Friday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Lost, 4-3 | @ Jacksonville, 7:05pm | Sampson (3-4, 4.52) vs. Fulton (AAA debut) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 10-4 | vs. Altoona, 6:30pm | Tolman (0-0, 5.19) vs. Chapman (6-2, 3.81) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 9-2 | @ Greensboro, 6:30pm | Meckley (0-2, 7.27) vs. Stumbo (1-2, 3.63) |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 7-0 | @ Lynchburg, 6:30pm | Johnson (0-2, 5.47) vs. Hernandez (6-3, 3.98) |
Jacksonville 4 Rochester 3
• Luckham 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 4K, WP
• Lara (L, 1-5) 1⅓ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 1K, HR
• Lipscomb 3-4, R, HR, 2R
• Franklin 2-4, BB, SB, E
Four Rochester batters reached base with two out in the 9th, scoring one, but couldn’t get the fifth needed to tie as the Red Wings were peeled by the Jumbo Shrimp, 4-3. Kyle Luckham turned in five innings of two-run ball on four hits, no walks, and four whiffs for a no-decision. Andry Lara’s lost season continued with his fifth AAA loss and eighth overall as Jacksonville got to him for two runs on three hits (one HR) over an inning and a 1/3rd. Rochester put 13 runners on base but had only three RISP chances (0-fer, natch) and left on nine baserunners.
Harrisburg 10 Altoona 4
• Clemmey 4⅔ IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K, HR, 90-54 PIT-K
• Knowles (W, 1-0) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, HBP
• Glasser 3-5, R, 2B, 3RBI, SB
• S. Brown 2-4, 2R, BB, 2B, RBI
• Lomavita 2-5, 2R, HR, RBI
• Thomas 2-3, R, RBI, HBP
The Senators broke out for five in the 2nd to erase an early 2-0 deficit as they won for the fourth time in the last five games, 10-4. Alex Clemmey labored through four and 2/3rds innings, giving up all four Curve runs on five hits (one HR) and three walks. Lucas Knowles picked up his first win since April 2024 with two scoreless innings. Phillip Glasser led the 14-hit parade with two singles and a double while Sam Brown also reached base three times with walk, single, and a double.
Greensboro 9 Wilmington 2
• Sthele (L, 6-7) 5⅓ IP, 7H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 3K, 2HR
• Cáceres 1⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Henseler 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• Yepez 1-4, R, HR, RBI
Wilmington extended its losing streak to three (10 of the last 12) in a 9-2 loss to Greensboro. Travis “Sunday” Sthele, who lead the Nats minors in IP at 130, pitched into the 6th for the 14th time this season but lost for the seventh time with five runs allowed on seven hits and two walks. Wyatt Henseler and Juan Yepez both hit solo shots while Jared McKenzie singled to round the Blue Rocks’ three-hit barrage.
Lynchburg 7 Fredericksburg 0
• Sullivan (L, 1-2) 4IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 4K, HR
• Olson 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 3K
• Willits 1-3, 2K
Eli Willits has not gone hitless in his seven games as a pro. Perhaps not coincidentally, his ninth hit was the only one in a 7-0 shutout loss to the Hillcats. Alas, the 17-y.o. struck out in his two other PAs on a night where every starter whiffed for a total of 15 on the night. Liam Sullivan took the loss, allowing the first three Lynchburg runs on six hits (one HR) and one walk while striking out four. It was Fredericksburg’s 12th loss in 18 games against Lynchburg.
It’s pretty weird to witness Clemmey perform like a completely different pitcher in AA. Yes, the walks are the same (6.2/9IP in both Wilmington and Harrisburg), but the similarities end there.
Clemmey was just dominating A+ hitters. They couldn’t make any contact, managing 56 H in 87.1 IP (5.8/9IP), while striking out at an absurd 11.6/9IP. In Harrisburg, they’re destroying everything Clemmey throws. With 16.2 (!!) hits per 9IP and only 6.2 K/9IP, that 3 times as many hits, and half as many strikeouts. Oh, and Clemmey is allowing HRs at a rate 11.5 times higher in AA than A+!!! (He’s allowed 6 already in 11.2 IP versus only 4 in 87.1 IP).
Surely, these rates aren’t sustainable, but it’s a big reality check for Clemmey. Hope he can make some tweaks quickly. He’s still one of the youngest players in the Eastern League, an almost 1.5 years younger than teammates, Susana and Sykora, so even if it takes a while to get his bearings, he’ll still be developmentally ahead of them.
the biggest leap in baseball is A to AA, well over half do not succeed. He looked good in 2 of the 4 innings he pitched
I think this game was a good first step for him. shutdown innings after the Sens scored in the second and third, 2K’s in the fifth before he was ambushed for HR.
the FredNats were mowed down by the aptly named Iowa farm boy Joey Oakie, Cleveland’s 3rd round pick out of HS last year. 11K’s out of the 15 outs he recorded. easily a career high for him. he got Willits twice, I’ll bet Eli was steamed.
bad night for YoYo after solid games in the first two of the series. bases loaded and down a run, he chased multiple times to end the game by striking out, his fourth of the game.
Glasser continues to put up numbers. Odd to me that some guys get prospect and franchise love while others perform. I get that diamonds in the rough don’t often pan out, but this guy looks like a real prospect.