 7th, but gave up a game-tying HR to lead off the 8th then back-to-back singles before getting a popup. Taylor Guilbeau was summoned to face two southpaw but hit the first and gave up a two-run single to the second to put the “L” on Baez. Harrisburg went in order in both the 8th and 9th innings and were held to four hits and one walk on the night. Neither Ward nor E.L. Player of the month for April Rhett Wiseman struck out, as the Sens fanned just six times total.
Roster move: RHP Erick Fedde recalled to Washington.

Frederick 2 Potomac 1
• Raquet (L, 1-5) 5⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 4K, HBP, WP
• Teel 2⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 2K, 2-1 IR-S
• Freeman 2-4, SAC, SB(9)
• Masters 2-4, E(5)
• 1-for-10 RISP; 12 LOB

Potomac saw its first game action in three days but the results were much the same as they lost for the 19th time in 30 games, 2-1 to Frederick. Nick Raquet pitched into the 6th for the first time this season, but after two whiffs the wheels came off the bus as he issued walk, hit a batter, then gave up a double before leaving with a 1-1 tie. With runners on 2nd and 3rd (and still two out), Carson Teel walked the first two batters he faced to plate the go-ahead (winning) run. The P-Nats got runners on in each of their last three “ups,” but couldn’t get the ball out of the infield, much less into scoring position, as they left on runners no. 10, 11, and 12. Cole Freeman and David Masters both went 2-for-4 to account for half of the team’s eight hits.

Hagerstown – OFF DAY
After a 4-3 roadtrip through SW North Carolina and NE Georgia, the Suns return to the Muni for games 4-6 of 25 this season against the BlueClaws.

19 Commments

  1. Excellent start by Sharp. Has Rainey turned a corner at Fresno? The MLB bullpen auditions are still open! (Still scratching my head over the Austin Adams trade, although it did clear a 40-man spot . . . for the awful Dan Jennings.)

    Speaking of the 40-man, the big club is sinking like a rock yet won’t find ways to at least give a look to Jacob Wilson and Yadiel Hernandez. Yes, they have “PCL numbers.” But you’re trying to tell me that this pair can’t be better than Adrian Sanchez and Andrew Stevenson? Or MAT and his historic strikeout pace?

    1. Likewise puzzled about Adams’ handling. In what planet is he more dispensable than Jimmy Cordero? Cordero, like Adams, has proven himself to be ineffective at the big league level, but at least Adams has elite minor league numbers to fall back on. Cordero has been equally terrible in the minors. The unnecessary personnel decisions are increasing in frequency, and we can’t afford to sacrifice pitching depth at precisely this moment.

      Also, to top the situation off, the player we got in return for Adams, Nick Wells, will be a minor league free agent this winter (he’s currently in his 6th MiLB season), so he’s literally useless to the team.

  2. Sharp was brilliant as was the Binghamton pitcher. Ward’s homer was to left center on a 3-0 fastball.

    Since Ross, and now Fedde, are in the pen, McGowin has to be the starter to get the call if one of the nats starters gets injured.

  3. I just have to say that, while Kieboom’s stint in DC was a failure, I am glad it happened. First, it confirms Kieboom needs a bit more time in the minors. Second, it didn’t make any difference to the Nationals. Would giving those ABs to Adrian Sanchez have made a lick of difference? Not at all. Third, it might also convince the FO that Kieboom’s future lies at 2B rather than SS (which has already been glaringly obvious to some of us).

  4. I agree with KW! What do the Nats have to lose by giving Wilson or Hernandez a shot? Even with the PCL numbers, Wilson is going to be a better choice over Dozier. I’m growing tired of the excuse that Dozier is a slow starter. It’s May and he needs to step it up! Have Mike Rizzo’s winter acquisitions panned out? I think not! Hey Mike, how about looking to your farm system for some help. You might be surprised at the gems you have available!

  5. I’ll echo Will on the positives of Kieboom getting time with the big club. It can only help in the long run, and it was certainly worth a shot in the short term. Maybe he “proved” that he can’t play SS on the major-league level, but there wasn’t much expectation that he’d be playing there in the long term anyway.

  6. Sounds like the Nats are on the verge of signing Gerardo Parra. If this happens, would close the book on Yadiel Hernandez or any other position player not on the roster being called up.

    1. Unless the injury bug hits Parra ….makes one wonder where Parra will hit in Nats lineup even when Adams and Stevenson clear IL

      1. Congrats to Steven Fuentes climb to Senator Steve Senor Smoke
        Repeat after me : top ten draft pick slot June 2020

    2. That’s strange. What are we going to do with Parra. He’s a corner outfielder who can’t hit! Last time his bat was above average was 4 years ago. He’s not good at pinch hitting (.243/.288/.336). Why on earth would the Nationals be interested in him?

      My confusion with whatever the club is doing is growing exponentially. Rizzo really seems to be running around like a headless chicken this season.

      1. Oh wait…. it all makes sense now. Parra is a product of the Diamondbacks. At the same time Rizzo was the Director of Scouting. Rizzo is going off 13 year old scouting reports.

        There’s no other way to explain this.

  7. Parra is awful, and has been for several years. What, De Aza wasn’t available?

    1. This may cause the best to stir : in some ways brass paid attention to the farm RE: options to play RF with good sabermetrics with the control over Harper for 7 years as obtuse as some of the pitching additions to the farm depth .
      Look at post Harper options below 40 man or at least bodies on affiliate rosters : Keller , YH, Wiseman , Banks , Agustin , Canning , …Robles is being shifted over to spell Eaton with his frail body. Exposing CF to Taylor’s bat in the lineup and the Difo experiment .
      The window has been mostly closed on this season.

      1. They needed to find a way to get in on the Yelich fire sale. But, of course? They didn’t assuming they’d somehow convince Harper to take deferred money to stay.

        1. Interesting point.
          Keep in mind we got lucky on Murphy not being retained by Mets for a short time
          Next two drafts should be interesting

          1. This summer could get really long and to use that phrase we used in High School. Phugleeee…

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