Sunday’s News & Notes

Rochester 4 Lehigh Valley 1
• Rutledge (W, 2-1) 5IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 2K, HBP, WP, PO @ 1B
• Cate (H, 5) 1IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Blankenhorn 2-3, 2R, HR(20), RBI
• Mejia 1-3, 3B, 2RBI

Erick Mejia’s two-run triple broke open a 2-0 game as Rochester defeated Lehigh Valley, 4-1. Jackson Rutledge blanked the IronPigs for five innings, allowing two hits and two walks while hittng a batter. It was his second AAA win. Tim Cate (1IP) and Luis Reyes (2IP) combined for three scoreless, but Gerson Moreno lost the shutout in the 9th letting in run on two hits and two walks. Travis Blankenhorn stroked his 20th HR to tie James Wood for the organization lead and also singled as the Red Wings squeezed four runs from six hits with no walks.

Harrisburg 5 Akron 4
• Saenz (W, 3-4) 6IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 2K, HR,
• Walters (SV, 3) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 1-1 IR-S
• House 2-4, R, RBI
• Pineda 1-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Young 1-4, 2B, RBI

Israel Pineda’s first AA homer—a three-run shot in the 4th—proved to be the difference as the Senators edged the RubberDucks, 5-4. Dustin Saenz turned in his second quality start this month as he allowed three runs on six hits (one HR) and a walk while striking out two. Nash Walters let in an inherited runner while getting out of the 8th but retired the side in order in the 9th for his third save. Brady House singled twice for his fourth straight multihit game and drove in the fifth Harrisburg run while Jacob Young doubled and drove in the first Sens run.

Wilmington 2 Bowling Green 1
• Alvarez (W, 7-4) 8IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 11K, 100-62 PIT-K
• Powell (SV, 6) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K
• Lile 2-3, 2B, RBI
• McKenzie 1-3, R, HR, RBI

Andrew Alvarez notched career highs in innings and strikeouts while flirting with a no-no for eight innings. Holden Powell lost the no-hitter with one down in the 9th on a chopper to third that Murphy Stehly threw away trying to make the bang-bang play. The shutout was lost with two outs when Cortland Lawson did his best imitation of a bullfighter for his 22nd error. Daylen Lile snagged a sinking line drive for the third and final out to preserve the 2-1 win for Wilmington. The 20-y.o. got the Blue Rocks on the board with an RBI and later singled while Jared McKenzie homered in the 5th. Jeremy De La Rosa also singled to round out the four-hit night and Will Frizzell drew the sole walk for Wilmington.

Lynchburg 8 Fredericksburg 6
• Sthele 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Denaburg 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, HBP, 3-0 IR-S
• M. Diaz (L, 0-1) 2IP, 1H, 2R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K, HR
• Morales 2-5, R
• Quintana 1-2, R, 3BB
• M. Romero 1-3, 2B, RBI, HBP

The FredNats led 3-0 and 4-2 early, fell behind 6-4, then tied it at 6-6 after seven innings. Alas, a two-run HR in the bottom of the 8th put the Hillcats up 8-6 and a late rally was snuffed by diving catch on what might have been an RBI single to pull within on at 8-7. The loss went to Moises Diaz on two unearned runs in the 8th with just the one hit and one walk allowed. Travis Sthele got the start and tossed two perfect innings with neither a walk nor a whiff. Yohandy Morales led the Fredericksburg hit column of seven with two singles while Roisemar Quintana drew three of the right walks. The FredNats, however, were just 2-for-13 with RISP and left on 12.

FCL Astros 12 FCL Nationals 4
• Zapata (L, 3-1) 2⅔ IP, 7H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 2K, 2HR, PO @ 1B
• Fortunato 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Pimentel 3-5, R, 2-2B, 2RBI
• Glasser 1-3, R, 2BB

The FCL Nationals gave Genderson Zapata a 3-0 lead after one, but that was far less than he needed as the FCL Astros sent him packing with two in the 2nd and five in the 3rd. They would tack on five more runs for a 12-4 win. Zapata gave up two homers and seven hits total while walking two and striking out two over two and… wait for it… 2/3rds innigs. NDFA Brandon Pimental singled once, doubled twice, and drove in two while 10th Rd. pick Phillip Glasser reached base three times on two walks and a single to lead the F-Nats nine-hit attack.

DSL Giants Orange 7 DSL Nationals 2
• Farias 4IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 5K, HR, HBP
• R. Ramirez (L, 0-2) 3IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 1K, HR
• Jo. Sanchez 3-4, RBI, SB, PO
• E. Solano 1-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI

The D-Nats picked up where they left off on Monday and tied it in the 4th. Alas, the DSL Nationals relievers weren’t up to the task of preserving a 1-1 tie and gave up single runs in the 6th and 7th, then put the game away for the DSL Giants Orange with a four-run eighth. Victor Farias went the first four frames and let in a run on a homer and struck out five. He walked none but a hit a batter. Reilin Ramirez took the loss with two runs let in (one earned) on four hits (one HR) and three walks. He struck out one. Jose Sanchez (no relation) singled three times and drove in one while Edwin Solano reached base on a walk and an RBI double to lead the D-Nats offense.