Thursday’s News & Notes

Syracuse — OFF DAY
The Syracuse Chiefs’ nine-game homestand resumes with a chance to make some hay against the cellar-dwelling Louisville Bats for four games and the sub-.500 Charlotte Knights for three before they begin the first of two series against the third-place Rochester RedWings. Roster move: RHP Blake Treinen optioned from Washington.

Reading 9 Harrisburg 2
• Kroenke (L, 2-5) 2⅓ IP, 8H, 7R, 7ER, BB, 4K
• Dupra 3⅔ IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR, 2-1 IR-S
• Ramsey 4-4, 2B, RBI, 2SB
• Vettleson 2-4, 2B

The Harrisburg Senators briefly held a 1-0 lead in their eventual 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Cole Leonida doubled to lead off the 3rd and was singled in by Caleb Ramsey. Ramsey stole second before Reading immediately blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning against starter and loser Zach Kroenke. Three straight singles and a bases-loaded walk made the score 1-1. Two more singles, a double, and a Sebastian “Frankie” Valle single made the score 6-1 before Brian Dupra entered and threw a wild pitch to give Reading a comfortable 7-1 lead. Cutter Dykstra’s solo homer in the top of the sixth was Harrisburg’s last gasp of offense.

Potomac 10 Winston-Salem 2
• Spann (W, 8-5) 6IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K, HBP
• Walsh 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Ballou 3-4, 2R, 2B, 3B, BB, 2RBI
• Oduber 2-5, 2R, 2HR, 6RBI
• Miller 2-4, R, HR, RBI

Matthew Spann tossed six one-hit innings, Randolph Oduber drove in six Last Night In Woodbridge.
Roster move: UT Justin Miller released.

West Virginia 7 Hagerstown 2
• Estevez (L, 0-2) 1⅓ IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 0K, HR
• Valdez 2⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 3-2 IR-S
• Difo 3-4, 2R, 2SB (39, 40)
• Yezzo 2-4, RBI

Starter Wirkin “For the Weekend” Estevez was tattooed for five early runs in the Suns’ 7-2 loss to the Power. Hagerstown managed only one run in the top of the 1st despite four singles, two stolen bases and a walk from West Virginia because both Rafael Bautista and Wilman Rodriguez were gunned down at second for the inning’s first two outs. The Power immediately erased the 1-0 deficit with an Austin Meadows homer. Estevez later gave up four straight singles and a walk in the top of the second before leaving with an ominous sounding “injured arm.” Austin “Power’s Powers” Meadows effectively put the game away with a two-out, two-run single against reliever Phillips Valdez. Hagerstown’s James “Mellow” Yezzo’s RBI single in the bottom of the 6th preceded Drew Ward’s rally-killing double play with nobody out and runners on first and second.

Tri-City 3 Auburn 2
• Bourque (L, 1-4) 4IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 8K, WP, HBP
• Swynenberg 2IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 0K
• Page 2-4, RBI
• Langlois 1-3, R, 2B, BB

With two out in the bottom of the 9th, Brian Langlois doubled, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Matthew Page’s second single of the night to pull the Doubledays within one at 3-2. Alas, Osvaldo Abreu struck out to end it and there was no joy in Auburn as they dropped the series opener to Tri-City. James Bourque started and gave up all three ValleyCat runs on seven hits and a walk over four innings. Three relievers combined for five scoreless innings, but the offense was limited to seven hits and two walks while fanning 11 times.

GCL Cardinals 6 GCL Nationals 1
• Morales (L, 0-5) 5IP, 9H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K
• Yrizarri 3IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 2K
• Lora 0-3, BB, RBI
• R. Encarnacion 0-2, 2BB, SB

Four G-Cards pitchers combined to no-hit the G-Nats and take a 6-1 decision. Jose Morales started for the third time, but was perforated for nine hits and two runs over five inning. He struck out three but suffered his fifth loss in nine appearances. A walk, balk, and a wild pitch set up Edwin Lora’s RBI groundout in the 3rd that prevented the shutout. The G-Cards doubled down on reliever Deibi Yrizarri for two runs in the 7th and 8th innings to put the game out of reach.

DSL Red Sox 18 DSL Nationals 1
• Acevedo (L, 3-3) 2IP, 8H, 10R, 8ER, 2BB, K, HR
• D. Rojas 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Mota 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Franco 1-2

When a 17-y.o. position player is your most effective pitcher of the game, you know it was a blowout. The D-Red Sox pounded three D-Nats pitchers for 18 runs and 17 hits before Dany Rojas tossed a scoreless 9th with one walk. Israel Mota broke up the shutout with an RBI double to plate Neivy Pilier in the bottom of the 7th and was the sole batter to record multiple hits.
Roster move: RHP Yordani Garcia assigned from Washington.