Friday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 4 Toledo 3
• Poveda 7IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 6K
• Jackson (W, 1-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Cedeno (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Laird 3-4, R, RBI
• Hairston 1-3, R, BB, RBI

In a see-saw contest, Syracuse scored last with a run in the 8th to edge Toledo, 4-3. Omar Poveda pitched seven full innings with three runs allowed on five hits and two walks while striking out six but got the no-decision. Zack Jackson pitched a scoreless 8th and picked up the win when Brandon Laird’s third single of the night plated Jhonatan “The Onion” Solano for the go-ahead run. Xavier “Carry On” Cedeno struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

New Britain 6 Harrisburg 3 — GAME ONE
• Purke (L, 0-5) 4IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 3K, 2HR
• Espino 3IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 5K, HR
• Jeroloman 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI
• Hague 1-3, R, 2B, RBI

The long ball continues to haunt Harrisburg pitchers with three more surrendered in a 6-3 loss to New Britain in the opener. Matt Purke served up another three-run shot in the 1st and solo shot in the 2nd to account for all four runs he gave up in his fifth loss in as many starts. Paolo Espino finished the game but wasn’t any more effective, allowing two runs over three innings. Brian Jeroloman’s two-run blast capped off the Senators three-run 5th, following Ricky Hague’s RBI double.

Harrisburg 4 New Britain 3 — GAME TWO
• Cole 5IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 5K
• Grace (W, 1-0) 2IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, 0K
• Ramsey 2-3, R, 2B, BB, SB
• Taylor 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, SB

A daring double steal by set up the gamewinner as the Senators rallied for three in the final frame for a 4-3 win and a doubleheader split. Doubles by Brandon Bantz and Michael Taylor sandwiched around an error scored two to tie it at 3-3, forcing New Britain to walk Caleb Ramsey to set up a double play. Instead, Taylor and Ramsey took off and took away the play. Cutter Dykstra tapped one to short that the Rock Cats SS threw high to the plate, enabling Taylor to duck and score the gamewinner. Matt Grace got the win, allowing a run on a walk and two hits. Starter A.J. Cole went the first five, giving up two on a walk and five hits while striking out five.

Winston-Salem 3 Potomac 2
• Simms 5IP, 4H, R, ER, 2BB, K
• Dickson (BS, 2; L, 0-2) 2IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR
• Tejeda 2-4, R, 2B
• Miller 1-4, R, HR, 2RBI

Winston-Salem scored three unanswered runs, including two in the 7th for a 3-2 win over Potomac. John Simms made his A+ debut with the start and turned in five innings of one-run ball with four hits and two walks allowed and one strikeout. Ian Dickson took the loss and the blown save, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over two innings. Oscar Tejeda led the hit column with a 2-for-4 night while Brandon Miller smacked a two-run homer, his seventh, which is good for a second-place tie on the Carolina League leaderboard.

Hickory 7 Hagerstown 3 — GAME ONE
• Voth (L, 0-2) 5IP, 6H, 5R, 1ER, 0BB, 5K
• Ullmann 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K
• Difo 2-4, SB (10)
• Ballou 1-2, R, BB, 2RBI, HBP

Hickory’s four-run 2nd snapped an early 1-1 tie as the Crawdads snapped the Suns six-game streak with a 7-3 decision in the opener. Austin Voth remains winless, charged with five runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks while setting down five on strikes. Isaac Ballou drove in two of the three Hagerstown runs with a two-run single in the 4th

Hagerstown 4 Hickory 3 — GAME TWO
• Silvestre 2⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Thomas (BS, 2; W, 1-2) 1IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 0K
• Ward 4-4, R, HR, RBI
• Chubb 1-3, 2B, RBI

The Crawdads threw it away in the final frame, as two errors led to the final Suns run for a 4-3 win that evened up the twinbill. Hector Silvestre made his first start in nearly three weeks, going two and 2/3rds innings with two hits, no walks, and no runs let in. He struck out one. Dixon Anderson was the first man out of the ‘pen and stranded two runners but gave up two runs over three and a 1/3rd innings. Still, Anderson was in line for the win, thanks to Drew Ward’s third HR as part of a 4-for-4 night. Justin Thomas gave the lead back in the top of the 7th with a run on two hits and two walks and got the “W” nevertheless.