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Friday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won 2-1 @ Lehigh Valley,
7:05 p.m.		 McGregor (6-5, 4.02) vs.
O’Sullivan (4-2, 3.58)
Harrisburg Lost, 4-2 vs. Akron,
7:00 p.m.		 Giolito (3-2, 3.48) vs.
von Schamman (1-2, 7.40)
Potomac Won, 4-2 vs. Salem,
7:05 p.m.		 Howell (1-1, 2.45) vs.
Ball (8-3, 4.85)
Hagerstown Won, 5-2 @ Lexington,
7:05 p.m.		 Amlung (3-3, 3.88) vs.
Tenuta (2-6, 4.14)
Auburn Won, 5-4 vs. Mahoning Valley,
7:05 p.m.		 Valerio (1-0, 4.15) vs.
Robinson (2-3, 2.93)


Syracuse 2 Lehigh Valley 1
• Bleier 7⅓ IP, 6H, R, ER, BB, 4K, HBP
• Runion (BS, 2; W, 2-3) ⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 2-1 IR-S
• J.C. Gutierrez (SV, 4) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Burriss 2-5, R, 2B
• Skole 1-3, BB

A two-out walk and a stolen base by Isaac Ballou followed by an error led to the deciding run in the top of the 9th as Syracuse edged Lehigh Valley, 2-1. The miscue made a winner out of Sam Runion, who blew a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 8th. J.C. Gutierrez struck out the side in the 9th for his fourth save. Richard Bleier started and pitched into the 8th with six hits and one walk allowed over seven and a 1/3rd innings. Emmanuel Burriss singled and doubled and scored the first Chiefs run to lead the Syracuse offense.
Roster moves: RHP Dakota Bacus, OF Isaac Ballou reassigned from Harrisburg; RHP A.J. Cole recalled to Washington.

Richmond 4 Harrisburg 2
• Simms (L, 2-3) 7IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 7K, HR
• Mendez 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Difo 2-5, R, HR, RBI, SB
• A. Sanchez 2-4, 2B, SB

Richmond posted a picket fence across four innings as they doubled up Harrisburg, 4-2. John Simms started and turned in a quality start of three run on seven hits over seven innings, but lost his third AA game. Wilmer Difo, Christopher Bostick, Adrian Sanchez, and Derrick Robinson each had two hits as the Senators racked up nine total while drawing two walks and stealing four bases.
Roster moves: RHP John Simms activated from the 3-Day TIL; IF Khayyan Norfork reassigned from Potomac.

Potomac 4 Myrtle Beach 2
• Spann 6IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K
• Thomas (W, 1-6) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• DeBruin 1-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Wright 1-1, R, 2BB

Grant DeBruin’s two-out, three-run homer was the difference as Potomac took the game, 4-2 and the series, 2-1 from Myrtle Beach. The Earl Weaver special made a winner out of Justin Thomas for the first time in 2015. Thomas pitched two scoreless innings in relief of fellow southpaw Matt Spann, who started and tossed six innings of two-run ball with four hits, two walks and five whiffs. Phillips Valdez struck out the side in the 9th for his fifth save. Zach Wright was the sole P-Nat to reach base multiple times as he singled once and walked twice in three PAs.
Roster move: IF-OF John Wooten activated from the 7-Day DL.

Hagerstown 5 Lexington 2
• J. Rodriguez 4IP, 2H, 0R, 3BB, 4K
• K. Perez (W, 1-3) 3IP, 2H, 0R, 4BB, 3K
• Gardner 2-3, 2R, 2B, BB
• W. Rodriguez 2-3, 2B, RBI, SB, CS

A three-run 4th broke open a 1-0 game as the Suns debunked the Legends, 5-2 to get back to .500. Jefry Rodriguez started and turned in four scoreless innings with two hits and three walks allowed. He struck out four. The win went to Kevin Perez with one less inning and one more walk. Jeff Gardner walked, singled, and doubled and scored twice to pace the Suns nine-hit, five-walk attack.
Roster moves: OF Andrew Stevenson placed on the 3-Day TIL; C Jake Mayer activated from the 7-Day DL.

Auburn 5 Mahoning Valley 4
• Hearn 4IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, HBP, WP
• Mooney (W, 1-0) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• K. Gutierrez 3-4, 3RBI, E(21)
• Florentino 2-4, R, RBI

Auburn turned a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead that the ‘pen was able to hold for a 5-4 win over Mahoning Valley. Taylor Hearn gave up all four Scrappers runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five in four innings. Kevin Mooney, Adam Boghosian, and Mariano Rivera III combined for five scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, hold, and save respectively. Kelvin Gutierrez singled three times and drove in three to lead the Doubledays’ ten-hit parade.
Despite the win, Auburn was eliminated from the NYPL playoffs.


12 Commments

  1. Special shout out to Mejia for walking in consecutive days. Truly remarkable stuff.

    Also, Difo went deep. I’m becoming increasingly sure these guys read the comments here.

    1. Might just be helping fill the roster spots of the guys called up to DC. Plus it’s a nice attaboy for those who get the bump up.

  3. Interesting that Ballou and not Goodwin gets the call up to Syracuse. If Ballou can keep hitting like he did at Harrisburg, he might just put himself in the 4th OF conversation. Next year will be very important for him since he’ll be 26 and eligible for the Rule 5 draft if left unprotected after the season.

    As for Goodwin, with Taylor hurt and Harper gimpy it says a lot that he hasn’t been recalled. It doesn’t really matter if you are a former 1st rounder if you don’t hit for average, don’t hit for power, don’t get on base much, have a low base stealing % and have made 10 errors in the OF.

  4. I think I’ve done a 180 on Matt Skole and a September call-up. He’s scorching the ball right now, hitting .361 in his last 10 games, and big left-handed power bats are never a bad thing to have on the end of the bench in September.

    Much rather see him added to the 40 and brought up then someone like Taylor Hill, who we can honestly say has likely has little future with the parent club, taking up a spot in the 40.

    Meanwhile, continue to be intrigued by Walkin’ Bryan Mejia. Looking forward to seeing him in person at Potomac next year..

      1. Right. For someone with a low batting average, Skole walks a lot – 69 times in 128 games this year – which is why his OBP is more than 100 points higher than his batting average.

        He strikes out a lot but (a little less than once per game) but between that and the walks, that also means he working the count a lot.

        I think he’s worth a look. Also, getting him on the 40-man might make sense to protect losing him this winter in the Rule 5. I’d think a power-hitting lefty would be at a premium.

  6. So John Simms off to AFL to work on splitter .
    When does Backus get Syracuse start? Tonight ?
    Cat Ballou up. Goodwin stays on city isle
    Next year. Vettleson , Keller and Webb to
    April LH OF bats for sens ??

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