Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Fresno | Lost, 4-1 | vs. Tacoma, 10:05 p.m. | Hoover (5-6, 8.08) vs. Moore (0-4, 8.08) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 5-3; Won, 5-4 (8 inn.) |
@ Hartford, 7:05 p.m. | McGowan (1-2, 4.50) vs. Gold (11-5, 3.55) |
| Potomac | Lost, 8-5 | vs. Myrtle Beach, 7:05 p.m. | Peguero (0-1, 1.59) vs. Little (2-1, 5.52) |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 5-4 | @ Kannapolis, 7:00 p.m. | Rutledge (2-0, 2.42) vs. Folman (0-4, 5.40) |
| Auburn | Won, 3-2 (10 inn.) |
@/vs. Williamsport, 5:05 p.m. | TBD and TBD vs. TBD and Aponte (2-1, 3.43) |
| GCL Nationals | Won, 9-1 | vs. GCL Cardinals, 10:00 a.m. |
Tacoma 4 Fresno 1
• Crowe (L, 0-4) 6IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 2K, HBP
• Lucas 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Noll 1-3, BB
• Gushue 1-4, RBI
Three in a row? Not in the cards for Fresno as they dropped 4-1 decision to Tacoma to reclaim last place. Wil Crowe kept the ball in the yard and gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings for the quality start. He walked none and struck out two and was rewarded with his fourth loss. The Grizzlies were held to just six singles, with Jake Noll the sole batter to reach base twice. Taylor Gushue plated Wilmer Difo with the sixth and final hit with two out in the 9th to avoid the shutout.
Hartford 5 Harrisburg 3 – GAME ONE
• M. Sanchez (L, 9-5) 3⅔ IP, 8H, 5R, 5ER, 0BB, 3K, 2HR; 1-1, BB
• Bonnell 2⅓ IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 2-0 IR-S
• Bichette 3-4, R, 2B, RBI
• A. Sanchez 2-4, 2B
The Yard Goats chewed up Mario Sanchez with a five-run 4th and held off the Sens for a 5-3 win in the opened. Sanchez gave up eight hits total, including a solo HR and a two-run HR, walked none and struck out three to lose for the fifth time at AA. Bryan Bonnell stranded two while getting out of the inning and put up two goose eggs. Harrisburg got two runs back in the 5th but only had single runners in the 6th and 7th innings. Dante Bichette Jr. led the 11-hit parade with two singles and a double, followed by Adrián Sanchez and Nick Banks, who both went 2-for-4.
Harrisburg 5 Hartford 4 (8 inn.) – GAME TWO
• A. Lee 5IP, 3H, 3R, 1ER, 0BB, 4K, 2HR
• Mills (W, 6-1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 2K, HBP
• Barrett (S, 31) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K
• Lowery 3-4, 2-2B, RBI
• Masters 3-4, R, 3RBI
• Banks 2-4, 2R, 2-2B
The fourth was another big inning for Hartford as the Yard Goats got three in the frame, which Harrisburg got back with one in the 5th and two in the 6th. The Sens got two in the first extra inning and held on for the 5-4 win. Andrew Lee got the sport start and went the first five, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits (two HR) and no walks while striking out four. Jordan Mills won his sixth game with two scoreless innings while Aaron Barrett let in the free runner in the bottom of the 8th but held on for the save.
Roster move: C Spencer Kieboom recalled to Washington.
Myrtle Beach 8 Potomac 5
• Raquet (L, 10-9) 4⅓ IP, 4H, 6R, 3ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Guillen 2⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, BB, K, 1-0 IR-S
• Reetz 1-4, 2B, RBI, E
• Lara 1-4, 2R, 2B, 2E
• Sundberg 1-4, R, BB, E
The P-Nats were just plain awful in the field as they committed five errors* to lose 8-5. Nick Raquet saw his five-game win streak go buh-bye as he lost for the ninth time. Potomac managed to squeeze five runs out eight hits and five walks despite 12 batting K’s. Jakson Reetz and Lara both connected for double while going 1-for-4.
Roster move: LHP Nick Raquet activated from the 3-Day T.I.L.
* Three officially, as two airmailed throws by Gilbert Lara were somehow deemed hits overnight
Kannapolis 5 Hagerstown 4
• Williamson 3IP, 3H, 0R, BB, K
• A. Hernandez (L, 0-2) 4IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 1K
• Rhinesmith 2-3, R, HR(10), 3RBI
• Cluff 2-4, 2R, 3B, SB
Kannapolis got all five runs in the 4th to take a 5-1 lead and held on for a 5-4 win to even the series at 1-1. Ryan Williamson opened with three scoreless, with three hits and a walk allowed. Alfonso Hernandez got jumped for the aforementioned five in the 4th but tossed three scoreless afterward, but still lost for the second time at Low-A. Jacob Rhinemsith homered for the 10th time and drove in three of the four Suns while Jackson Cluff singled, tripled, scored twice, and stole a base to pace the Suns offense.
Auburn 3 Mahoning Valley 2 (10 inn.)
• Knowles 4IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• R. Gomez (W, 2-6) 6IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HR
• Mendez 1-3, R, 2B, BB, SB(5)
• Vega 1-3, R, 2B, BB
The Doubledays bounced back from Monday’s drubbing to edge the Scrappers, 3-2 and take the series, 2-1. Lucas Knowles got the start and went the first four innings, allowing just two hits, no walks, and striking out three. Rafael Gomez finished the game, letting in both Mahoning Valley runs on solo HRs and three hits total over six innings. He walked two and struck out five while winning for the second time. Following an intentional walk, a wild pitch, and a strikeout, Jake Alu singled in the free runner for the gamewinner. Auburn had just five hits, but three were doubles, including Ricardo Mendez and Onix Vega, who drew both Doubledays walks and scored a run.
GCL Nationals 9 GCL Mets 1
• Hellickson (W, 1-1) 5IP, 4H, R, ER, 0BB, 5K
• P. Gonzalez (SV, 2) 4IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• V. Peña 3-5, 2B, 3B, 5RBI, SB
• Hurtado 2-4, R
• De La Rosa 1-4, 3R, 3B, BB, 2K
I’m intrigued by a couple of lanky lefties who pitched yesterday, Ryan Williamson and Lucas Knowles. Williamson has had a long road back from injuries, is pitching pretty well, but has the hands of time ticking against him. Knowles also has a TJ in his past, four years ago. He pitched at U of Wash as a frosh and JUCO as a soph before being drafted, turning down an SEC offer from UK.
Knowles is 21. He had TJ surgery when he was 17? Seems like TJ surgery in a player’s past only encourages the Nats scouting department.
Holland or Barrett insert soon Javy G.. adios…
Interesting take by BA in their latest publication on Tim Cate the farm hand for Nats to reach a futures game next summer. Spot on .
Luke , was that Peguero hiccup versus the Pelicans just some loss in location and as our radioNats voice would say : zap zoom broom bra. ..
Mario Sanchez had been on a great run. Tough timing for him to finally turn in a clunker, with roster expansion right around the corner. Guys like him who are on the small side and don’t have elite stuff or the attendant hype have to work harder and be perfect to start getting attention.
I don’t think the Nats are calling up Mario Sanchez when the rosters expand on Sunday. He’s done well but he’s not on the 40 man roster and I don’t see him taking the 6th starter spot away from Fedde anytime soon. Maybe he’s in their plans for the future but the Nats need to win right now!
I believe he’s eligible to elect free agency if he’s not added to the 40-man by the end of the World Series.
Yes, I saw an article that said Knowles had his (requisite) TJ in 2014.
My guesses for September call ups: Bourque, McGowin (and continued to be used as a RP) and Voth (when he’s healthy). Hellickson should get added back soon too. Talk about a nice holiday: a month of giving 10% effort against teenagers in Florida. He’s now thrown 5 games. His return though will spell the end for someone currently on the roster. Maybe Rizzo has managed to find and destroy the incriminating photos Grace had?
I don’t have any idea how they’ll handle the bats. I think S. Kieboom, Sanchez and Taylor are locks for promotion. But there’s also Difo, Read, C. Kieboom, and Stevenson. It wouldn’t surprise me if they just left them off.
Ah, apparently Austen Williams is only on the 10 day IL. He could be swapped to 60 days thus avoiding any decisions about Hellickson.
The only one I’m fairly certain who won’t be called up in Sept. is C. Kieboom. I think he’ll be ticketed for the AFL. There’s not much reason to have his service clock ticking when they’ve already got Dozier/Kendrick/Cabrera sharing INF PT. I’m sure Sanchez will be up as well, and probably Difo, as he might as well.
Hellickson obviously will be activated, and your guess of the A. Williams transfer to 60-day is a good one. Zim should be up as well. Perhaps Voth will also be healthy enough. I don’t know about Bourque, who didn’t impress during his first cup of coffee. The bullpen is going to be crowded, perhaps with some dead weight mostly crowded out. I doubt Helly will supplant Ross as the 5th starter right now, though. That would leave a veritable rotation of Helly, Fedde, McGowin, and Voth trying to make the tricky transition to relief.
Looking ahead, I think Ross, Fedde, and Voth are all out of options for 2020. I believe McGowin has one remaining. Some interesting decisions coming on this front . . . and perhaps also some opportunities for guys like Crowe and Braymer to join the starter shuttle.
And I do think Stevenson will be called up. They’ve called him up over Taylor more than once since MAT got demoted. MAT will be a terrific late-game defensive replacement, of course.
AFLers: Garcia, Freeman, Banks, Reetz, Sharp, Lee, Condra-Bogan, Raquet. About who you’d expect.
Yup. It’s not clear which of the position players is on the taxi squad — could be Reetz, could be Banks — but it’s the usual one or two legit prospects, someone who got hurt, and some Rule 5 candidates. The only mild surprise is Raquet, who fits none of those categories.