Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Lost, 12-4 | @ Lehigh Valley, 7:05 p.m. | J. Rodriguez (0-1, 10.80) vs. Crouse (0-2, 14.54) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 9-6 (12 inn.) | @ Reading, 6:45 p.m. | Guasch (0-2, 7.88) vs. Skirrow (0-0, 1.80) |
| Wilmington | Won, 3-0 | vs. Hickory, 6:35 p.m. | Cuevas (0-1, 3.00) vs. Krauth (0-1, 8.44) |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 13-2 | @ Kannapolis, 6 p.m. | Theophile (1-0, 0.00) vs. Mena (0-1, 3.60) |
Lehigh Valley 12 Rochester 4
• Reyes (L, 0-1) 2IP, 7H, 9R, 9ER, 3BB, 1K, 2HR
• Garrett 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Meneses 3-4, BB, RBI
• Urena 3-5, R, 2-2B, RBI
• Stevenson 3-5, 2R, 2SB
Lehigh Valley put up crooked numbers in each of its first three “ups” to take a commanding 9-2 lead as they took Game Two, 12-4. Luis Reyes took the brunt of the beating, giving up nine runs on seven hits – including a three-run HR in the 1st and a two-run shot in the 2nd – and three walks. He struck out one and failed to win for the 12th time in as many AAA starts. Joey Meneses, Richard Urena, and Andrew Stevenson each had three hits, with Urena collecting two doubles and Stevenson swiping two bases. The rest of the lineup went 2-for-23.
Roster moves: OF Donovan Casey optioned from Washington; LHPs Sam Clay, Francisco Perez recalled to Washington.
Harrisburg 9 Reading 6 (12 inn.)
• Herrera 5⅓ IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 3K, HBP
• B. Gonzalez (BS, 1) 1⅓ IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 1K, HR, HBP, 2WP
• Brill (W, 1-0) 2IP, 1H, 0R, IBB, 4K
• Rhinesmith 3-4, 2R, BB, RBI, SB
• Dunn 2-3, R, 3BB, HR(GS), 5RBI
• Gushue 0-2, 4BB
• Cluff 0-7, 5K
It was a tale of two homers in Reading last night. Wendell Rijo led off the bottom of the 9th to tie the game at 5-5 while Jack Dunn connected for a grand slam in the top of the 12th as the Senators won their fourth straight, 9-6. Harrisburg starter Ronald Herrera pitched into the 6th, letting in the first three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three. Brian Gonzalez wore the blown save by allowing Rijo’s HR while Steven Brill picked up the “W” with two goose eggs in the 10th and 11th. Matt Cronin let in the free runner while closing out the game. Dunn drove in five total, with his first RBI coming on a bases-loaded walk – one of 13 bases-on-balls by Harrisburg with Taylor Gushue drawing four of them. Jacob Rhinesmith singled three times to lead the Senators’ seven-hit offense.
Roster move: RHP Gerardo Carrillo placed on the 7-day I.L.
Wilmington 3 Hickory 0
• Parker (W, 2-0) 5⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 9K
• Chu (H, 1) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Yankosky (SV, 1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Meregildo 2-4, R, RBI
• Strohschein 1-3, R, BB, RBI
Three Wilmington pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts and a two-hit shutout of Hickory, 3-0. Mitchell Parker racked up nine K’s over five and 2/3rds with both hits and both walks allowed on the night for the Blue Rocks. Gilberto Chu and Tyler Yankosky were perfect down the stretch, retiring the last 10 batters and each fanning three. The Blue Rocks offense was limited to four singles and four walks, with Omar Meregildo and Kevin Strohschein each scoring a run and driving in a run.
Fredericksburg 13 Kannapolis 2
• Alvarez 5IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 4K, PO @ 1B
• Schoff (W, 1-1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• De La Rosa 3-6, 2R, 2B, 3RBI
• Emiliani 2-5, R, HR(GS), 5RBI, 3K
• Infante 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, 3K
Highlighted by a grand slam by Leandro Emiliani, the FredNats exploded for 10 runs in the 8th against the Cannon Ballers for a 13-2 win. Andrew Alvarez went the first five and gave up both Kannapolis runs on five hits and a walk while setting down four on strikes. Tyler Schoff picked up the win while putting up two goose eggs while Jose Ferrer and Cody Greenhill each retired the side in order in the 8th and 9th innings, respectively. Jeremy De La Rosa led the Fredericksburg’s ten-hit parade with two singles and a double and drove in three, followed by Emiliani’s 2-for-5 night with five RBI. Brady House extended his on-base streak to 11 with an RBI single in the 8th.
After three starts, Mitchell Parker looks almost untouchable at A+. A couple of more starts like this and he should be ticketed for Harrisburg.
If Bell is out for more than a day or 2, Noll might called up and Fox sent down.
An unplanning symmetry in last night’s Senators game was broadcaster Terry Byrom bringing up Jack Dunn at the beginning of the game as a bench/role player who’s getting at bats early on in the season to stay sharp because, with the universal DH pinch hit opportunities are even rarer, and then Dunn delivers the game-winning grand slam in extras.
I keep wondering if Dunn is any relation to the Dunn baseball dynasty in Baltimore — Jack Dunn was the owner of the minor league Orioles and signed both Babe Ruth and Lefty Grove, and his children and grandchildren were involved with the Orioles over the following decades.
MLB Pipeline (Jim Callis) said SS Jackson Holliday (Matt’s son) has worked his way into the top 10 picks and possibly the top 5. Also, it would not be an upset to see him be the 2nd HS player taken after Drew Jones This excites me more in that I would love to get Elijah Green. That would make three prospects with ridiculously high upside in him, House, and Vaquero.
I am expecting* them to take one of the high upside injured pitchers with their 2nd round pick. That would be so “Nats”. I would love to get Walter Ford at some point.
* I don’t ask for favors, colonel. I express my expectations. -Sebastian Shaw
Well dear we’re getting old with Matt’s son up for the draft
Look : another Jackson yo add to pipeline
Rizzo might not resist that impulse lol
Luis Reyes has been in the Nats system for 10 years now, making achingly slow progress. The f.o. must see something in him, as he is still around. His ERA this year 12.54
On the other hand, Mitchell Parker’s ERA after 3 starts is 1.23.
Emiluani’s day was all or nothing as he had 3 K’s, a homer and a double. His OPS is a robust 1.254.