Sunday’s News & Notes

Reno 8 Fresno 6
• Copeland (L, 4-5) 3⅔ IP, 5H, 7R, 7ER, 6BB, 2K, 2HR
• Kontos 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Snyder 4-5, 2R, 2-2B, HR(25), 2RBI
• Read 1-3, R, BB, HR(15) 2RBI
• C. Taylor 1-3, R, HR(15), RBI

The Grizzlies followed the familiar script in an 8-6 loss to the Aces: shouldn’t-be starter digs an early hole, tired bullpen is asked to pitch twice as much as they should, and the offense falls short. Scott Copeland failed to go five innings for the fifth time in 13 starts, knocked from the box in the 4th after seven runs on five hits (two homers) and six (6) walks. He struck out two – including the opposing pitcher! Joan Baez, George Kontos, and Dakota Bacus combined for five and 1/3rd innings of one-run ball to keep the game from getting away. Fresno launched four homers, but only one with a runner on, which accounted for five of their six runs.

Harrisburg 4 Portland 1
• Fuentes (W, 5-4) 6IP, 5H, R, ER, 0BB, 6K, HBP
• Fletcher (H, 1) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Sagdal 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Bichette 2-4, RBI

Harrisburg got six strong innings from Steven Fuentes and three scoreless from the ‘pen as they downed Portland, 4-1. Fuentes issued no walks and one run on five hits while fanning six to pick up his fifth Eastern League win. Aaron Fletcher worked around two singles in the 7th and 8th innings for the hold while Brad Boxberger struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. Ian Sagdal and Rhett Wiseman both homered while Michael Taylor doubled twice to lead the Sens’ 11-hit parade.

Potomac 7 Frederick 2
• Cate (W, 3-3) 5IP, 8H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K
• Istler (H, 3) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Sundberg 3-4, BB
• Freeman 3-4, 2-2B, 2RBI
• Reetz 3-4, 2B, BB, HR, 2RBI

The P-Nats strafed Keys pitchers for 14 hits and a 7-2 win to go above .500 for the third time in the second half at 19-18. Tim Cate scattered eight hits over five innings and let in two runs. He walked none and struck out three while winning his third Carolina League game. Three relievers combined for four scoreless innings of relief, with Andrew Istler (2IP) and Hayden Howard (1IP) picking up their third and fifth holds, respectively. Jakson Reetz was a triple shy of the cycle and drove in two, as did Cole Freeman on a single and two doubles to lead the Potomac offense.

Hagerstown 8 Columbia 4
• Rutledge 3⅓ IP, 5H, 4R, 3ER, BB, 5K
• Day (W, 3-3) 3⅔ IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Upshaw 1-3, 2R, 2RBI, HBP, SB, OF assist at 2B
• Connell 1-3, 2R, HBP, SB, SAC
• Mendoza 1-3, BB, RBI, HBP, E(2)

Jackson Rutledge was rescued by the Hagerstown bullpen and sloppy pitching and defense by Columbia as the Suns doubled up the Fireflies for their fourth straight win. Rutledge gave up all four Columbia runs on five hits and a walk over three and 1/3rds innings. He walked one and struck out five. The “W” went to Chandler Day for three and 2/3rds scoreless innings of relief, with Matt Cronin and Jacob Howell each adding a goose egg to close it out. The Fireflies pitchers walked three and hit five by pitch while the defense committed four errors. This enabled the Suns to score eight times on five singles and one double.

Mahoning Valley 4 Auburn 3
• Peterson 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR
• Turner (H, 1) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 4K
• Bocko (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2⅓ IP, 1H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 2K, HR, HBP, 3-0 IR-S
• Mendez 2-3, 2R
• Sanfler 1-4, R, HR, RBI

In the 7th, Jordan Bocko got out of a bases-loaded jam. In the 9th, he hit a batter with two outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. You already know that he coughed up the lead with a two-run HR for the eventual 4-3 loss, Auburn’s fourth straight. To be fair, the Doubledays probably deserved to lose with just four hits: two singles by Ricardo Mendez, one by Jake Randa, and a solo HR by Caldioli Sanfler, his third. Todd Peterson got the starting nod and pitched five innings of two-run ball on four hits (one HR) and one walk while fanning three. O.T. Turner struck out four to push his season total to 40 in 24 innings^* and earn the hold.
^{* He’s also walked 20 – maybe we should change the nickname to Nuke?}

GCL Nationals – OFF DAY
It’s been nearly two weeks since the G-Nats won back-to-back games, as they’ve dropped nine straight games that weren’t a continuation of suspended game.
Roster moves: LHP Jake Barnett (did not pitch in 2018) assigned from Hagerstown for MiLB rehab.

DSL UPDATE
The D-Nats won on Monday then took the rest of the week off from the win column with five straight losses. Today and Tuesday are off days, so they might not be mathematically eliminated until next week.