Good, Bad, Interesting... Vol. 11

Our weekly snark on the leaders, trailers, and outliers in the Washington Nationals minors.

SYRACUSE

• Good — Justin Maxwell .301/.383/.434 in June


• Bad — Jeff Mandel, last 4 starts: 0-3 17IP 29H 26R 9BB 12K 4HR


• Interesting — Collin Balester, Last 4 appearances: 8⅔IP 1H 0R 1BB 4K

HARRISBURG

• Good — Chris Marrero .425BA, 3HR, 6RBI in last 10G


• Bad — Yunior Novoa, spot start: 1⅓IP 8H 9R 1BB 1K


• Interesting — Cole Kimball 1.59ERA in 1st 11 appearances

POTOMAC

• Good — Steve Lombardozzi .342/.457/.474 in last 10 games


• Bad — Robby Jacobsen .139/.200/.306 in last 10 games


• Interesting — Cory VanAllen 5.13ERA, 2.40FIP

HAGERSTOWN

• Good — Justin Bloxom .418/.427/.772 in June


• Bad — Dan Rosenbaum 0-2, 3.98ERA in June after 0-1, 1.55ERA in May


• Interesting — Rob Wort 2W, 4SV, .152OBA in June

VERMONT

• Good — Taylor Jordan 1.86ERA after 2 starts


• Bad — Stephen King 3-26, 11K, 3 errors


• Interesting — Bobby Hansen 10K in 6⅓ IP

DSL NATIONALS

• Good — Jorge Hernandez 1-0, 1.13ERA 3SV


• Bad — Jorge De La Cruz 12.71ERA, 2.82WHIP in 1st five appearances


• Interesting — C Victor Chavez, 5SB 2CS

Thursday's News and Notes

The Quick Rundown...

• Syracuse L, 5-2
• Harrisburg L, 5-4 (11 inn.)
• Potomac W, 2-1
• Hagerstown W, 4-3 (10 inn.)
• Vermont L, 5-2
  
• GCL Nationals L, 7-1
• DSL Nationals W, 5-2
  

Syracuse Chiefs L, 5-2 vs. Charlotte
Starting Pitcher: Arnesen (L, 2-3) 5⅓ P 6H 4R 1ER 3BB 4K
Pitching Star: Balester 1⅔ IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K
Hitting Star # 1: Maxwell 2-4
Hitting Star # 2: Lambin 1-3, 1-2B
Notes: Syracuse and Charlotte to looked to be battling this one out as they remained tied through four innings played. Then Charlotte began their attack scoring one in the 5th and adding three more in the 6th inning. They went on to add one more in the top of the 8th to seal their lead for good. The Chiefs added single runs in the 8th and 9th innings, but fell short in the end as they fell to Charlotte 5-2. Starting pitcher Arnesen collected the loss giving up six hits, four runs, three walks, getting 4 strikeouts over 5⅓ innings.

Harrisburg Senators L, 5-4 vs. New Hampshire (11 inn.)
Starting Pitcher: Milone 5⅓ IP 9H 4R 4ER 3BB 2K
Pitching Star: Kimball 2⅔ IP 0H 0R 0BB 4K
Hitting Star # 1: Solano, 2-3, 2B, 2B, BB
Hitting Star # 2: Valdez 2-5, R
Notes: The Sens got behind in the 5th inning, where New Hampshire scored three runs to build a 3-1 lead. Then not until the bottom the 9th, Harrisburg made a charge and tied this one at 3-3 to send this one into extras. Unfortunately New Hampshire scored 1 run in the 11th inning to win this one 5-4. Starting pitcher Tom Milone gave up nine hits, four runs, and three walks in his 5⅓ innings.

Potomac Nationals W, 2-1 vs. Myrtle Beach
Starter/Pitching Star #1: Peacock (W, 2-8) 7IP 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 8K
Pitching Star #2: Leatherman (SV, 3) 1⅓ IP 0H 0R 0BB 3K; 2-0 IR-S
Hitting Star #1: Jacobsen 2-3, R, HR, RBI
Hitting Star #2: Moore 1-3, R, HR, RBI
Notes: See Sue's take in Last Night In Woodbridge

Hagerstown Suns W, 4-3 vs. Hickory (10 inn.)
Starting Pitcher: Demny (ND) 7IP 6H 1ER 1BB 5K
Pitching Un-Star: Weaver (BS, 3) 2IP 3H 2R 2ER 0BB 1K 1HR
Hitting Star #1: Ramirez, 2-5, 1R, 1HR, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2:Soriano 2-5, 1R
Notes: It was a close one but the Suns proved victorious, beating Hickory at home by a score of 4 to 3. Hickory tried to come back getting a double and a homerun against Weaver, but it was not enough as they fell short by one run. Starting pitcher Paul Demny pitched an outstanding game, going seven complete innings, allowing only one run on six hits and a walk. He also struck out five. J.P. Ramirez also had a great game, going 2-5, highlighted by a two-run shot in the 2nd. The homer was his 7th of the year.

Vermont Lake Monster L, 5-2 @ Tri-City
Starting Pitcher: Jenkins (L, 0-1) 3⅓ IP 6H 5R 4ER 2BB 0K 1HR
Pitching Star: McKenzie 2IP 2H 0R 3BB 1K
Hitting Star # 1: Pena 2-4, 2B, 2RBI
Hitting Star # 2: Miller 1-3, R, 2B
Notes: Vermont scored one run early in the top of the 2nd hoping to get something going, unfortunately Tri-City answered with four runs in the bottom of the 2nd to take the lead. The Lake Monsters tried to rally in the 4th, scoring one run but Tri-City answered again with one of their own in the bottom of the same inning to finish Vermont off 5-2. Starter Chad Jenkins got the loss going 3⅓ innings, giving up six hits, five runs and two walks.

GCL Nationals L, 7-0 @ GCL Marlins
Starting Pitcher: Gregory Baez (L, 0-1) 2⅔ IP 6H 5R 5ER 2BB 4K 1HR
Pitching Star: Miguel Navarro 2⅓ IP 1H 0R 2BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Hector Taveras 2-3, BB
Hitting Star #2: Michael Taylor 2-4, 2B
Notes: A five-run third inning gave the Marlins more than enough runs to win, as the GCL Nationals managed to rap 7 of their 11 hits with two outs, leading to 11 men left on base for the game.

DSL Nationals W, 5-2 @ DSL Giants
Starting Pitcher: Adalberto Mieses (W, 2-1) 5IP 4H 2R 0ER 5BB 7K
Pitching Star: Antonio Guzman (SV, 1) 3IP 2H 0R 1BB 5K
Hitting Star #1: Paul Chacin 3-4, R, 2-2B, RBI
Hitting Star #2: Edgar Gonzalez 0-2, R, 3BB, SB
Notes: After getting a run in the 6th to break a 2-2 tie, the D-Nats put up two more in the 8th to pull away from the D-Giants for a 5-2 win and evening their record at 11-11.

Last Night In Woodbridge

Photo Credit: Joy R. Absalon/MiLB.com

The magic number for minor league pitching just seems to be seven. Early in the season, most starters just go five innings, limited by a pitch count. After a few starts, they have trouble finishing the sixth, frequently because they haven't learned to be efficient.

But when they go seven innings, it's usually a sign that things are clicking. Last night, Brad Peacock did just that and broke a nine-start winless streak with a 2-1 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

For two innings, Peacock even flirted with a no-no again until Cole Miles led off the third with a clean single to center. Miles would come around to score four batters later when first-baseman Mike Jones (not to be confused with shortstop Mycal Jones) repeated the feat with two outs.

The three-hit inning would be the Pelicans' only true rally against Peacock, who retired the leadoff batter five times in seven innings. After another leadoff single in the fourth, by former Nat farmhand Dan Nelson no less, Peacock would retire 12 straight batters to finish the game.

While not using his changeup as much as his previous start, Peacock still managed to strike out eight, raising his season total to Carolina League-leading 101.

Offensively, the P-Nats were as moribund as ever with just six hits on the night. A solo home run from Robby Jacobsen in the 6th spared Peacock from a possible loss and another from Tyler Moore in the 7th was enough to give him the win.

Cory VanAllen took the mound in the 8th and surrendered a walk and an infield single between a flyout and popup to put runners on the corners with two outs for Dan Leatherman, who induced a popup to end the second Myrtle Beach threat, then struck out the side in the 9th.

With the win, Potomac takes first place for the first time this season (not impressive, but it's true) with lefty Evan Bronson matching up against righty Arodys Vizcaino.

Wednesday's News and Notes

Syracuse Chiefs W, 2-1 vs. Charlotte
Starting Pitcher: Stammen (W, 2-0) 6⅔ IP 8H 1ER 1BB 3K
Pitching Star: Bergmann (H, 11) 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 3K
Hitting Star #1: Davis 2-3, R, HR, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Lambin 1-2, BB
Notes: The Chiefs got two runs in the 2nd to start things off and to end things as well. Charlotte put one up on the score board in the top of the 7th but weren’t able to add anymore as they fell to Syracuse 2-1. Starting pitcher Craig Stammen went 6⅔ innings giving up eight hits, one run, one walk and getting three strikeouts.

Harrisburg Senators L, 9-4
Starting Pitcher: Novoa (L, 0-5) 1⅓ IP 8H 9R 9ER 1BB 1K 1HR
Pitching Star: Bisenius 2⅔ IP 1H 0R 2BB 3K
Hitting Star #1: Lowrance 1-3, 2R, BB, HR, 2RBI
Hitting Star #2: Marrero 1-4, R, HR, RBI
Notes: Spot starter Yunior Novoa couldn't get out of the second inning, getting hammered for four runs in the first and charged for five runs in the second. Three relievers combined for 7⅔ innings of scoreless relief, but the offense couldn't score without the longball, collecting four runs on six hits for the game's eventual 9-4 score.

Potomac Nationals — ALL-STAR BREAK
Notes: The Potomac Nationals begin the second half at home with a three-game series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Hagerstown Suns — ALL-STAR BREAK
Notes: The Hagerstown Suns begin the second half at home with a five-game set against the Hickory Crawdads.

Vermont Lake Monsters L, 2-1 @ Tri-City (11 inn.)
Starting Pitcher: Jordan (ND) 5IP 4H 1ER 0BB 4K
Pitching Star: McCatty 2⅔ IP 0H 0R 0BB 3K
Hitting Star #1: Mozingo 2-3, 2BB
Hitting Star #2: Miller 1-1, RBI (PH)
Notes: Tri-City got things started in the 4th inning with 1 run, but Vermont was able to tie things back up in the 8th to send this one to extras. Starting pitcher Taylor Jordan went five innings giving up four hits, one run and got 4 strikeouts; unfortunately he also got the no-decision as this one was sent to extra innings. The one run to tie things up all started with Ronnie Labrie being hit by a pitch and ended by a walk to Blake Kelso, which scored Labrie. Wade Miller got the game-winning RBI with a pinch-hit single in the top of the 11th.

GCL Nationals W, 12-1 vs. GCL Astros
Starting Pitcher: Brandon King 3IP 3H 0R 2BB 2K
Pitching Star: Mike Gallo 2IP 0H 0R 1BB 0K
Hitting Star #1: Wander Ramos 3-3, 3R, 2-2B, 2BB, 4RBI
Hitting Star #2: Jeremy Mayo 2-4, R, 2B, 4RBI
Hitting Star #3: Adrian Sanchez 3-4, 2R, 2B, RBI
Notes: An eight-run fifth broke open a 1-1 tie to send the GCL Nationals an easy 12-1 win over the GCL Astros. Five players collected multiple hits, with the 3-4-5 batters combining to go 8-for-10 with seven runs scored.

DSL Nationals — PPD
Notes: The two teams will make this up when they next meet on Friday, July 1

Welcome To Our Mobile Home

Pardon the interruption, kids. We're in the process of changing web providers, and of course, this coincides with folks going on vacation, making things more difficult. So our apologies for the silence yesterday and we hope to be back at our usual bat-time and bat-channel soon.