Thursday’s News & Notes

Syracuse 6 Pawtucket 4
• Hill 7IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 6K, HR
• Harper (BS, 1; W, 1-0) ⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 2-1 IR-S
• Martin (SV, 14) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, K
• Severino 3-5, R, SB
• Turner 2-4, R, 2B, 3B, 2BB, 3RBI
• Ramsey 2-4, 2R, BB, SB

After blowing the lead in the 8th, Syracuse batters bailed out the bullpen with a pair of runs in the top of the 9th to take this one, 6-4. The implosion spoiled a strong outing by Taylor Hill, who gave up two runs on five hits (one HR) over seven innings with no walks and six whiffs. Trea Turner’s two-out, two-run double plated the decisive runs as the Chiefs took advantage of a critical error. It was his second extra-base hit to go along with two walks as he went 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI.

Harrisburg 9 Portland 6
• Giolito 4⅔ IP, 7H, 5R, 5ER, 4BB, 3K, WP
• Simms (W, 4-3) 2⅓ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 0K, 3-0 IR-S
• De Los Santos (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Perez 3-4, 3R
• Ballou 2-4, R, 2B, HR(GS), 7RBI
• Pleffner 2-4, 3R, BB

The Senators nearly blew a 7-0 lead before holding off a late charge from the Sea Dogs in a 9-6 win. Lucas Giolito fell one out short of registering a Jack Morris win as he gave up five runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three. John Simms left the bases loaded while getting the last out of the 5th before giving up a run of his own in the 6th, which was still good enough to earn the “W.” Offensively, Isaac Ballou came up bigger than Oprah with the bases loaded as he slashed a two-run double in the 3rd and hit a grand slam in the 4th for six of his seven RBI on the night.

Potomac – ALL-STAR BREAK
Potomac begins the second half with four-game series against the first-half champs in Lynchburg. They return home on Monday for three against Winston-Salem before heading back out on the road for another four-game series in Myrtle Beach.

Hagerstown – ALL-STAR BREAK
The Suns join the All-Star contingent in Lexington as they play four against the Legends to open the second half. Like the P-Nats, they’ll be back on Monday but will have seven-game homestand as they host the BlueClaws for three, then the Shorebirds for four.

Aberdeen 7 Auburn 0
• Acevedo (L, 0-1) 4⅓ IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, 3K, HR, HBP
• Fuentes 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K, HBP
• Johnson 3-4, 2B
• Barrera 2-4, 2B
• 0BB, 0DP, 9LOB

Aberdeen posted a picket fence over four innings before putting up a three-spot in the 5th as they shut out Auburn, 7-0. Starter and loser Carlos Acevedo suffered the loss as he was strafed by the Ironbirds for four runs on eight hits, including a solo HR. He walked none, struck out three, and hit a batter over four and 2/3rds innings. The Doubledays had no trouble getting hits (10) but couldn’t string them together (2-for-14 RISP) and had a runner thrown out at home. Daniel Johnson led the Doubledays’ hit column with two singles and a double, followed by Tres Barrera with a single and a double.