Friday’s News & Notes

Rochester 8 Buffalo 7
• Sampson 6IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K, 2HR, GHBP
• Salazar (BS, 5) ⅓ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K
• Loutos (W, 3-0) 1IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Arruda 2-4, R, 3B, RBI
• Morales 2-4, R, 3B
• Tena 2-5, 2R, HR, 3RBI

It’s been said pitching, defense, and the three-run HR are the keys to winning. Well, two out of three also works as José Tena delivered the Earl Weaver Special with two outs in the 9th to give Rochester its ninth walkoff win of 2025. That made a winner out of Ryan Loutos, who coughed up two in the top of the 9th on four hits and a walk. Four other Red Wings joined Tena in having multi-hit games, led by Yoyo Morales and bullpen ace J.T. Arruda with a single and a triple apiece. Adrian Sampson got the start and allowed four runs on two homers and three hits totals over six innings. He walked three and struck out four in his fifth no-decision. Roster moves: RHP Orlando Ribalta optioned from Washington.

Harrisburg 5 Akron 3
• Choi (W, 7-5) 6IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, 2HR
• Vasquez (H, 5) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Santos (SV, 11) 1IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 1K, HR
• Boisserie 2-3, 2R, BB, HR, 3RBI
• King 2-4, 2R, RBI
• Thomas 2-5, R, 3B, 2SB(21)

The Senators scored in just two of eight “ups” but it was enough to drown the RubberDucks, 5-3. Hyun-Il Choi gave up a pair of solo HRs and six hits total over six innings to post his seventh win and fourth quality start. He walked one and struck out two. Samuel Vasquez put up goose eggs in the 7th and 8th innings for the hold while Junior Santos was dinged for the third and final Akron run on a homer in the 9th but got credit for his 11th save. Branden Boisserie singled, walked, homered, and drove in three while Johnathon Thoms stole two bases and had a single and triple to extend his hit streak to five games.

Lynchburg 5 Fredericksburg 4
• Polanco 4IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K, HBP
• Baldo (BS, 1; L, 0-1) ⅓ IP, 1H, 2R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K
• Cox 2-2, R, 2BB, SB
• R. Diaz 1-3, R, BB, RBI

Lynchburg got a leadoff single and a walk to put the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the 9th. The Hillcats tried to bunt the two runners over but Dauri Hernandez popped up the bunt to Merrick Baldo, who tried to double off the runner at second. Instead, his throw got past both Eli Willits at short and Brenner Cox to turn a would-be double play into a game- and season-ending loss for Fredericksburg.

To be fair, it appeared that the throw hit the runner sending the ball caroming away from Cox, who was charging in to get the ball and had to lunge suddenly to his glove side. Like every grounder more than 3′ away from Jose Vidro, the dive justmissed. Likewise, the FredNats only had one RBI and scored twice on Lynchburg miscues, including a wild pitch and a throwing error.

Bryan Polanco gave up one run over the first four innings on three hits, one walk, and a Robles. Tucker Bivens followed with two scoreless before giving way to Bryant Olson who walked two batters and hit another to load the bases. Carson Fischer rolled a double play ball to let in one run, then balked in another but left with a 4-3 lead after pitching a scoreless 8th before being lifted for Baldo in the 9th.

Cox reached base four times on two singles and two walks while Randal Diaz singled, walked, and stole a base to lead Fredericksburg’s five-hit, five-walk, three-steal offense.