Saturday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup (’19 Stats at the Level) |
| Rochester | Won, 10-3 | @ Lehigh Valley, 6:35 p.m. | Armenteros (6-7, 4.80) vs. Ch. Sanchez (0-0, 20.25) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 10-2 | @ Somserset, 7:05 p.m. | Reyes (5-5, 4.81 @ A+) vs. Otto (3-3, 3.20 @ A+) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 4-2 | vs. Aberdeen, 6:05 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 7-2 | @ Lynchburg, 6:30 p.m. | Theophile (0-4, 10.67 @ GCL in ’18) vs. S. Morillo (1-1, 0.84 @ AZL in ’18) |
Rochester 10 Lehigh Valley 2
• Rodriguez ⅔ IP, 0H, 3R, 3ER, 6BB, 1K
• Baez (W, 1-1) 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, 3-0 IR-S
• Bonnell (H, 1) 3IP, 1H, 0R, 3K
• García 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
• Parra 2-4, 2R, BB
• Kieboom 2-5, 3RBI
Rochester answered a three-run 1st by Lehigh Valley with a six-run second and cruised to a 10-3 win. Jefry Rodriguez went Steve Blass in the 1st, retiring just two of eight batters faced while walking the other six. Joan Baez came on with the bases loaded and got the last out and pitched two more scoreless innings to receive credit for the win, though his successor Bryan Bonnell was the more effective reliever with three scoreless innings, which earned him a hold. Luis García led off the game with a HR and doubled in two more during the 2nd. Carter Kieboom also drove in three while going 2-for-5.
Somerset 10 Harrisburg 2
• Sharp (L, 0-1) 2⅔ IP, 7H, 8R, 3ER, 3BB, 3K, 2HR
• Tapani 2⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 4BB, 3K
• Corredor 3-4, RBI
• Reetz 0-1, R, 3BB
The Patriots scored in each of the first three innings, including a five-run third that blunted Sterling Sharp as they cruised to a 10-2 win over the Senators. Sharp gave up eight runs (three earned) on seven hits (two HR) and three walks over two and 2/3rd innings. He struck out three. Kevin Tapani finished the third and put up two goose eggs, though he gave up four walks and fanned three. Aldrem Corredor was the Harrisburg hit parade, collecting three of the five singles, while Jakson Reetz accounted for three of the four walks drawn.
Aberdeen 4 Wilmington 2
• Henry (L, 0-1) 5IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 6K, HBP
• Brzykcy 3IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 4K
• Marinconz 2-4, RBI
• Meregildo 2-4
• 1-for-9 RISP, 8 LOB
Aberdeen got three in the 2nd and it was all they would need as the IronBirds doubled up the Blue Rocks, 4-2 for their fourth straight win. Cole Henry’s pro debut was a losing effort as Washington’s 2020 2nd Rd. pick was knocked for all four Aberdeen runs on five hits and two walks. He did strike out six. Zach Brzykcy scrabbled three scoreless innings in relief and Alex Troop set the side down in order in the 8th to keep things close. Kyle Marinconz and Omar Mergildo both went 2-for-4, but Marinconz’s RBI single was the only success in nine opportunities as Wilmington left on eight baserunners. Justin Connell rounded out the scoring with a solo HR in the 7th.
Lynchburg 7 Fredricksburg 2
• Parker 4IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 7K, WP
• Knowles(L, 0-1) 2IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, BB, 4K, HR
• Vega 1-2, 2BB
• Randa 1-3, BB, RBI
Unlike the previous three games, this was competitive into the middle innings. However, the final outcome was still the same: an F-Nats loss, 7-2 to the Hillcats. Mitchell Parker, the Nats’ 5th Rd. pick in 2020, went the first four and let in the first two Lynchburg runs on two hits and three walks while striking out seven. The loss went to Lucas Knowles, who let in the next four Hillcats runs on six hits (one HR) and a walk while setting down four on strikes. Both teams struck out 15 times. Onix Vega reached base three times on a single and two walks while Jake Randa did the opposite while driving in a run. Jeremy Ydens plated the second run on sac fly in the 5th, cashing in Jake Boone’s triple to lead off the 5th.
Roster moves:RHP Mason Denaburg placed on 60-Day I.L.
Interesting organizational note that may or may not mean anything: Mendoza played 3B on Friday. He’s currently hitting .077, though, albeit 77 points higher than Antuna, who is now 0-14. Good to see strong games from Garcia and Kieboom among our very few hitting prospects.
Nice pro debut by Mitchell Parker, who I am high on. He’s clearly starting at the correct level. I’m concerned about the guys who have been pushed to A+ with no pro experience. When guys like Henry struggle, there’s going to be some wonder if they were pushed up the chain too quickly. Brzykcy certainly had a promising pro debut, though.
When the Nats traded Crowe, it sure seemed like they were depending on Jefry Rodriguez and Sharp to back fill as the #7-8 starters in the organization. That bet isn’t looking good thus far, not just with these starts, but with those guys not being healthy and not doing much in the spring.
While I’m certainly not going to elevate my expectations, I’m excited for Rodney Theophile getting back on the mound in a game after Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2019 season. Terrible numbers in the GCL three years ago, obviously, but it was unusual that he was assigned directly to the GCL (he’s from Nicaragua and was signed out of an academy in the Dominican Republic, IIRC) and he may not have been healthy given that he ended up needing surgery in the offseason. Physically, he’s enormous (6-foot-5, 230 lbs), and he reportedly throws hard, so we’ll see if that actually translates to success.
The Rochester lineup is actually decent, but man, Harrisburg, Wilmington, and Fredericksburg are not gonna score a lot of runs many days.