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Saturday’s News & Notes

Onix Vega flashes the ball as the ump calls the opposing catcher out to end the 1st inning
Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Fresno Lost, 1-0
(10 inn.)		 @ San Antonio, 8:05 p.m. Ondrusek (4-5, 8.83) vs. Brown (2-6, 5.85)
Harrisburg Won, 11-2 vs. Richmond, 6:00 p.m. TBD vs. Williams (4-8, 3.97)
Potomac Won, 6-1 @ Wilmington, 6:05 p.m. M. Peña (5-7, 6.11) vs. TBD
Hagerstown Won, 4-2 vs. Columbia, 6:05 p.m. Rutledge 0-0, 8.10 vs. TBD
Auburn Lost, 4-2 vs. Tri-City, 7:00 p.m. Peterson (1-0, 4.30) vs. Mejias (1-2, 7.65)
GCL Nationals Postponed @ GCL Cardinals, 10:00 a.m.

San Antonio 1 Fresno 0 (10 inn.)
• Copeland 6IP, 2H, 0R, 4BB, 9K, 2WP; 1-2
• Bacus (L, 4-4) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, BB, K
• Keller 2-4
• Read 1-4, E(4), PB(4)

If comedy is merely tragedy plus time, the laughs had better be coming soon for the Grizzlies, losers of seven straight. Scott Copeland threw six scoreless innings… in a row and gave up just two hits while walking four and tying his career best of nine whiffs. What should have been his fifth win was merely a no-decision as the Fresno offense managed just five hits while striking out 17 times. The loss went to Dakota Bacus, who pitched around a walk and a catcher’s interference in the 9th to keep San Antonio off the board to force extras but gave up a single after a sacrifice in the 10th for his fourth loss.
Roster moves: IF Matt Reynolds placed on the 7-Day I.L.; IF Luis Sardinas reassigned from Harrisburg.

Harrisburg 11 Richmond 2
• Mapes (W, 5-5) 8IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 10K, HBP
• Istler 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K
• Barrera 2-3, 3R, BB, HR, 2RBI
• Garcia 2-5, 2R
• Stevenson 2-5

Tyler Mapes set a career high in strikeouts while the offense broke into double digits in runs with just single digits in hits as Harrisburg pounded Richmond, 11-2. Mapes went eight innings and let in both Flying Squirrel runs on seven hits and a walk while fanning a 10 for his fifth win. Andrew Istler mopped up with a scoreless 9th, though he put on two runners. Rhett Wiseman hit a grand slam for his 14th HR at AA as the Sens scored seven times in the 3rd to put this one away early. Tres Barrera also went deep, walked, and singled and both Andrew Stevenson and Luis Garcia went 2-for-5 to lead the nine-hit, five-walk offense.
Roster moves: RHP Austen Williams reassigned from the GCL for MLB rehab; RHP Jhonatan German reassigned from Potomac; LHP Jordan Mills placed on 7-Day I.L.; RHP Steven Fuentes suspended; C Jake Lowery activated from 7-Day I.L..

Potomac 6 Wilmington 1
• Cate (W, 4-3) 6IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, 10K, HR
• Peguero (H, 1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 2K
• Davidson 2-3, 2R, 2B, BB, CS
• Corredor 2-4, R
• Agustin 2-4, RBI

Ditto for Tim Cate on the career-best for K’s as the 21-y.o. southpaw set down ten on strikes while the P-Nats extended their win streak to four with a 6-1 win over the Blue Rocks. Cate gave up just two hits (one HR) and issued one walk over six innings for his fourth win and fourth quality start. Francys Peguero (2IP) and Frankie Bartow (1IP) combined for three hitless innings to preserve the two-hitter. Jakson Reetz hit HR #10 for an Earl Weaver Special while Austin Davidson reached base three times with a single, double, and a walk to pace the Potomac offense.
Roster moves: RHPs Angel Guillen, Gabe Klobosits reassigned from Hagerstown.

Hagerstown 4 Rome 2
• Adon (W, 10-3) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 4K, HR
• Cronin (H, 2) 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 4K, HBP
• Day (SV, 1) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Mendoza 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Upshaw 2-3, SB, CS

Joan Adon became the first 10-game winner in the Nats minors as Hagerstown doubled up Rome, 4-2 to take the series, 2-1. and return to .500 in the second half. Adon tossed five innings of two-run ball on four hits (one HR) and four whiffs without a walk. Matt Cronin and Chandler Day put up a pair of goose eggs for the hold and save, respectively. Drew Mendoza homered in the 1st to give the Suns an early 2-1 lead and went 2-for-4 overall while Nic Perkins, Israel Pineda, and Armond Upshaw each reached base twice to power the offense.
Roster moves: LHP Alfonso Hernandez promoted from Auburn; LHP Nick Wells removed from witness protection assigned from Washington; RHP Pearson McMahan reassigned from Auburn.

Tri-City 4 Auburn 3
• Gomez (L, 1-3) 6IP, 8H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K, 2HBP
• Chu 3IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 2K
• Jo. Sanchez 2-3, BB
• Ydens 1-3, 2B, SF, RBI

The Valley Cats got the Doubledays twice for two-spots while holding them to just four hits as Tri-City edged Auburn, 4-3 in the series opener. Rafael Gomez gave up all four runs on eight hits and two walks to lose for the third time. Gilberto Chu finished the game with three scoreless innings. Jack Dunn singled once, Jose Sanchez singled twice, and Jeremy Ydens doubled to comprise the Auburn hit column. All three Auburn runs scored on outs.
Roster moves: LHP Lucas Knowles reassigned from the GCL.

GCL Nationals – PPD
They’ll make it up on Wednesday with a twi-morning twinbill.

22 Commments

  1. I’ve looked everywhere I could and have not found out anything about the Fuentes suspension. I hope Sao is right and it isn’t a steroid related deal. He’s been a great story this year.

    Another terrific outing from Cate.

    Could Mendoza get a sniff of High A before the end of the month?

    1. How about a second arm suspended in farm T Amoroso RHP. GCL
      Hey hey Arias GS today
      Pedro Gonzalez QS in relief role 5 IP 7 Ks. Denaburg did not last 3 IP.
      Any buzz from WPB, anyone on suspension number 2??

      1. Angel Geraldo 13 th double today resulting in 3 RBIs. Daniel Marte registers his 6 th double.
        Much like Nats did with G Diaz as catcher-1b. Now Nats or Sandy M playing his lefty swinging catcher @ 1b.

        1. What a surprise. Todd Peterson the LSU closer
          Now a starter who goes 5 IP twice.
          Malvin Pena has turned a corner ??

  2. Luke could you save me some time looking for Aggie alums who ceilinged out in Nats chain ? The reliever who retired after a year and the short OF who could not motor out of NYPenn?
    Knowles motored up. Cool
    Adon is blooming. Cool
    Fonzy cool for Anderson bullpen depth

      1. That was a weird Saturday. Strasburg has the type of outing O usually has in the PCL and O has an outing for Fresno we are accustomed to seeing from SS. Bizarre

  3. There’s a letter in Spanish going around on Twitter that says Fuentes is suspended 50 days for heptaminol use. It’s a blood pressure drug (stimulant) that is banned by MLB. So there is our answer.

      1. So steroids is 80 games and this is 50. What does this do for you when you’re pitching?

        There goes the AFL and he won’t be back until May. Sad.

        1. Like most doping agents, it improves output and force, which means in he can throw harder and recover faster. Typically, this is used by swimmers and cyclers. Like ketamine, the drug is originally intended for use in animals.

      1. Would an org want to carry a guy like Fuentes other than the Orioles to chance the possible high return in awaiting his ETA?? Rule 5 is a gamble

  4. Does anyone know how they count the suspension days for minor-leaguers? Do they do it by minor-league season time? If so, then he’ll still have around 20 days left to serve in 2020. If they do it by the major-league calendar, though, then his 50 will be up in September.

    Also, why are nearly all the Nat system players getting suspended for PEDs over the last few years Latin players? I don’t mean this as an accusation, more as a question of whether there needs to be better internal policing and advice within that community.

    1. It’s games, not days, and I’m fairly sure it’s by the minor-league season. So for Fuentes he’s out 31 games this year and the first 19 of next year. This is especially costly for him because not only will he not go to the AFL, but he probably will be left exposed to the Rule 5 draft instead of possibly being protected.

      1. Right. Or the Nats could add him to the roster while retaining some flexibility, since he would be on the restricted list for all of spring training and nearly all of April, I believe.

  5. Sucks for Nats, Fuentes, and us fans. As Fuentes was really having a breakout year and someone to get excited about. Hopefully he comes back next year full strength and ready to go.

    1. The question with these is always how much did the doping have to do with the breakout year, versus how much was legitimate and repeatable. It’s a real blow. And the Nats really don’t love it when their farmhands get busted for this stuff.

  6. Same question with Jefry Rodriguez’s breakout year. And they did add him before Rule 5, although that was after he had served the suspension. I still think they add Fuentes to the 40-man. A barely 22-year-old starter who is semi-dominating at AA is not an everyday commodity. I will be thrilled if Rutledge and Denaburg are doing that well at that level at that age.

    1. Time will tell on Fuentes.
      8 lefties on one staff @ Hags must be an all time high in Nats farm chain history so far … ???

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