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Sunday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Probables
Rochester Won, 5-1;
Lost, 13-0		 vs. Buffalo, 1:05 p.m. Henry (AAA Debut) vs. Holland (0-2, 4.58)​​​
Harrisburg Lost, 4-2 @ Erie, 1:35 p.m. Irvin (AA Debut) vs. Flores (1-0, 2.92)
Wilmington Won, 5-2 @ Greensboro, 2 p.m. TBD vs. Sullivan (0-3, 5.29)
Fredericksburg Lost, 11-5 @ Fayetteville, 2:05 p.m. Collins (2-1, 5.72) vs. Kouba (1-0, 0.82)

Rochester 5 Buffalo 1 – GAME ONE
• Cavalli (W, 3-3) 7IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 10K
• Meneses 2-3, R
• Gushue 1-3, 2RBI
• Palacios 1-3, R, RBI

While perhaps not a “real” complete game, Cade Cavalli nevertheless pitched all seven innings in the opening game as the Red Wings corralled the Bisons, 5-1. Cavalli struck out a season-best 10 and issued two walks while giving up the Buffalo run on five hits… but not a home run. He threw 93 pitches, 64 for strikes. The curse of the GBI is alive and well as Rochester’s XBH streak was stopped but Vol. 2’s “Good” — Joey Meneses — led the seven-hit attack with a pair of singles while Taylor Gushue drove in two with a single in the Red Wings’ four-run 4th.

Buffalo 13 Rochester 0 – GAME TWO
• Verrett (L, 3-4) 4⅔ IP, 10H, 8R, 8ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Fry ⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 1-0 IR-S
• Freeman 1-3

Rochester blocked an extra point, but couldn’t get the ball past midfield as Buffalo shut them out, 13-0 on one (1) hit in the nightcap. Logan Verrett was pounded for eight runs on ten hits (one HR) over four and 2/3rds to take the loss. Cole Freeman broke up the perfect game with a one-out single in the 4th for the sole Rochester baserunner.

Erie 4 Harrisburg 2
• Reyes (L, 1-3) 5IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 5K, HR
• B. Gonzalez 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Alf. Rodriguez 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• Dunn 1-4, R, 2B

Both teams had six hits, but five of Erie’s went for extra bases as they doubled up Harrisburg, 4-2. Starting and losing pitcher Luis Reyes gave up three runs on five hits (one HR) and a walk over five innings. He struck out five while lowering his overall ERA to three digits at 9.96. Jack Dunn doubled to lead off the game and came in to score on a Wilson Garcia groundout in the 1st while Alfredo Rodriguez hit a solo HR in the 9th. From the 2nd through the 8th, the Senators had four hits and none of them reached second base.

Wilmington 5 Greensboro 2
• Cuevas 5IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 7K
• C. Romero (BS, 2; W, 3-2) 2IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Yankosky (SV, 3) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, 2-0 IR-S
• Ydens 2-4, R, HR, RBI, SB(5)
• Barley 2-4, R, 2B,
• Jo. Sánchez 2-4, 2RBI

The Blue Rocks broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run 8th en route to a 5-2 win over the Grasshoppers. Michael wasn’t bad (or nationwide) as he pitched five scoreless innings with three hits and no walks allowed while fanning seven. Carlos Romero gave up a solo HR in the 7th to blow his first save but got the “W” as the pitcher of record. Jeremy Ydens, Jordy Barley, and José Sánchez combined for six hits, two runs, a double (Barley), a homer (Ydens) and three RBI to lead the Wilmington offense.

Fayetteville 11 Fredericksburg 5
• Rutledge (L, 0-4) 2IP, 7H, 6R, 5ER, 2BB, 3K, WP
• Schoff 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 1-0 IR-S
• J. Young 2-3, 3R, 2BB, 2SB (21)
• Emiliani 1-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Boisserie 1-4, BB, 2RBI

Apparently, it’s not too early to campaign for the next GBI as Jackson Rutledge was bad again in an 11-5 Fredericksburg loss to Fayetteville. The Nats #1 pick in 2019 was hammered for six runs on seven hits and two walks over just two innings to lose for the fourth time in five starts. He threw 54 pitches, 33 for strikes. Leadoff batter Jacob Young understood the assignment and got on base four times, scored three times, and stole two bases while Leandro Emiliani launched his eighth HR and drove in two, as did Branden Boisserie with a two-out single in the 5th.

9 Commments

  1. Remember when there was a debate about whether Rutledge or Cavalli was better? Not that long ago? Yeah, about that . . .

    Last year, Rutledge was never completely healthy. This year, he’s starting to look frighteningly like Jake Johansen, another towering starter from the Southwest who couldn’t get past the A+ level. Sure hope someone can find the keys to turn him around.

    Cavalli now has three strong starts in a row, so he does appear to have turned things around. Will the drumbeat start for promotion now that we’re approaching the nebulous Super Two date? If they’re letting Gray, Adon, and Evan Lee “work things out” at the MLB level, does their top pitching prospect get to do so as well? I have no idea whether that’s advisable or not. There are plenty of examples to cite on both sides of that coin.

    (BTW, for the record, I was one who thought Rutledge had a higher ceiling than Cavalli. Mea cupla.)

    1. No Mea Culpa required. Just because a guy has a higher celing does not mean he is going to reach it. I would probably go with Cavalli because he has three plus pitches to Rutledge’s two. I think you could argue on their FBs, but Rutlege’s slider is disguting when it is on. Both Cavalli’s breakers can be nasty too. Tough call.

    2. Fedde has had 3 (or more) good starts in a row from time to time, but he is, at best, a #5 SP. I’d like to see Cavalli pitch well for 2 months before calling him up. If Strasburg returns against the Marlins, I hope to see Adon demoted: he needs more time in AAA to polish his command.

    3. don’t give up on him yet, the seven hits were a ground ball through the infield and a swinging bunt in the first. then 5!! opposite field weak singles in the third.

      I saw his line score before I watched the game and expected a $h!t show. he didn’t throw the ball badly.

      of course he has to start getting better results but I would not be surprised if his next outing is a good one.

  2. A lot to like from Cavalli and Cuetas today. Pretty exciting debuts for Henry and Irvin.

    What to think of Meneses. He killing it with a .950 OPS but he’s 30 years old.

    2. Yeah, I noticed in GBI that most of the hitters who were “Good” or “Interesting” were not native to this organization.

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