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Monday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Fresno Won, 9-8 OFF DAY N/A
Harrisburg Won, 4-1 OFF DAY N/A
Potomac Won, 9-6 @ Salem, 7:05 p.m. Raquet (3-5, 5.70) vs. Crawford (3-4, 3.27)
Hagerstown Won, 5-4 @ Lakewood, 7:05 p.m. Tapani (2-4, 4.63) vs. Gowdy (0-2, 4.43)

Fresno 9 Salt Lake 8
• Ondrusek 4⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K, WP
• Bourque 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 1K, 2-1 IR-S
• Blazek (W, 1-0) 2IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 1K, HR
• Read 2-4, 2R, 2HR, 5RBI
• Gushue 2-4, 2B
• Keller 2-4, R, RBI, 2SB

The Grizzlies got back-to-back walks then back-to-back singles in the bottom of the 9th to complete a comeback from 8-4 down going into the last of the 8th for a 9-8 walkoff win. Logan Ondrusek got the start and pitched into the 5th before losing an early 2-0 lead. He finished with two runs allowed on four this and two walks while whiffing six. The win went to Michael Blazek despite coughing up a two-run HR in his first inning of work (the 8th, natch). Raudy Read homered twice and drove in five and was one of four Fresno hitters—Taylor Gushue, Alec Keller, and Collin Cowgill—to notch multiple hits in Fresno’s 12-hit parade.

Harrisburg 4 Trenton 1
• Fuentes (W, 2-0) 5IP, 6H, R, ER, 0BB, 6K
• Bonnell (H, 2) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 3-0 IR-S
• Davidson 2-3, R, 2B, BB
• Marmolejos 2-4, 2R, 2B, HR, 2RBI

Harrisburg got two-spots in the 1st and 3rd to take a 4-0 lead held on for a 4-1 lead and prevent a sweep by Trenton. Steven Fuentes pitched five innings of one-run ball on six hits to pick up his second win. He walked none and fanned six. Jonny Venters Rosenthaled the 6th with one out and three walks in four batters faced but was bailed out by Bryan Bonnell, who stranded three then pitched around a single in the 7th for his second hold. Joan Baez and Aaron Barrett put up goose eggs in the 8th and 9th innings for the hold and save, respectively. José “Orange” Marmolejos and Adrián Sanchez both went deep while Austin Davidson singled, doubled, and walked to lead the Sens offense.
Roster moves: C Tres Barrera placed on the 7-day I.L.; C Jake Lowery activated from 7-day I.L.

Potomac 9 Salem 6
• Teel 4IP, 10H, 6R, 5ER, BB, 0K, HR, WP, HBP
• Reyes (W, 1-3) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• German (S, 1) 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, HBP, 2-0 IR-S
• Masters 2-4, 2R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
• Upshaw 2-4, R
• Freeman 1-3, R, 2B, BB, 3RBI, CS

Highlighted by a three-run double by Cole Freeman and a three-run HR by David Masters, the P-Nats got six in the 7th to turn a 6-3 deficit into the eventual score of 9-6 for the series-opening win over the Red Sox. Carson Teel got the start but was strafed for ten hits and six runs over four innings. Led by a resurgent Luis Reyes, the Potomac ‘pen locked down Salem for five scoreless innings with Jhonatan German stranding two in the 8th and facing the minimum in the 9th for the save. The P-Nats collected 17 total bases on their nine hits while drawing four walks and made the most of their offense with just six strikeouts and three runners left on base.

Hagerstown 5 Rome 4
• Peguero 5IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HR, WP
• Day (W, 2-1) 3IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Rhinesmith 3-3, R, 2B, BB, 3RBI
• Mendez 2-3, 2R, BB, 2SB
• Connell 1-3, R, SAC, CS(5)

Hagerstown beat the rains with two runs in the bottom of the 7th and took the game from Rome, 5-4 and the series, 3-1. Francys Peguero got the start but gave up all four Barves runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings. Chandler Day saved the, um, day with three scoreless inning to earn his second win. Jacob Rhinesmith delivered the tying and game-winning runs with his second single and reached base four times and drove in three overall to pace the Suns offense, which drew eight walks but was a mere 3-for-13 with RISP.

35 Commments

  1. A rare sweep for Nats affiliates!

    As terrible as Luis Reyes has been this season, he’s been mightily effective in relief: 8 G, 16 IP, 0.54 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 9 H, 18 K, 5 BB. Maybe there’s some use for him after all?

    On the other hand, our MiLB FA pitching jetsam have been embarrassing this season.
    Alvarez: 6.63 ERA
    Blazek: 7.56 ERA
    Nuno: 7.25
    Copeland: 8.05
    Hoover: 5.61
    Kontos: 9.00
    Venters: Rosenthalitis, 3.00 WHIP (3 BB and 1 HBP in 1.1 IP)

    Plus a couple decent performances by the following:
    Ondrusek: 4.50
    Bonnell: 4.50
    McGowan: 1.80

    Wonder how Rodney and whatever next castoff, who’d shown with his previous team an inability to get batters out, will fare with the Nationals?

    1. Or? They could just sign Kimbrel and hope that they can hold down the fort until both he and Rosenthal are ready. They just might be good to go in July for the final stretch.

      1. That’s why the Rangers never have good pitching. THEY take Jung to fill hole @ 3 b left by Beltre

      2. Big tall Texan Jackson who one day could cause Andrew Jackson head in Presidents Race.
        Cool without the 4 million signing bonus

  2. I know there were some early comments about it yesterday, but I agree that the move of Fuentes to start is head-scratching. He hasn’t really started in four years. Yes, technically a starter is more valuable than a reliever, but it ain’t a news flash that the organization could stand to develop a reliever or two! Plus they’ve got several guys succeeding as starters at AA already.

    Clearly, Fuentes is good. He hasn’t gotten a lot of pundit love, or love on Luke’s Top 10 arms list, in large part because he’s a reliever, although he’s generally had some of the better stats in the organization. Anyway, he’s clearly a riser of some significance now.

      1. 39 batters faced, 0 walks 9 strikeouts, 1 HBP for the almost 25 year old in A ball. 23% K to 2.6% nBB so far so good … but at his age doesn’t he have to pitch at a higher level to really gauge whether he’s real?

      2. Fuentes, age 22 in Harrisburg 10 strikeouts 1 walk 36 batters faced as a starter. Fuentes is ahead or even in the count 46% + 46% equals 92%. No home runs yet. Not sure, but he looks better?

      3. Matthew Allan another UF commitment Nats will sign away from Gator swamp
        Dunning , Weston Davis …
        Ex-PO fans recall Brad Wilkerson from UF…

      4. Here is a subject theme , Luke , : two DSL games and no lineup appearances by some of the notable everyday names from last summer —– perhaps GCL bound and working in back fields in WPB sunshine ??

  3. Fuentes has been so terrific, I’m all for stretching him out. Starter prospects are a LOT more valuable than relievers. Five innings and no walks, just great.

    It’s good to see Bourque in Fresno, that league will toughen up any pitcher.

    Okay, you made me look. Chandler Day, in his 1st full season with the organization, has a 3.06 ERA and a very impressive 1.24 WHIP. Hope we see him in Potomac later in the year.

    1. I agree that it’s not necessarily a bad thing, even if it is a bit strange. But still, it’s odd that Fuentes is the guy they decided to switch from relief to the rotation, when there’s guys like Aaron Fletcher, Jackson Stoeckinger, and Carson Teel, who have been moved to the bullpen apparently due to a lack of space in the rotation.

      1. Some guts switch and some guts don’t take to switch.
        We can use a Jeff Fassero Lazerus switch in the system

    2. Plus the food in Fresno is better than Burg
      Carl’s Jr. In Clovis Nats hands ….

  4. Fuentes is from Panama. Same as Gilberto Chu, who has not appeared this year despite solid numbers at Auburn last year. Is Chu hurt?

    Also, noticed that there are handful of prospects from Panama on the Nats’ DSL roster. Seems like Panama has been an area of interest for the Nats’ international scouting department.

    1. Yes. I believe Kevin Rodriguez too
      Some names seem almost State side
      We are awaiting the Jeremy DeLaRosa affiliate assignment , Mark

      1. Okay Jeff, you made me look. De La Rosa was signed for $300,000 last year and he turned 17 in January. Scouts rate him very highly, Let’s see if he comes stateside this year. If yes, than the f.o. is very high on him too.

        2. Mark. Jeremy should play some DSL because Nats love to audition some guys a second time thru Auburn before moving the Congo line forward. ( the way this year is going some of us have to drink like it’s the Congo line @ Sandals Resort Jamaica , man !!)

  5. Standing in line at my bank with one teller working , I raise the question son to be answered. Jung or Allan ??
    I wonder if guys @ AA and AAA follow the draft on an off day to see how old friends get picked or new org mates .
    The skeptic would say to max last night. You missed the no hitter , Hoss!! Lol

  6. Here’s the yes-but to converting Fuentes, beyond just the arms things and whatnot. The Nats have traded away SO much talent over the years in search of . . . relievers. The only starter they’ve traded for in the winning era has been Fister. The only closer they’ve developed in-house has been, um, the guy they picked ahead of Trout. We all had hopes for Glover, but as of now, the Tooth Fairy has a better chance of becoming the closer, and of staying off the IL. So they have a reliever who moves up at a young age to AA . . . and they almost immediately make him a starter?

    1. Isn’t the Tooth Fairy going to become another Disney re- do movie by Kathleen Kennedy ??
      Why don’t the Nats scoop up Ian Kennedy , call up JJ Hoover so we can have Herbert and JFK in the presidents race ??

  7. Crossing my fingers the Nats don’t pick Matt Allan. I am haunted by the litany of high school pitchers the Nats have failed to properly develop, and by recent first-rounders Mason Denaburg and Seth Romero’s incredible vanishing acts.

    But Mike Rizzo loves his extreme-risk pitching prospects, so Allan is probably the guy unless the Giants, Mets, Angels, or Dbacks snap him up first.

    1. Sao Mag. Let’s hope the Giants pass on Jung and take Allan since they are more rebuild than Nats

    2. I don’t believe Denaburg has pitched yet this year. Way too early to tell.

      As for Romero…I never understood why they picked him and gave him an above slot deal given his red flags.

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