Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 5-4 (11 inn.) |
@ Buffalo, 7:05 p.m. | Hernandez (AAA debut) vs. Parsons (5-2, 4.81) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 4-0 | @ Richmond, 6:35 p.m. | Saenz (3-4, 5.25) vs. Birdsong (0-2, 8.31) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 5-4 | @ Aberdeen, 7:05 p.m. | Cáceres (0-5, 9.46) vs. Chandler (5-6, 3.46) |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 5-1 | vs. Augusta, 7:05 p.m. | Sthele (0-0, 0.00) vs. Frey (0-0, 9.00) |
| FCL Nationals | Won, 9-7 | vs. FCL Cardinals, 10 a.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | Canceled | @ DSL Angels, 10 a.m. |
Rochester 5 Buffalo 4 (11 inn.)
• Muñoz 3IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 2K
• G. Moreno (BS, 5; W, 7-4) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K,
• Harris (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Blankenhorn 3-5, 2K
• Martin 1-3, R, 2B, BB
• Kieboom 1-5, R, HR(5), 2RBI
Rochester scored in both extra innings and held off Buffalo in the 11th for a 5-4 win. Roddery Muñoz made his fourth start for the Red Wings but needed 64 pitches to record nine outs, as the 23-y.o. gave up two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out two. Six relievers followed the waiver-wire claim, with Gerson Moreno blowing his fifth save by letting in the free runner in the 10th. He would get the cheap win, thanks to Hobie Harris setting the side down in order in the 11th for the save. Travis Blankenhorn led the Rochester hit column with three singles while Richie Martin reached base twice with a double and a walk, and Carter Kieboom lofted a two-run HR that gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead in the 5th. Roster moves: C Jarrett Gonzalez activated from Development List; LHP Alemao Hernandez reassigned from Harrisburg.
Harrisburg 4 Richmond 0
• Herz (W, 1-1) 5IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 10K, BK
• M. Peña (H, 5) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• J. Young 3-3, 2R, 2BB, 3B, 2RBI, 4SB
• Hassell 1-5, 2B
Led by newcomer DJ Herz, four Senators combined to shut out the Flying Squirrels, 4-0 on three hits. Herz struck out a season-high ten batters while allowing one hit and no walks over five innings to pick up the win. Malvin Peña (2IP), Reid Schaller (1IP), and Nash Walters (1IP) completed the game with Peña allowing the second hit, and Schaller allowing the third hit while issuing a walk and striking out two. Jacob Young was a one-man wrecking crew for Harrisburg, reaching base five times with two singles, two walks, and a triple while scoring twice, driving in two, and stealing four bases. Roster moves: LHP Lucas Knowles reassigned from Rochester.
Aberdeen 5 Wilmington 4
• Bennett 2IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, HR, PO @ 1B
• Huff 3IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, HR
• Powell (L, 1-3) ⅔ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 1K
• V. Peña 2-4, R, 2B, SAC
• De La Rosa 2-4, 2R, 2RBI
Wilmington rallied from a 4-1 deficit after five innings to tie it at 4-4 after its half of the 7th but fell in the 8th with the “help” of three walks, 5-4. Working on 52 days rest, Jake Bennett gave up two runs on a home run and three hits total over two innings. He walked one and struck out two and threw 27 pitches, 18 for strikes. Holden Powell took the loss as he gave up a run on a hit and three walks in 2/3rds of an inning, the last two coming with two out and two runners in scoring position. Viandel Peña, Jeremy De La Rosa, and Daylen Lile each went 2-for-4 and combined for three runs, three RBI, and a double (Peña) to lead the Blue Rocks offense.
Fredericksburg 5 Augusta 1
• L. Young (W, 4-4) 6IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 8K, HR
• Ribalta 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Morales 3-4, R, 2-2B, 2RBI
• Crews 2-3, R, BB, RBI, CS
• Emiliani 2-4, 2-2B
The FredNats erased a 1-0 deficit with four in the 6th and cruised to a 5-1 win over the GreenJackets. The Force™ was strong with Luke Young as he struck out eight for the second time in three starts. The 21-y.o. allowed one run on a home run and walked one over six innings for his fourth win and first quality start. Yohandy Morales singled once, doubled twice, and drove in two while Leandro Emiliani “only” doubled twice and drove in one to power the Fredericksburg offense. Some guy named Dylan Crews also reached three times, scored a run, and drove in a run, too.
Roster moves: RHP Niomar Gonzalez released.
FCL Nationals 9 FCL Cardinals 7
• Polanco 4IP, 10H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 3K, HR, HBP
• Jimenez (W, 1-0) 3IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 5K, HBP
• Pimentel 3-4, 2R, 3B, RBI
• Suggs 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Baca 1-2, R, 2BB, 2RBI
The FCL Nationals rallied for four in the 5th to tie and scored single runs in the 6th and 7th to win, 9-7, and return to .500 at 23-23. Bryan Polanco gave up all seven F-Cards runs on ten hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out three and hit a batter. Christian Jimenez finished the game with three scoreless, put on three basreunners with a single, walk, and an HBP to earn his first win. Brandon Pimentel pushed his BA to .423 (11-for-26) with two singles and a triple while Matt Suggs went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI to lead the F-Nats attack. Roster moves: C Matt Suggs assigned from Wilmington for MiLB Rehab.
DSL Twins vs. DSL Nationals – CNCLD
This had been a makeup of a July 4 rainout.
Jake Bennett lives! So good to see him return from witness protection, but it’s a shame his return is following the Cole Henry model. I don’t know what they had him doing during his rest period/injury rehab/whatever else he was up for the past 2 months, but I won’t judge his first game back too harshly.
DJ Herz, wow, what a game! It won’t take many more starts like this one for him to become our undisputed best starting pitching prospect.
And congrats to Luke Young for reaching the 6th inning for the first time in his short career.
Lastly, what was up with Knowles’ one day promotion? Did they forget about Alemao Hernandez, and only remembered a day later?
Speaking of A. Hernandezes, Alfonso was activated from the IL in May, but has yet to appear in a single game. Why activate him if he’s not healthy? What’s the deal?
It wasn’t a promotion. He may not have even left the team. Not all upward moves are promotions. Conversely, not all downward moves are demotions.
As for Alfonso, he was released in mid-June.
Right, now I remember someone posting about that. But it’s strange that his MILB page hasn’t been updated, while Niomar Gomez’s is, released just yesterday,
I told them not to hire Wilmington’s PR staff…
We figured Fonzi had left Al’s and Milwaukee , Luke . Lol
Gotta love a lefty getting the proverbial PO
My eye brows went up early in the evening last night on the Luke Young outing .
Any eyes on Herz and Young last night ( just had the accounting firm run through my head Ernst and Young ) and which pitches were working for each ?? Off speed I’m sure .
I’m sure Young at AA has battery mates after walks saying O h shite what did we do much like what would happen when Robles caused coming up the pipeline .
The intel on Herz was his sweeping windup made for erratic control. Not sure why but his numbers with Harrisburg are better than his Cubs AA stats. Could it be the pitching coach at Harrisburg found something?
1 hit, no walks and 10 k’s is as good as it gets. Can’t wait for his next start.
Niomar Gomez spent 7 years in the Nats organization, signing out of Venezuela. He missed most of 2020 and 2021 because of injury. Like a lot of pitchers he never recovered.
Bummer about Niomer Gomez . Big kid
It’s a numbers game to find 10-12 arms at the upper levels peppered with free agents and other Journey men arms .
Some of us will have to see the Herz windmill windup on video since we’re not near a ballpark .
Saenz seance tonight for Sens .
Herz works from the first base side of the rubber, steps even further towards first and throws across his body. kinda like Ross Detwiler. you’d expect him to be tough on lefties but his splits are reversed, albeit only slightly.
looks like Alemao Hernandez will get the start for the Wings tonite.
I said after Herz’s last start that I wondered if the Nats saw something in him that they thought they could fix. Once is an accident, two’s a trend . . . A guy who had a 4.40 ERA as of two games ago has only given up two hits and two walks, and no runs, over his last two starts while striking out 14. Word at the time of the trade was that he had “reliever” written all over him, but if the SSS of the last two starts is any indication, he’s suddenly one of the best (healthy) starter prospects in the organization. Fingers crossed.