Saturday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Fresno | Lost, 11-7 | vs. Reno, 10:05 p.m. | Copeland (4-4, 6.63) vs. Lively (5-2, 3.84) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 3-2 | @ Portland, 6:00 p.m. | Fuentes (4-4, 2.81) vs. Wade (2-3, 3.20) |
| Potomac | Won, 5-4 | @ Frederick, 6:00 p.m. | Cate (2-3, 4.06) vs. Peralta (0-0, 6.17) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 7-3 | @ Columbia, 6:05 p.m. | Rutledge (Low-A Debut) vs Vilera (3-7, 5.49) |
| Auburn | Lost, 5-3 (13 inn.) |
vs. Mahoning Valley, 7:00 p.m. | TBD vs. Hankins (0-0, 0.88) |
| GCL Nationals | Lost, 6-0 | OFF DAY |
Reno 11 Fresno 7
• Hoover (L, 4-4) 4IP, 8H, 8R, 8ER, 2BB, 3K, HR, WP
• Miller 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Hernandez 2-3, 2R, 2BB, HR(20), RBI
• Noll 3-5, R, RBI
• Read 2-5, R, HR(14), 2RBI
Reno’s decision to go for two early paid off as the Fresno got into field goal range in the 9th but couldn’t get the TD for the 11-7 loss. J.J. Hoover reverted to the mean as he gave up eight runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings thrown for (somehow only) his fourth loss. Derek Self followed with three runs over two innings before Justin Miller and Taylor Guilbeau starting dealing some zeroes. Down ten (11-1), The Grizzlies got two back in the 6th with Collin Cowgill’s 10th HR and three in the 8th, which featured Yadiel Hernandez’s 20th HR(link to .mp4 file, courtesy of Fresno PR) while Raudy Read closed out the scoring with his 14th HR(same).
Roster moves: OF Andrew Stevenson optioned from Washington.
Portland 3 Harrisburg 2
• McGowin 5IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 7K, HR
• Bonnell (L, 2-2) 3IP, 3H, R, ER, BB, 4K
• M. Taylor 2-4, R, 2B, 2K
• Banks 1-3, BB, K
The Sens offensive woes continues as they managed just six hits ina 3-2 loss to portland. Kyle McGowin turned in five innings of two-run ball on three hits, no walks, and seven whiffs on just 65 pitches. Bryan Bonnell finished with a respectable one run over three on three hits and a walk with four K’s and was rewarded with his second AA loss. Michael Taylor singled, doubled, and scored a run while Nick Banks singled and walked. They were the only two batters to reach base twice as Harrisburg struck out 11 times and went just 1-for-12 with RISP.
Roster moves: RHP Kyle Barraclough recalled to Washington; OF Rhett Wiseman activated from 7-Day I.L.; OF Rafael Bautista placed on the 7-Day I.L.
Potomac 5 Frederick 4
• Raquet (W, 7-8) 7IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 4K, 2HR
• Tapani (H, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Corredor 2-4, 2R, 2-2B, RBI
• Masters 1-3, R, BB, HR, 3RBI
• Reetz 1-3, 2R, BB
Potomac wasn’t much more prolific but was more efficient at the plate than their counterparts in Harrisburg, as they got five runs from five hits in a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Frederick. Nick Raquet pitched seven full innings for the first time this season as he allowed the first three Keys runs on two home runs and seven hits total. He walked two and struck out four while winning his seventh game. Kevin Tapani worked around a walk in the 8th for the hold. Jhonatan German was credited with the save despite giving up a run on a walk and a double, getting some defensive help from Gage Canning with an over-the-wall catch in foul territory to end the game.
Hagerstown 7 Columbia 3
• Adon (W, 9-3) 5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 3K
• Troop (H, 1) 3IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Mendoza 3-5, R, HR, 5RBI
• Daily 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Cluff 1-4, 2RB, BB, RBI
Joan Adon became the organization’s second nine-game winner in a 7-3 Suns win over the Fireflies. Adon gave up all three Columbia runs on six hits and two walks while setting down three on strikes. Alex Troop (3IP) and Gabe Klobosits (1IP) closed it out with four scoreless innings combined. Drew Mendoza drove in five with two singles and homer while Cole Daily got his double (and a single) to lead the Hagerstown attack.
Mahoning Valley 5 Auburn 3 (13 inn.)
• R. Gomez 6IP, 6H, R, ER, 2BB, 4K, HBP
• Willingham 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• A. Hernandez (L, 3-1) 5IP, 5H, 4R, 1ER, IBB, 5K
• Vega 4-5, BB, PB(3)
• Arruda 2-5, 2-2B
• 4-for-20 RISP, 12 LOB
It was a 1-1 deadlock until the 11th when the two teams starting trading runs. Mahoning Valley got the win with two in the 13th for which Auburn could not answer for a 5-3 loss. Rafael Gomez went the first six and gave up the first Scrappers run on six hits and two walks. The loss went to Alfonso Hernandez who threw five innings on 71 pitches and allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits and an intentional walk. Onix Vega led the Doubledays hit column with four singles, followed by J.T. Arruda with two doubles.
GCL Marlins 6 GCL Nationals 0
• Taveras (L, 0-1) ⅔ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K
• Denaburg 3IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 3K, HR
• Seijas 3IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Perkins 1-2, 2B
• G. Diaz 1-2
Roster moves: C Nic Perkins assigned from Hagerstown for MiLB rehab; RHP Felix Taveras assigned from Washington (did not pitch in 2018).
Luke your camera man and me dig Candoli whose name makes one crave Italian food.
Plus his number is my birthday
Luke you are scrutinizing
The catchers with PBs. Vega. Is that mole to the higher level ? Aka. Nothing much else occurred ?
When is the ETA for DLd Justin Miller ??
With back to back bullpen meltdowns by the big club, including the abject failure of Barraclough, I think the odds of the Nats making bigger bullpen trades — and thus threatening higher-profile prospects — is rising. Maybe Miller will be ready soon. I share the head-scratching of other commenters here about why more internal options like Barrett, Istler, and Guilbeau haven’t at least been given a look. They may not be any better than some of the stiffs they’ve used, but they couldn’t be any worse!
OK, Ryan Tapani made me look him up . . . and I was shocked to find that this guy who was just drafted last summer is already 25! He’s striking out everybody he sees, though, so which works at any age.
Speaking of age, I was also surprised to find that Denaburg, who was drafted out of HS last summer, will turn 20 next month. Sure would have been nice for him to be able to progress to Auburn this summer and be ready for Hagerstown next year, but things aren’t playing out that way at the moment.
Adon is only a year older than Denaburg and is completing a full-season year at Hags. It’s been up and down, but age is on his side. It isn’t for Raquet, who is almost four years older and only one level higher.
Nice to see a big night from Mendoza. The Nats really need him to pan out, as they don’t have a lot of other higher-profile hitters in the pipeline.