Saturday’s News & Notes

Syracuse vs. Rochester – PPD
The Red Wings became the first washout of the 2021 season as they called this one early – nearly six hours ahead of first pitch. They’ll shoot to make up this one up with a twi-night doubleheader.

Harrisburg vs. Bowie – PPD
Roughly four hours later, it was SSDL as they called for a postponement in Bowie. They’ll also make it up with a two-fer in the early evening, weather permitting.

Wilmington 3 Greesnboro 2
• Adon 5⅔ IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 4K, HR, WP
• Troop (W, 4-0) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 1-1 IR-S
• Cronin (SV, 1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Alu 2-4, BB, 2RBI
• Canning 1-3, R, HR, HBP, RBI

The Blue Rocks took advantage of an error as they rallied for two with two outs to edge the Grasshoppers, 3-2. Gilbert Lara started it with a single, took third on an error that put Armond Upshaw on base. Upshaw, who had been caught stealing for the fourth time earlier, swiped second for his fifth steal to set up Jake Alu’s game-winning two-out, two-RBI that was… wait for it… his second single of the night. Gage Canning got Wilmington on the scoreboard first with a solo HR in the 3rd, his fifth HR of the year.

Joan Adon started and pitched into the sixth for the third time in five starts, giving up both Greensboro runs on five hits (one HR) and two walks. He struck out four and threw 99 pitches, 57 for strikes. Alex Troop got the “W” as the pitcher of record, though he let in the go-ahead run inherited from Adon. Matt Cronin put up two goose eggs to earn his first save of the season and maintained his gaudy K rate (16.55/9IP) with four more whiffs.

Down East 6 Fredericksburg 2
• Hernández (L, 0-1) 4⅔ IP, 5H, 5R, 3ER, 2BB, 6K, HR, 2E
• Moore 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Ydens 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• V. Pena 0-3, 2BB, 2SB

Fredericksburg took back the league lead in errors from Kannapolis with five in a 6-2 loss to Down East. Two of those would be committed by starting pitcher Alfonso Hernández, rendering the first and last of his five runs allowed as unearned. The three in between were most definitely earned, as he walked two in the 4th then gave up an Earl Weaver special with two outs. Hernández gave up four other hits (five total) over his four and 2/3rds innings pitched and struck out six. It was his first loss of the season.

Despite their offensive futility, the 17 K’s by Wood Ducks pitchers last night was actually an anomaly for the F-Nats, who have the third-fewest strikeouts in the Low-A East. The three hits and five walks, however, were not (last and second-to-last, respectively). Jeremy Ydens homered for the second straight game while Jackson Coutts and Kevin Strohschein both singled to round out the hit column for Fredericksburg.