Sunday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Rochester | Lost, 7-3 | @ Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. | Strasburg (rehab) vs. Snead (0-0, 0.00) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 6-3 | vs. Richmond, 1:00 p.m. | M. Sanchez (0-2, 6.00) vs. S. Long (0-0, 5.14) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 11-3 | vs. Jersey Shore, 1:05 p.m. | Adon (0-1, 1.74) vs. Skirrow (0-0, 0.00) |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 13-2 | vs. Delmarva, 1:35 p.m. | Seijas (0-1, 16.62) vs. McLarty (1-0, 4.05) |
Buffalo 7 Rochester 3
• Fuentes (L, 0-1) 3IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 2K
• Lobstein 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Parra 2-4, 2RBI
• Castillo 1-2, R, BB
The wheels came off the bus in the 7th as Buffalo put up six to break open a 1-0 game. Rochester answered with three in the 8th but got no closer in the 7-3 loss. Steven Fuentes let in the first run on two hits and two walks over three innings. He threw 55 pitches, 34 for strikes, and struck out two. Gerardo Parra singled in two to highlight the Red Wings’ three-run 8th. Rochester managed just five hits and two walks total, getting some “help” from two Bisons errors.
Fuentes did not appear injured after finishing the 3rd and was most likely lifted due to a pitch count.
Harrisburg 6 Richmond 3
• Cate (W, 1-1) 5IP, 8H, R, ER, 0BB, 6K
• Wells (H, 1) 3IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 4K
• Wilson 2-4
• Sagdal 1-3, BB
• Harrison 1-4, R, HR, 2RBI, 3K
Tim Cate made into the 5th for the first time in three starts as the Senators doubled up the Flying Squirrels, 6-3. Carte struck out six and scattered eight hits while allowing one run. He did not issue a walk. K.J. Harrison’s two-run HR in the 2nd erased an early 1-0 deficit. Cody Wilson (two singles), Ian Sagdal, and Jakson Reetz (both singled and walked) each reached base twice to lead the Harrisburg offense. Roster moves: IF Jackson Cluff placed on 7-Day I.L.; IF Humbert Arteaga activated from I.L.
Jersey Shore 11 Wilmington 3
• Rutledge 2⅔ IP, 8H, 9R, 8ER, 2BB, 3K
• Dyson 3⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 3BB, 1K, 2-2 IR-S
• Pineda 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI, BB
• Rhinesmith 1-3, BB
Wilmington’s five-game win streak went poof with a seven-run 3rd as Jersey Shore handed the Nats’ A+ affiliate an 11-3 loss. Jackson Rutledge took the brunt of the beating as he was ducklipped for nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits and two hits while striking out three over two and 2/3rds innings. Tyler Dyson let in two while getting out of the 3rd but spun three scoreless. He walked three and struck out one. Israel Pineda went deep again for a two-run shot to give the Blue Rocks a brief 2-1 lead after one inning. Wilmington was held to six hits and two walks total.
Delmarva 13 Fredericksburg 2
• Strom (L, 0-3) 2⅓ IP, 6H, 9R, 3ER, 3BB, K, HR, HBP, PO at 1st
• B. Peña 4IP, 3H, R, ER, BB, 4K
• Ydens 1-4, 3K
• Arruda 0-2, 2BB
• 5 errors
Any doubts the F-Nats wouldn’t extend their winless streak to 11 were put to rest with the Shorebirds’ nine-run 3rd in a 13-2 demolition. Leif Strom lost for the third time and didn’t make it out of the 3rd as he was charged with nine runs (three earned) on six hits (one HR) and three walks over two and a 1/3rd. Bryan Peña became the latest “Why isn’t this guy starting?” with four innings of one-run ball with three hits, one walk, and four whiffs. Jeremy Ydens broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the 4th. The shutout bid ended on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice. Jake Arruda led the walk column with two of the seven Fredericksburg bases-on-balls. Kannapolis dropped out of the no-win derby with a 1-0 decision, but Binghamton is still right there with an 0-10 mark in the AA Northeast.
In Hbg, Cody Wilson also had the defensive play of the game. Richmond was down by 3 and had the bases loaded with 2 outs and he made a diving over the shoulder catch in deep center field.
Thanks, LM, for the scouting update.
That was impressive. It really looked like it was going to be over Wilson — Richmond would have tied the game easily — and Wilson leaped… came down… and popped up with the ball.
When Jacob Heyward, the Richmond batter, saw Wilson come up with the ball in his hand, he was already around first and just collapsed into a crunch. Then he waited at first base for Wilson to run in from the outfield, I assume to say, “Dude, good on you.”
I have a couple more photos on my blog from Saturday night.
In Wilmington Cavalli, Brzkcy, and Troop have not been scored on yet. Pretty impressive.
Don’t forget Cronin, who struck out the side again. He’s currently averaging over two K’s an inning.
Although Dyson has surrendered a couple of runs, he’s pitching very well, other than being a little high on the walk number.
Rutledge is concerning, though, and not just from last night. I do recall that he struggled with his first couple of outings in Hagerstown in 2019 (although not this much) before settling in and dominating. Hope he can figure it out again here.
My bad, KW. Indeed, there are a quartet of Zero pitchers.
Tim Cate had nice bounce back from a really poor start. Nick Wells has also been throwing well, and just might well be a useful asset, after that mind-numbingly dumb trade of Austin Adams a couple seasons ago (Adams has since been traded to the Padres and has struck out 24 batters in 12 innings).
Rutledge, meanwhile, has been atrocious this season. Three very bad starts out of three so far.
The Caribbean IFA influx doesn’t seem to have helped buoy the sinking ship in Fredericksburg. De la Rosa, Pena and Emiliani combined to go 0-10 with 3 K.
Meanwhile, Geraldi Diaz (a catcher) just committed his sixth (!) error in 7 games. He’s also 2 for 17 in catching attempted base runners. Yikes…
It’s remarkable how unprepared every single player in the minor leagues has appeared to start this season. I’d blame COVID, but it doesn’t seem to have hampered any other farm systems in remotely the same severity.