Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Postponed | @ Buffalo, 1:05 p.m. | Muñoz (0-2, 7.11) vs. Bash (2-1, 3.00) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 5-4 | @ Richmond, 6:35 p.m. | Herz (0-1, 5.14) vs. Bertrand (1-1, 3.52) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 8-6 | @ Aberdeen, 7:05 p.m. | Cáceres (0-5, 9.46) vs. Virbitsky (4-1, 4.25)* |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 13-5 | vs. Augusta, 7:05 p.m. | L. Young (3-4, 4.66) vs. J. Lara (3-7, 4.72) |
| FCL Nationals | Won, 6-1 | @ FCL Cardinals, 10 a.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | Lost, 4-2 | vs. DSL Twins, 10 a.m. |
* Based on the rotation inferred from previous appearances.
Rochester vs. Buffalo – PPD
Rain postponed the series opener between the Red Wings and the Bisons. The game will not be made up this afternoon but at a later date. This week is the final meeting between the two teams. Roster moves: LHP Joe La Sorsa optioned from Washington; LHP Lucas Knowles reassigned from Harrisburg; .
Richmond 5 Harrisburg 4
• M. Cuevas (L, 2-5) 4IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 3K, HR, WP
• Javier 2IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Wood 2-4, 2R, HR, 2K
• Young 1-4, R, SB, OF assist at HP
Harrisburg scored three times on three singles and an error in the 9th, but couldn’t push across the equalizer as they dropped the opener to Richmond, 5-4. Michael Cuevas losst fo the fifth time as he gave up four runs on seven hits (one HR) over four innings. He walked one and struck out three. James Wood broke up the shutout with his 14th HR at AA, 22nd overall and scored two runs to lead the Senators’ six-hit, two-walk offense. Roster moves: LHP Alex Troop reassigned from Rochester.
Aberdeen 8 Wilmington 6
• Luckham (L, 3-6) 4⅓ IP, 11H, 7R, 7ER, 1BB, 7K, HR
• C. Romero 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, 1-0 IR-S
• Stehly 3-5, 2R, 2B, RBI
• Frizzell 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI
• McKenzie 2-4, R, 2B, OF assist @ 2B
The Blue Rocks nearly dug themselves out of a 7-0 hole but left on two in the 9th as they were shot down, 8-6 by the IronBirds. Jake Bennett apparently learned how to throw right-handed as he wore Kyle Luckham’s uniform and got lit up for seven runs on 11 hits (one HR) and a walk over four and a 1/3rd innings. It was the sixth loss for Luckham’s uniform, or more likely, Kyle Luckham as Bennett remains under witness protection. Murphy Stehly singled twice and doubled once while Will Frizzell drove in two with his 7th HR and also singled to lead the Wilmington offense. Roster moves: C Steven Williams activated from Development List, reassigned from Rochester.
Fredericksburg 13 Augusta 5
• Amaral 1⅔ IP, 0H, 2R, 0ER, 3BB, 3K, 42-22 PIT-K
• K. Rodriguez ⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, HBP, 3-1 IR-S
• Sullivan 2IP, 0H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 3K, WP
• Nuñez 4-4, R, 2BB, 2B, 2RBI, SB(5), CS
• Pinckney 2-6, R, SB
• M. Romero 1-3, R, 2BB
• Quintana 0-1, 2R, 3BB, SF, RBI
Fredericksburg got a touchdown and an extra point on its opening driv…er, first “ups” as the FredNats squished the GreenJackets, 13-5. Austin Amaral made his third start and was charged with two unearned runs before hitting his pitch count after an inning and 2/3rds. He walked three and struck out three. Liam Sullivan was credited with his first minors win with one run let in on two walks and a wild pitch over two innings. Elijah Nuñez reached base six times on three singles, two walks, two singles, and a double to lead the FredNats’ ten-hit, 12-walk assault.
FCL Nationals 6 FCL Marlins 1
• Leon (W, 1-1) 5IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Tepper (H, 1) 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 3K
• Vaquero 2-3, 3R, BB, HR, 2RBI, 2SB
• Klassen 2-4, 2B, RBI
• E. Santana 2-4, RBI
Chrithian Vaquero’s first HR of the season capped off a four-run 2nd as the F-Nats hooked the F-Marlins, 6-1. Jefrem Leon tossed five scoreless to win his first game, allowing three hits, no walks, and striking out three. Vaquero also walked, singled, stole two bases, scored three runs, and drove in two while Blake Klassen singled, doubled, and drove in one to lead the 11-hit parade by the FCL Nationals. Roster moves: RHP Anthony Arguelles assigned from Washington (NDFA, Va. Tech).
DSL Tigers1 4 DSL Nationals 2
• D. Oliveros 3IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 1K, HBP, WP
• Familia 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• L. Acevedo (BS, 1; L, 1-2) 1IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 0K
• A. Acevedo 1-3, BB, SB(23)
• E. Soto 1-2, 2B(5), RBI
A three-run 7th by the DSL Tigers 1 squad sent the DSL Nationals to their 37th loss by a 4-2 count.
Hmm, well that’s concerning. If anyone would know about Jake Bennett’s whereabouts, it would be De Jon Watson, and now even Watson doesn’t seem to know what’s up with Bennett, as he said he’d have returned by now. Seems there’s been yet another setback.
I’m resigning myself to the fact that Andrew Alvarez is never going to get promoted this season. It defies logic. What, like 40 pitchers have been promoted this season? And yet, the one with the best performance among all 150 or so is stuck repeating the level he played in last season. But congrats to Knowles, who was highly deserving of his second promotion of the season.
Remember that initial optimism that Green had re-tooled his bat after his extended absence? Well, he’s now struck out 5 times in his past 7 plate appearances. Something to watch, but not encouraging.
Lastly, to the Harrisburgers here, how has Lipscomb looked defensively getting moved around the diamond? I’m kind of surprised that they didn’t give him a game or two at a few positions, then settle on one for him to get comfortable with. Over the past 20 games, he hasn’t once started at the same position in consecutive games (7 3B, 6 1B, 3 SS, 3 2B, 1 DH). But good for him, the defensive changes don’t appear to have affected his bat in the slightest.
Oh, he knows… he’s just lying. Or to put it another way: He meant it at the time. And I’m not saying that out of sour grapes or anything like that — I was a reporter and got lied to all the time; it’s part of the job. And don’t think for a minute that he confused the 14th with the 15th — had anyone pressed him on that, he’d have said “oh, I meant he was going to throw a simulated game.”
Re: Green. Before that draft both KW and I were campaigning for the Nats to take Brooks Lee instead of Green because of the risk of taking someone eho can’t make contact.
Well, Lee is already in AAA while Green can’t play his way out of Florida.
Finally fixed the name glitch.
I understood their fascination with Green’s tools, but he just seemed like too much of a gamble. Also, they needed someone who could get to the majors sooner rather than later to help with the rebuild. I’m still hoping that Green is going to be able to live up to his potential, but clearly that’s going to take a few years.
As for Lee, the Twins got him a cup of coffee at AA before the end of last summer. By every scouting report on the planet, Crews is better than Lee. But he’s stuck in low A. Why?
Any comparison between Brooks Lee and Green is nonsensical. At 19 Lee appeared in all of 2 games for Cal-Poly Obispo, Green is getting pro at bats. Give Green time, so MANY people want to right him off in his first full pro season. He’s already walking at a 14% clip so has that going for him. I’m sure he’s working hard on making better contact. Give him time to learn.
Green Day Grenade in hand .
Looks like Knowles is as rubber armed as Troop and Alvarez .
When Lipscomb first arrived in Harrisburg I thought there were a couple backhand plays he could have made at third, but didn’t. Since then he has played well at all the infield positions. I can’t recall a game where I thought he looked overwhelmed or uncomfortable.
if you get bored watching Parker imitate Kershaw you can watch Amaral imitate Tim Lincecum. he has the fastball, if he can develop his secondary pitches he could be an effective reliever, only 21.
Crews with a nice AB in the first with the bases loaded, liner into right center.
you could hide two of Simpson behind Sullivan, both lefty relievers, not overpowering, if I have to pick one who might make it I’ll go with the skinny kid. good luck boys!
I’ve forgotten which prospect guru compared Wood to Adam Dunn, but a homer and two K’s seems to be a typical Dunn-like night. I’m excited about what Wood can become, but until he can get a handle on the K’s, the excitement is tempered a bit. Nevertheless, he’s a 20-year-old who is clobbering the ball at AA, at least when he makes contact.
Murphy Stehly is making a lot of contact, just not clobbering the ball. He’s hitting .361 for the season across three stops, but with only 12 extra-base hits in 50 games. In his last season at U of Texas, he had 19 homers and 23 doubles, so presumably that pop is there. He could be an interesting utility guy if he continues to hit. He turns 25 in Sept., though, so the clock will be ticking fast on him.
KW: the thing to remember about the Adam Dunn comp (whether accurate or not) is that was referring only to the bat. Think of an Adam Dunn who can play plus defense in CF and also run the bases well. That’s a pretty good ballplayer.
Agreed. Although for what little it’s worth, Dunn stole 19 bases for the Reds one year when he first came up, and 24 one season in the minors, so he wasn’t as slow as he looked, at least when he was young. Wood is supposed to be a better all around ballplayer, although I don’t take too much issue with him being comped with a guy who hit 462 MLB homers.