Sunday’s News & Notes

Worcester 5 Rochester 2 – GM. 1
• Espino (L, 2-3) 6IP, 9H, 5R, 5ER, 1BB, 4K, HR, HBP
• Blankenhorn 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI
• F. Reyes 1-2, R, BB

Travis Blankenhorn’s two-run HR in the top of the 4th briefly gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead. Alas, they had no follow-up as the (ugh) Woo Sox answered with two in the bottom of the 4th and tacked on two more in the 6th to take the opener, 5-2. Paolo Espino went the distance, giving up all five runs on nine hits (one HR) and one walk. He struck out four and hit a batter. Franmil Reyes singled and walked while Carter Kieboom double to account for the three (3) Rochester hits.

Worcester 3 Rochester 2 (8 inn.) – GM. 2
• Ureña 6IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, WP
• G. Moreno (L, 3-3) ⅔ IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 2IBB, 0K
• Alu 2-4, R
• Mazara 1-3, EBI

The Red Wings tied it at 2-2 with three hits in the 6th but couldn’t push across that third run in either the 7th or 8th. Instead, Worcester sacrificed the free runner to third and sent him home on a sac fly after Rochester intentionally loaded the bases with a pair of walks for a 3-2 win and a doubleheader sweep. José Ureña had another quality start wasted, as he gave up two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings. Gerson Moreno took the loss despite not giving up a hit. Just two Rochester batters reached base twice: Jake Alu on a pair of singles and Richie Martin on a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Roster moves: RHP Hobie Harris placed on the 7-Day I.L.

New Hampshire 6 Harrisburg 1 – GM. 1
• Saenz (L, 0-1) 3⅔ IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 2K, 2HR
• Alston 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Wood 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Lipscomb 1-2

The longball spoiled Dustin Saenz’s AA debut as New Hampshire took him deep twice to en route to beating Harrisburg, 6-1 in Game One. Saenz was strafed for seven hits total over three and 2/3rds and gave up four runs. He walked one and struck out two. James Wood broke up the Fisher Cats’ shutout bid with his third AA big fly (11th total) while Robert Hassell and Trey Lipscomb both singled to round out the three-hit barrage for the Senators.

Harrisburg 7 New Hampshire 2 – GM. 2
• Parker 4IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 4K, HR, WP
• Beck (W, 2-0) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 3K
• Wood 2-3, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Tostado 2-3, R, 2-2B(6)
• Harris 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI

In the nightcap, the Senators put up crooked numbers in three of six “ups” as they declawed the Fisher Cats, 7-2 to split the twinbill. Mitchell Parker was lifted after four innings, with both New Hampshire runs let in on a homer an four hits total. He walked one(!) and struck out four. Tyler Beck tossed two scoreless to win his second game. James Wood singled, doubled, and drove in two as did Terone Harris on his first homer of the season.

Wilmington 8 Greensboro 4
• Luckham (W, 1-0) 5IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 3K, HR
• Pogue 2IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K
• Suggs 2-3, R, 2B, 2RBI
• House 2-5, R, 2B
• De La Rosa 1-3, R, BB, RBI

The Blue Rocks took advantage of the ‘Hoppers miscues to score five times in the 6th and stop a five-game slide with an 8-4 triumph. Kyle Luckham returned to the rotation and got his first win of ’23 with five innings of one-run ball (homer) while issuing a walk and striking out three. Matt Suggs singled, doubled, and drove in two while Brady House went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored in his High-A debut.

Charleston 6 Fredericksburg 4
• Susana 4IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 3K, BK, 2WP
• P. González (BS, 1;L, 3-1) 2IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K
• Witt 1-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Infante 2-4, CS, E

The Force was not with the FredNats (or the bullpen)… Last Night in Fredericksburg.
Roster moves: RHP Holden Powell activated from the 60-Day I.L.

FCL Nationals 9 FCL Astros 4
• Polanco 3⅔ IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 3K, 2HR, HBP
• A. Luis (W, 1-0) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Dyson 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Ochoa Leyva 2-2, 3B, RBI
• Cox 2-4, R, BB, 2B, RBI, SB, CS
• Ju. Garcia 2-4, 2R, BB, SB

The F-Nats broke out for five runs in the 6th to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 7-4 lead as they closed out Week 1 with a 9-4 win. Bryan Polanco gave up all four FCL Astros runs on two homers, a triple, and two walks. He struck out three and hit a batter. The win went to Andy Luis, who pitched a scoreless 5th. Brenner Cox reached base three times on a double, single, and a walk, while fellow 19-y.o. Nick Ochoa Leyva connected for an RBI triple and a single coming off the bench to lead the F-Nats attack. Roster moves: C Edward De La Cruz assigned from Washington (spent 2022 in DSL)..

DSL Phillies Red 4 DSL Nationals 1
• Farias (L, 0-1) 1⅓ IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 2K
• Familia 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 3K, HBP
• Batista 3-4, BB, SB, CS
• Maricuto 1-2, BB

Roster moves: SS Yefri Rivera assigned from Washington (MLFA).