Friday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 4-0 | @ Pawtucket, 7:05 p.m. |
Bleier (2-1, 3.71) vs. Couch (4-9, 6.27) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 4-2 | @ Erie, 7:05 p.m. |
Simms (1-1, 5.25) vs. Green (3-14, 4.58) |
| Potomac | Lost, 3-2 (12 inn.) | @ Carolina, 7:00 p.m. |
Dickson (1-1, 2.79) vs. Barker (6-3, 2.91) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 6-5 | vs. Delmarva, 7:05 p.m. |
Amlung (2-1, 3.42) vs. Walker (7-2, 3.17) |
| Auburn | Lost, 5-3 | vs. Williamsport, 7:05 p.m. |
J. Rodriguez (2-4, 5.40) vs. Gilbert (1-2, 1.64) |
Syracuse 4 Pawtucket 0
• Espino (W, 4-5) 8IP, 7H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
• Runion 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, K
• Ramsey 3-4, RBI
• Johnson 0-2, 2BB
A change in scenery didn’t change the result as the Chiefs blanked the PawSox, 4-0 for their fourth straight win. Paolo Espino tossed eight scoreless innings, with seven hits allowed, no walks and six K’s for his fourth win. Sam Runion pitched around a hit and a walk in the 9th to preserve the shutout. Caleb Ramsey went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Matt den Dekker and Kevin Keyes both homered to lead the Syracuse offense.
Roster moves: RHP Aaron Barrett optioned from Washington; RHP Blake Treinen recalled to Washington.
Akron 4 Harrisburg 2
• Purke (L, 1-2) 4IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 4K, HR
• Suero 3IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Bostick 2-4, 2R, HR, RBI
• Pleffner 2-4
Akron ducked up Matt Purke for three runs in the 1st and cruised to a 4-2 victory and took the series from the Sens, 2-1. Purke recovered to pitch three more scoreless innings, but finished with three runs allowed on six hits, including a two-run HR. He walked none and struck out four. Christopher Bostick went 2-for-4 with a HR, an RBI, and two runs scored to pace the Harrisburg offense, which went 0-for-9 with RISP and left on seven baserunners while striking out 11 times.
Lynchburg 3 Potomac 2 (12 inn.)
• Lopez 6IP, 5H, 2R, 1ER, BB, 5K
• Self (L, 3-4) 2⅔ IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, K
• Norfork 4-5, 2RBI
• Martinez 2-5
Lynchburg scored twice in the 1st, Potomac twice in the 9th, but the Hillcats scored in the last of 12th to take the game, 3-2, and the series, 2-1. Reynaldo Lopez gave up the first two runs and five hits total over six innings, with a walk and five strikeouts for a no-decision. The loss went to Derek Self, who retired seven straight before Lynchburg converted a one-out walk into the gamewinner on back-to-back two-out singles. Khayyan Norfork drove in the tying runs and went 4-for-5 overall to pace Potomac’s 10-hit parade.
Roster moves: LHP R.C. Orland reassigned from Hagerstown.
Hagerstown 6 Delmarva 5
• Reyes 5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 4K, WP
• Lee (W, 2-0) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Mejia 3-4, 2-2B, 4RBI, SB
• Page 2-3, 3R, 2-2B, BB, RBI
The Suns rallied for three in the 6th then two in the 8th to overcome deficits of 3-1 and 4-3 for a 5-4 win over the Shorebirds. Luis Reyes went the first five innings and gave up the first three Delmarva runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four. Andrew Lee got the “W” for two scoreless innings of relief, with one hit and two whiffs. Harrisburg scored six times on eight hits, but six of them were doubles, with Bryan Mejia driving in four with a pair of two-base knocks and going 3-for-4 overall.
Roster moves: RHP Jeff Howell (yes, the former catcher) reassigned from GCL Nationals.
Williamsport 5 Auburn 3
• Hearn (L, 1-3) 5IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K
• Gunter 2IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, BB, 2K
• Tillero 2-4, R, 2B, SB
• Robles 2-5, 2RBI
Auburn rallied for two in the 7th and one in the 8th but went in order in the 9th for a 5-3 loss to Williamsport. Taylor Hearn took the loss with the first two Crosscutter runs let in on five hits, no walks, and three whiffs. Jorge Tillero singled, doubled, stole a base, and scored a run while Victor Robles drove in two to pace the Doubledays attack.
LHP David Ramos reassigned to Auburn for MiLB rehab. Yesterday afternoon, the Doubledays announced RHP Erick Fedde had been promoted to Hagerstown but retracted the report without further details.
Here’s the minor-league question of the day: who worked the miracle with Treinen in Syracuse? Was it Milacki? Menhart? A combination? Treinen looked like Kimbrel yesterday, just blowing people away, apparently what he was doing in Syracuse before the recall. Someone in the organization, who hasn’t really been publicly credited, also reworked Strasburg a couple of months ago. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t McCatty, who has been whispering to him for five years.
Anyway, here’s hoping Barrett gets the same makeover.
What’s the story with the Fedde promotion and recall???
Andrew Lee: GCL, to Auburn, to Hagerstown, still no runs allowed, with 21 Ks in 17.1 innings, with an 0.69 WHIP and only one walk allowed. And I still maintain that he might be the best power hitter in the system, based on what he did as a two-way player at Tennessee this year (.590 SLG). I guess we can see why the Nats drafted him as a pitcher, though.
It’s too bad Lee’s a reliever, because it would have been fun to see a pitcher hit with some competence.
It’s too bad they don’t let him DH while he is in the lower minors. On the other hand, he looks like he could be on the fast track to the big club’s bullpen and I gather they don’t want his attention distracted or to risk injury.
the radio broadcast kept saying he was throwing changeups, I only remember fastballs and sliders before. maybe he learned new pitch. credit still to be determined
Six I am watching this week…
Anderson Franco – Is on a sustained tear, batting cleanup as a 17 year old. This is another promotion (to Auburn) that I am hoping to see. It would be exciting to see him, as an 18 year old third baseman with emerging power, impressive strikeout numbers for someone his age, ascend to Hagerstown next year. This is a guy who, like Robles, is going to rocket into everyone’s Nats top seven by years end.
Taylor Hearn – The Nats are apparently auditioning a variety of folks for starting pitching roles, and this lefthander appears to have something to work with, based on his early returns from Auburn.
Bryan Mejia – You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you. Hitless in only 6 of 33 games at Hagerstown. And now has turned it up even more. This despite playing all over the field and all over the lineup. Hard to keep him out of Potomac as the only Nats position player to hit three levels.
Orange Marmolejos – Steady production and emerging power at age 21.
Andrew Lee – KW has been on him, and I am converted. One walk and 21 K in 17 innings? Works for me.
Blake Perkins – A miserable, miserable start. And here we are at the beginning of August and his work has climbed toward respectability and the leadoff spot in the order. For a guy they are shaping from “raw product,” that is a promising development indeed.
Again, this week is showing the Nats have had a particularly productive draft. When considering that a lot of these players are coming out of long college years, after a winter of conditioning, we may have even more exciting results in 2016. Very nice job indeed by the drafters.
+1 on Hearn
on Perkins I keep hearing he is learning t switch hit and his splits are notably different.
the odd thing is that against lefties he’s under .100 and he was a natural right handed hitter in HS.
Let’s hope the faith is rewarded on Hearn. The system sure needs some productive left-handers.
After first dozen games Perkins played his BA is over .300 and his OPS is over .800.
Time for some judge Judy lines : I object
Since Kelvin G on the .274 auburn 3 hole
Pace.
Franco has one of three GCL hits in a 1-0 lead
Over fish.
About time we have some advancing Latins
To argue over instead of anticipate .
Rockies mT high in DC this weekend
Time for bats to further bust out , GG
Perkins is 18. He has time and hunger to learn. Great combo besides
His skills
Plus one in others lists. Matthew Page. Learning 1 b,
Yezzo released , Marmelos ahead of him hitting
Towards harrisburg a year from now. Great move brass
Putting more power @1b.
Plus 2 Edwin Lora SS
Plus 3 more for the name Angelo DeBruna who
Someday should switch hit again like DannyE
Great point GG @ tail end
Many guys will enjoy checking out in viera
In October after minors after NCAA !
Meiija reminds us how solid that GCL club
Was with Raffie , Silvestre, Jefry Rod Suero
Etcetc
Kelvin G and Bourne on watch lists
LaBruna is your lovechild, as is KG
Usc Trojans always brings something
GG. Your 6’4 lOve child @ gcl. G Mendez
My inner Carhcart coming out !!
LOL. I am off Mendez. As you have coined here, too much whiplash from late inning rockets. Am hoping for the resurrection of Benincasa or the continued ascent of 2015 class, because the bullpenners (beside my true lovechild, Rafael Martin) are simply inherited runners waiting to score.
Interesting about Troy Men. Did not consider it that way. Got to get a college product out of GCL to see if he really has the goods, though. That goes for Ripken, too.
GG true.
I still think austin Davidson advances in the
Infield auditions since two righty/ lefty for 2016
PotomAc infield makes sense .
Uncle Lou Pinella always said about young hitters:
Look @ their doubles numbers versus HRs.
Suns good example in that. Page hot .