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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 6-4 @ Durham,
7:05 p.m.		 Cole (6-4, 4.31) vs.
Faria (0-0, 0.00)
Harrisburg Won, 1-0;
Won, 10-3		 vs. Erie,
7:00 p.m.		 Whiting (0-0, 4.26) vs.
Turley (2-6, 5.09)
Potomac Won, 14-1 vs. Wilmington,
7:05 p.m.		 Williams (0-3, 4.50) vs.
Staumont (2-9, 5.20)
Hagerstown Lost, 3-2 vs. Delmarva,
7:05 p.m.		 Bourque (0-3, 7.06) vs.
Thompson (5-3, 2.85)
Auburn Lost, 10-3 vs. Lowell,
7:05 p.m.		 Mills (2-1, 3.14) vs.
Dahlstrand (MiLB rehab)


Syracuse 6 Durham 4
• Lopez (W, 1-0) 5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HR
• Espino (H, 1) 3IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 2K
• Turner 2-5, 2R, HR, RBI
• Severino 1-3, 2B, RBI
• den Dekker 1-4, R, HR, 3RBI

Matt den Dekker struck again with a big fly in the Chiefs’ big inning, but only a three-run jack this time as Syracuse took its second straight from Durham, 6-4. Reynaldo Lopez gave up runs in each of the first three innings before settling down for two scoreless to finish his second AAA start (and first AAA win). He did, however, give up two homers out of the six hits and two walks allowed while striking out five. Trea Turner also homered and went 2-for-5 to extend his hit streak to six games. The Chiefs squeezed six runs out of five hits and three walks but helped keep the Bulls infield cool with 13 whiffs.

Harrisburg 1 Erie 0 – GAME ONE
• Ross (W, 4-1) 7IP, 5H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Soto 1-1, R, 3B, BB

Neftali Soto tripled to lead off the Sens’ 2nd and came in on Drew Ward’s groundout to second. That was it for the Senators, but Greg Ross made it stand up for a 1-0 shutout of the Seawolves in the opener. Ross walked none, struck out three, and allowed just five hits in seven innings to win for the fourth time in six AA starts.

Harrisburg 10 Erie 3 – GAME TWO
• Robinson 3IP, 3H, 0R, 4BB, 4K
• Suero (W, 1-0) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Ballou 3-3, 2R, BB, RBI, 2SB
• Difo 2-4, R, 2RBI, SB
• Bautista 2-4, R

The Harrisburg bats arrived in Game Two, and everyone but Neftali Soto got a hit in a 10-3 Harrisburg smackdown on Erie. Andrew Robinson got the start and turned in three scoreless, though he walked four and struck out four. A five-run 4th broke open a 2-1 game as the offense got in gear for 12 hits, led by Isaac Ballou’s 3-for-3 effort with a double, a walk, and two stolen bases, and followed by tablesetters Rafael Bautista and Wilmer Difo, who both went 2-for-4.

Potomac 14 Wilmington 1
• Mayberry (W, 1-0) 6IP, 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 6K
• Thomas (SV, 2) 3IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K, HBP
• Carey 2-3, 2R, BB, HR, 2RBI
• Masters 2-4, R, 3RBI
• Marmolejos 2-5, 2R, HR, 4RBI

Same story in Woodbridge, as the P-Nats returned the favor from Monday’s 12-1 loss with a 14-1 demolition of the Blue Rocks. Starter Whit Mayberry no-hit Wilmington for three and 2/3rds innings before giving up a single. He lost the shutout in the 5th but finished with six innings pitched, with three hits and no walks allowed and six strikeouts in his first win for Potomac. Justin Thomas tossed three scoreless to earn the save, his second. Jose “Orange” Marmolejos and Dale Carey both homered while Raudy Read and Bryan Mejia both doubled and stole third as the P-Nats racked up 15 hits and left just three runners on base. Roster moves: RHP Luis Reyes placed on the 7-Day DL; RHP Mark Blackmar assigned from Washington.

Kannapolis 3 Hagerstown 2
• Avila (L, 6-6) 4+ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 3K, HBP
• Pantoja 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K, WP, 3-2 IR-S
• Wiseman 2-4, 2R, 2B, 3B
• Sagdal 2-4, 2B, 2RBI

Kannapolis made the most of its one crooked number – a two-spot in the 5th – to edge Hagerstown 3-2. Pedro Avila ran into trouble in the 5th when he gave up a leadoff double and walked two to load the bases. Jorge Pantoja wild-pitched in the first run, then let in the second on a single to give the home team a 3-1 lead. All three Intimidator runs were charged to Avila, who lost for the sixth time. Pantoja recovered to put up goose eggs in the 6th and 7th, but the Suns bats were unable to get the equalizer as they got one run in the 7th and left the tying run at second in the 8th. Rhett Wiseman doubled and tripled and scored twice while Ian Sagdal singled and doubled and drove in both Hagerstown runs.

Lowell 10 Auburn 3
• Watson (L, 1-1) 4IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 5K
• Conner 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, WP
• Gutierrez 2-4, RBI
• Ortiz 2-3

The Spinners unraveled the Doubledays ‘pen in a six-run 6th as they took Game Two, 10-3. Tyler Watson suffered the loss with three runs let in on five hits over four innings. He struck out five and walked none. Kelvin Gutierrez and Oliver Ortiz both singled twice as Auburn was held to seven hits and one walk. Roster moves: RHP A.J. Bogucki (8th Rd.), OF Jack Sundberg (26th Rd.), and 2B Jake Noll (7th Rd.) reassigned from GCL Nationals; RHP Maximo Valerio and 2B Jake Jefferies released.

7 Commments

  1. What’s up with Kelvin Gutierrez? It’s rare that non-MLB players get rehab assignments, and it’s ever rarer that they get a rehab assignment after missing only 3 weeks. To confound things, he’s not blocked by anyone. Cody Dent and Angelo La Bruna have been getting most of the playing time in Gutierrez’s absence.

    I’m also astounded to see Maximo Valerio get released. He’s still under 21, and was coming off a fantastic 2015 season- 1.97 ERA, 50.1 IP, 10 BB, 47 K. He’s had a poor start to ’16, but it’s only been 3 games, and it’s been no worse than some other DR products. That’s a really short leash they’ve given him. Wish him all the best.

  2. Also, what’s the story on Whit Mayberry? He was drafted at age 24, then released two years later by the Tigers after putting up some really good stats. In exactly 100 IP, he’s struck out 95, walked 19, and posted a 1.98 ERA (those numbers look oddly familiar…)

    It seems to me the Tigers didn’t realize that they might have a talented if unconventional player in their system. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the conversion to a starter (seems to have been mostly a reliever in college at UVA too), but I’ll be watching closely to see if maybe we’ve found a late-blooming diamond in the rough.

  3. I’m sure there’s a backstory that the CIA, err, Nats front Office won’t tell on Valerio. Then, this was his 5th year with the organization.
    Out with the old, etc.,etc. Jeffries was a 39th rounder last year who signed for $1.75.
    He didn’t really hit and the chances you get in his position are very few.

    Wish them both good luck.

  4. Gil we made comments before
    Season started about the short
    Audition chorus line spot light
    For some kids.
    Jeffries and Rodrieguez did not
    Make it out of 2015 infielder
    Draftees .
    Good to see Simonds and Golucki
    Up to auburn .
    Viera cano next march will be a big sea of red for four B fields .
    The staff will have their work cut out. And the Visa processors .

  5. Does anyone know if the Potomac Nationals always do fireworks after night games, or is it a holiday kind of thing?

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