Saturday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 6-3 | vs. Buffalo, 1:05 p.m. | Peralta (0-0, 0.00) vs. Bard (0-0, 0.00) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 6-5 (10 inn.) | vs. Richmond, 6 p.m. | Herrera (0-0, 0.00) vs. Black (0-0, 6.75) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 6-3 | vs. Hickory, 6:35 p.m. | Luckham (0-0, 4.50) vs. Bratt (5-5, 2.45 in ’22 at A-) |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 8-2 | @ Fayetteville, 5:05 p.m. | Lord (0-0, 0.00 in ’22) vs. Nodal (0-0, 3.86) |
Rochester 6 Buffalo 3
• Irvin (W, 1-1) 5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 2K, PTV
• Cronin (H, 1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 3K
• Machado (SV, 1) 1IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Baker 3-5, 2B, SB
• Barreto 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Plawecki 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
Buffalo stampeded Rochester for three runs in the top of the 2nd, but the Red Wings answered with four in the bottom half, then added one more in the 3rd and 4th innings to take their third straight, 6-3. Jake Irvin turned in a serviceable start of the aforementioned three runs on six hits and one walk over five innings. He fanned two. Matt Cronin (2IP), Gerson Moreno (1IP), and Andres Machado combined for four scoreless innings of relief. Darren Baker led the Rochester hit parade with two singles and a double, followed by Franklin Barreto and Kevin Plawecki, who each went 2-for-4 with a run, double, and an RBI.
Roster moves: OF Nomar Mazara, IF Richie Martin Jr., assigned from Washington; IF Lucius Fox placed on the 7-Day I.L.; IF Chad Pinder placed on the 7-Day I.L., retroactive to April 13.
Harrisburg 6 Richmond 5 (10 inn.)
• Parker 3+ IP, 4H, 5R, 5ER, 4BB, 3K, 2HR
• Peguero 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, BK, 2-2 IR-S
• Willingham (W, 2-0) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Arruda 2-4, 3B, BB, 2RBI, SB(5)
• Meregildo 2-5
• Antuna 0-2, 3BB, 2K
The Senators bullpen also locked it down to enable a comeback from 5-0 down to win, 6-5 in 10 innings. Mitchell Parker was manhandled again, gnawed for five runs on four hits (two HR) and four walks over three-plus innings. He struck out three. Harrsiburg scored two in the 5th, two in the 7th, and one in the 9th to send it to extras. In the 10th, José Sánchez plated the free runner with a one-out single to walk it off for the second time in the Sens’ three-game win streak. Amos Willingham won for the second time with two scoreless and four whiffs while J.T. Arruda reached base three times with a single, a two-run triple, and a walk to lead the Harrisburg offense.
Hickory 6 Wilmington 3
• Saenz (L, 0-1) 3⅓ IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 1BB, 4K, HBP
• Pogue 2IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Wood 2-4, RBI(10)
• Hill 1-2, R, BB, OF assist @ HP
Wilmington couldn’t join AA and AAA in getting that third W in as many games as Hickory doubled ’em up, 6-3. Dustin Saenz got knocked from the box in the 4th, allowing five runs on nine hits and a walk while hitting a batter. He set down four on strikes. James Wood drove in a run for the fifth straight game while going 2-for-4 to lead the Blue Rocks offense, which was held to four hits total. Roster moves: LHP Lucas Knowles activated from the 7-Day I.L..
Fayetteville 8 Fredericksburg 2
• Susana 3⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 3BB, 6K
• Atencio (L, 0-1) ⅔ IP, 4H, 6R, 6ER, 2BB, 2K, HBP, 1-0 IR-S
• House 1-2, 2B, 2BB, CS
• Boisserie 1-3, R, BB, RBI
Like the Woodpeckers’ cart on the warning track, FredNats remain stuck in the mud as they dropped their fourth straight game, 8-2. Jarlin Susana almost made it through the 4th, lifted after 70 pitches (43 for strikes) with two out. He walked three and struck out six, giving up a double in the 2nd inning. Jose Atencio wobbled while getting the last out of the 4th but fell in the 5th as Fayetteville got six of seven batters on base, capped by a two-run triple.
Officially, the wind was blowing out to LF at 8 m.p.h. but Fredericksburg added 17 gusts. Brady House was the only FredNats batter not to strike out, as reached base three times with a double and two walks. Murphy Stehly pinch-ran for him after a 46-minute rain delay and scored on balk. Elijah Green delivered the second and final run on an RBI single.
Arruda has come out of nowhere. He’s always been capable of generating walks, but has a worryingly high strike out rate too. It’s hard to make anything out of his good 2022 season, as he was nearly 4 years older than the age appropriate level in Fburg. Well, he seems to have settled in well in much more age appropriate Hburg so far. Hope it continues because Rochester’s infield situation has quickly entered crisis mode, losing Downs, Pinder and Fox in just a few days.
When you look at Arruda’s stats, you immediately say “COVID.” So many players came back in 2021 and struggled, plus lost a year age-wise to the dreaded developmental time clock. Then he only played in 54 games in 2022, including a few at the complex, leading one to believe that he was coming back from injury.
Arruda’s pop seems to be quite limited, with only 7 HRs and 33 doubles in 212 games as a pro, so he’s no Jake Alu. But the biggest question about him probably is whether he can play shortstop. The Nats are DESPERATE for SS-capable guys in the upper minors and majors. Arruda has appeared at SS in 72 pro games and has 17 errors in that time, .941 fielding percentage. So Arruda is likely a lot more of a 2B/3B kinda guy.
Elijah Green is now striking out 52% of the time, somehow besting his 40% K% from last season.
My worry continues to mount.
It is screamingly obvious to me, especially with the Angels calling up Zach Neto today, we made a mistake in drafting Green over a more polished college player like Brooks Lee.
Starting pitching? Do we have any? Susana had a better start this time than last, but it seems that he still has a lot to learn about pitching. (Admittedly, he’s just barely 19.) Irvin likely will get an MLB look this season, ready or not. Seems like he had a nice recovery from one bad inning.
Parker was hit hard last night on City Island. Willingham just comes in and blows guys away as a reliever. Carillo left the game with what appeared to be a lower leg (maybe calf) injury.
That’s a promising report on Willingham. There’s plenty of room for any effective reliever. He seems to be one of the best in the organization at not walking people. He also went from 10 homers surrendered in 2021 to only 1 in 2022 (in fewer innings). His FIP last season (2.76) argued that he was better than he appeared on paper. His current FIP for 2023 is -0.35. I didn’t know that you could have a negative FIP, but I guess that’s really good, LOL.