Saturday’s News & Notes

* Starters who pitched the day after last night’s starters; neither team wrote or had ChatGPT do a gamer.
Rochester 4 Syracuse 2
• Rutledge (W, 1-0) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 5K, 2HR
• G. Moreno (SV, 6) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Rutherford 2-4, 2B, SB
• Blankenhorn 1-3, R, HR, 3RBI

Travis Blankenhorn’s Earl Weaver special was enough for the Rochester pitchers to work with as the Red Wings doubled up the Mets, 4-2. Jackson Rutledge was taken deep twice but both longballs were solo shots. The 24-y.o. gave up four hits total and walked one while striking out five as he won his first AAA game. Three relievers combined for four scoreless innings with Gerson Moreno setting the side down in order in the 9th for his sixth save. Derek Hill homered in the 6th to round out the Rochester offense. Roster moves: RHP Paolo Espino recalled to Washington.

Harrisburg 6 Richmond 5
• Troop 4⅔ IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 4BB, 4K, HBP
• Knowles (W, 2-0) 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Schoff (SV, 1) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Tostado 3-5, 2RBI
• Dunn 1-2, 2R, 3BB, SB
• Vega 1-2, 2R, 2BB

The Senators weren’t rained out in the bottom of the 5th with a 2-1 lead. After a 49-minute rain delay, they extended the lead to 3-1 then 6-1 with a three-run 6th. That proved to just enough as the Flying Squirrels, um, went nuts in the 8th for four runs to make it 6-5. Richmond got the tying run on in the 9th with a one-out single but neither pinch-runner was able to go any further as Tyler Schoff got the last two outs for his first AA save. Alex Troop made his 78th start of 2023 (give or take) and allowed one run on four hits and four walks while striking out four over four and 2/3rds. Lucas Knowles picked up the win with two scoreless innings. Frankie Tostado led the Harrisburg offense with three singles and two RBI while Jack Dunn and Onix Vega both went 1-for-2 with two runs scored while drawing five walks combined. Roster moves: SS Leonel Valera released; RHP Tyler Beck, SS Lucius Fox reassigned from Rochester.

Aberdeen 15 Wilmington 2
• Caceres (L, 0-2) 1⅓ IP, 7H, 8R, 8ER, 1BB, 0K, HR, HBP
• D. Diaz 2⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, ER, 1BB, 3K
• House 2-3, HBP, RBI
• De La Rosa 2-4, RBI

Aberdeen strafed Wilmington pitchers for 17 hits in a 15-2 defenestration. Bryan Caceres pushed his High-A ERA to 16.39 as he took his third loss in as many appearances with eight runs let in on seven hits (one HR) and a walk over an inning and 2/3rds. Brady House and Jeremy De La Rosa both singled twice and plated a run as the Blue Rocks collected seven singles and a double and drew two walks.

Lynchburg 7 Fredericksburg 4
• Lord (L, 3-1) 5IP, 10H, 6R, 6ER, 1BB, 3K, HBP
• Abreu 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• M. Romero 2-3, 2BB, 2B(5)
• Quintana 1-2, R, 2BB

The FredNats lost the battle of the Carolina Lg. ‘Burgs, 7-4 to the Hillcats. Brad Lord took the brunt of the beating, giving up six runs on 10 hits and a walk for his first loss of the season. Kevin Rodriguez gave up the final run on two hits over two innings. Max Romero singled, doubled, and drew two walks to lead Fredericksburg’s six-hit, four-walk offense that went 2-for-10 with RISP and left on six baserunners.

FCL Nationals – OFF DAY

DSL LAD Bautista 6 DSL Nationals 3
• H. Moreno ⅔ IP, 1H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K, BK, HBP
• E. Rivero (L, 1-4) 2⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 0ER, 2BB, 1K, HBP, 3-2 IR-S
• Maricuto 2-4, 2K
• Joaquin 2-3, R, BB, 2-2B, 2E
• 1-10 RISP, 9 LOB

The D-Nats got the two in the top of 1st. That lead would be short-lived as Dodgers’ Bautista squad tied it at 2-2 after one and took a 5-2 lead after three as they sent the DSL Nationals t to their 23rd loss. Henry Moreno retired two of five batters before he was lifted for the losing pitcher, Enyerber Rivero, who allowed two of three inherited runners to score and then three of his own on four hits, two walks, and a hit batsman. He struck out one. Eikel Joaquin reached base three times on a walk and two doubles while Jermaine Maricuto singled twice to lead the D-Nats offense, which totaled five hits, nine walks, and seven stolen bases.