Saturday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup (’24 Stats at the level for AA and below) |
| Rochester | Lost, 9-2 | vs. Lehigh Valley, 1:05 p.m. | Lara (0-0, 4.50) vs. Abel (0-1, 7.20) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 5-1 | @ Erie, 1:35 p.m. | Saenz (1-5, 8.46) vs. Hamm (5-4, 2.64 @ A+) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 8-4 | @ Brooklyn, 2:00 p.m. | Cornelio (9-11, 5.56) vs. Girton (pro debut) |
| Frdericksburg | Lost, 5-2 | @ Carolina, 6:30 p.m. | Meckley (1-0, 0.00) vs. Meccage (pro debut) |
Lehigh Valley 9 Rochester 2
• Alvarez (L, 0-1) 5+ IP, 5H, 6R, 3ER, 0BB, 6K, HR,
• Acosta 2IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K, 2-2 IR-S
• Baker 2-5, SB
• F. Cordero 1-3, 2BB
The IronPigs went to town in the 6th, turning a 4-2 lead into a 8-2 rout as they downed the Red Wings for the third straight game, 9-2. Andrew Alvarez took the brunt of the beating, allowing six runs (three earned, “thanks” to the 4th and 5th errors of the season by Nasim Nuñez) om five hits (one HR) over five-plus innings. He walked none and struck out six. Darren Baker singled twice and stole a base while Franchy Cordero singled and walked twice to lead Rochester’s nine-hit, four-walk offense. Roster moves: RHP Jackson Rutledge recalled to Washington; RHP Cole Henry reassigned from Harrisburg.
Erie 5 Harrisburg 1
• Luckham (L, 0-1) 3⅓ IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 4BB, 1K, 0HR
• Cuevas 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 3K, 2-0 IR-S
• Arruda 1-3, R, 2B
• Lawson 1-2, BB
An early 1-0 lead was erased with a four-run 4th as Erie took the season opener, 5-1. Kyle Luckham was knocked from the box after three and a 1/3rd innings, charged with those four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out one. The Senators were limited to three doubles and a single and avoided the shutout with the help of a two-out error that plated Daylen Lile. Roster moves: C Charles Mack transferred to Developmental List.
Brooklyn 8 Wilmington 4
• Clemmey (L, 0-1) 3+ IP, 1H, 4R, 2ER, 5BB, 6K
• Huff 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, 2-0 IR-S
• Cruz 1-3, R, BB, 3B, RBI
• Cox 1-3, R, BB, 2B
Alex Clemmey’s High-A debut was a short one, chased after three-plus innings as the Cyclones doubled up the Blue Rocks, 8-4. The 19-y.o. walked five and struck out six but gave up four runs (two earned) on one hit. Wilmington hit for the cycle with three singles, a double (Brenner Cox), a triple (Armando Cruz), and a home run (Gavin Dugas).
Carolina 5 Fredericksburg 2
• Polanco (L, 0-1) 5IP, 5H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K, HR, 2HBP
• Amaral 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 3-0 IR-S
• Bazzell 2-5, R, 2B
• Vaquero 2-5, R, 2B
Fredericksburg outhit Carolina 11-7 but the Mudcats outscored the FredNats, 5-2. Bryan Polanco got the start and the “L” as he let in four runs (three earned) on five hits (one HR) and two walks and two Robles over five innings. Kevin Bazzell and Christhian Vaquero both singled, doubled, and scored a run to lead the offense, which went 3-for-10 with RISP but was caught stealing twice and picked off once.
Charles Mack future PD staff coach or skipper ?
I know it’s just one day, but that’s 9 runs scored across 4 games. Bats are looking like where they left off last season… Speaking of which, Elijah Green went 0 for 4 with 3 Ks. His only non strikeout was a GIDP. Maybe striking out isn’t so bad! Still, a lot more of more of the same from him. What a shame.
On the other hand, an encouraging first game for Fburg’s 1-2-3, especially Nunez and Vaquero, who had disastrous 2024s. Hope they can keep it up!
What is up with the usually reliable defensive Nunez? 5 errors in 6 games!!!!!
Golden sombrero across the whole organization, including the bigs. Ouch. Way to get the year rolling, guys!
VERY SSS, and still not warmer weather, so too early to judge. I’m hoping for more from the pitching in particular. I don’t really understand why some of these guys other than Clemmey are the opening day starters, other than perhaps trying to avoid colder evenings with some. FWIW, Clemmey is still just 19 years old, and at A+. With a July birthday, this will count as his “age-19” season.
Interesting to note that Wallace is at 3B for Harrisburg despite being almost exclusively at 2B in the spring with the big club. It’s a little concerning that Lile is in LF, seeming to confirm that he’s thought of as limited defensively. There will be a lot of weight on his bat development to be a carrying tool.
The A+ lineup is an interesting mix of a couple of new prospects (King and Lomavita) with nearly everyone else in the order still trying to cling to “prospect” status. (I don’t know that Pimentel ever really qualified, but the rest did/do.) Here’s wishing all of them luck as they try to find their mojo. Dugas had some big numbers at LSU and looked like he might have something, but he turns 25 in May, so the clock is ticking fast for him.
I’ve said in the spring that I’m keeping hope that Green can find something, irrational as that thinking might be. But dang, that’s about as bad a start as one can have, particularly since he supposedly has spent the winter focused on not striking out.