Nationals minor league report: May 2-6
From staff and wire reports:
Fresno (AAA Pacific Coast League):
Thursday: Kyle McGowin and the Fresno Grizzlies (12-15) shutout the El Paso Chihuahuas (19-8) 2-0 Thursday morning from Chukchansi Park. The Chihuahuas 12-game winning streak and the Grizzlies seven-game losing streak both ended with the final result. McGowin (2-2, W) was exceptional on both sides of the ball. On the bump, he twirled six scoreless frames, allowing two hits, three walks, and striking out a season-high nine. While at the dish, he belted two doubles and scored once.
The Fresno offense recorded 12 hits with four starters notching two apiece. Andrew Stevenson, Jake Noll, Brandon Snyder, and McGowin were recipients of the multi-hit line. Stevenson and Noll both laced RBI singles in the third, extending their hit streaks to six games each. Bengie Gonzalez and Matt Reistetter enjoyed their first hits of the season, with Reistetter picking up a double.
El Paso lefty Dietrich Enns (3-1) suffered the loss after five innings of two-run ball. Derek Self whiffed two batters in two scoreless frames to receive his first save of the season.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• RHP Kyle McGowin (6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K; 2-3, 2 2B, R)
• CF Andrew Stevenson (2-4, RBI)
• 3B Jake Noll (2-4, RBI)
Top Performers: El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres)
• RHP Tyler Higgins (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K)
• 2B Matthew Batten (1-4, SB)
• CF Boog Powell (0-1, 3 BB)O
Friday: In a back-and-forth contest, the Fresno Grizzlies (13-15) outlasted the Las Vegas Aviators (17-12) 5-4 in 11 innings Friday night. The Grizzlies improved to 2-1 in extra innings and 6-2 in the first game of the series (31-13 in the last two years). Collin Cowgill, Jose Marmolejos, and Yadiel Hernandez all slugged solo shots, while Alec Keller supplied Fresno with the go-ahead RBI in the eleventh. Taylor Gushue also extended the current club-high hit streak to eight games.
Trailing 4-3 in the ninth with two outs, Matt Olson (MLB rehab) hammered a pitch to left-center field, sending the game into extras. He and Corban Joseph both left the yard for Las Vegas. Joseph knocked in a pair of runs, while Tyler Ramirez picked up the other RBI. Veteran righty, Edwin Jackson, did not decide in the contest after four-plus innings of work.
Dakota Bacus (2-0) enjoyed the victory after two strong frames. He struck out Mark Payton to end the game. Norge Ruiz (0-1) grieved the loss.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• LF Jose Marmolejos (2-4, HR, RBI, R, BB)
• DH Yadiel Hernandez (2-5, HR, 2 RBI, R)
• CF Collin Cowgill (1-4, HR, RBI, 2 R)
Top Performers: Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics)
• 1B Corban Joseph (3-5, HR, 3B, 2 RBI, R)
• DH Matt Olson (1-5, HR, RBI, R)
• RF Tyler Ramirez (2-4, RBI, BB)O
Saturday: The Fresno Grizzlies (14-15) clawed past the Las Vegas Aviators (17-13) 10-7 from Las Vegas Ballpark Saturday night. Fresno enjoyed their third straight victory and extended their road win streak to two games, a season-high. Every Grizzlies starter recorded at least one hit, with five etching two to their final line. Yadiel Hernandez and Collin Cowgill both went deep for the second straight game, with Hernandez ending the solo shot streak at 10 in the first inning. Bengie Gonzalez added a pair of hits, including his first RBI of the season, and Taylor Gushue lengthened the club-high hit streak to nine games. Jacob Wilson also shined, reaching base five times.
Despite the defeat, the Aviators sprayed 14 total hits, with Jorge Mateo, Corban Joseph, and Dustin Fowler tallying three apiece. Mateo homered and doubled in the contest, finishing with three RBI. Joseph drove in two batters, and Fowler mustered two runs. Eric Campbell also helped the Las Vegas cause with his third longball of the year.
Fresno starter, Paolo Espino, did not factor in the decision despite allowing three runs over five frames. J.J. Hoover (1-0) was credited with the win in relief of Espino. Tanner Rainey rolled through the ninth in route to his first save. Kyle Lobstein (1-1) was tagged with the loss.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• LF Yadiel Hernandez (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB)
• CF Collin Cowgill (2-5, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB)
• 3B Jacob Wilson (2-2, 2B, R, 3 BB)
Top Performers: Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics)
• SS Jorge Mateo (3-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R)
• 2B Corban Joseph (3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB)
• CF Dustin Fowler (3-5, 3B, 2 R)O
Sunday: The Las Vegas Aviators (18-13) rolled past the Fresno Grizzlies (14-16) 11-2 Sunday afternoon from Las Vegas Ballpark. Las Vegas notched six runs in the first inning which included a two-run clout by Mark Payton. A frame later, Dustin Fowler‘s two-run single expanded the advantage to 8-0. Heading to the fourth, Eric Campbell raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer, pushing the lead to nine runs. Campbell has had a round-tripper the past two games. Franklin Barreto added three hits, two RBI and two runs in the victory.
Brandon Snyder powered Fresno on the board with a dinger in the top of the fourth. It was his ninth longball of the year. 12 of the last 13 big flies for the Grizzlies have been via solo shot. Jacob Wilson tripled and scored in the last frame to complete a multi-hit day. Mario Sanchez (0-1) succumbed to defeat in his first Triple-A outing, lasting two innings. Dakota Bacus hurled a scoreless frame of relief. He has thrown nine and one-third shutout innings against Las Vegas this season, allowing only three hits over six appearances versus the Aviators.
Paul Blackburn (4-1) enjoyed the victory after six stellar innings of work. He gave up one run on three hits while punching out three. Norge Ruiz picked up his first save of the season after three scoreless frames.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• 1B Brandon Snyder (1-3, HR, RBI, R)
• 3B Jacob Wilson (2-4, 3B, 2B, R)
• DH Yadiel Hernandez (1-3, BB)
Top Performers: Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics)
• CF Franklin Barreto (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
• RF Dustin Fowler (2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R)
• LF Mark Payton (1-3, HR, 4 RBI, R)
Monday: Leading the Fresno Grizzlies (15-16) with 32 RBI and 11 multi-hit games in just 28 played, Jacob Wilson went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four RBI on Monday evening in the series finale against the Las Vegas Aviators (18-14), pushing Fresno to win three of four after a 14-3 victory. Seven Grizzlies ended the night with multiple base knocks in a 22-hit ambush (season-high); four had three or more hits.
In the second inning, Yadiel Hernandez sent his 10th home run of the season out to the opposite field (LF), equaling Wilson for the club lead. Hernandez reached double-digit homers in only 27 games; now in his third season in the United States after coming from Cuba, Hernandez hit 12 homers in 120 games with Double-A Harrisburg in 2017, before cranking 18 last season between Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse (International League).
Collin Cowgill also enjoyed a three-hit night for Fresno, knocking in two runs with a single and a double. Chris Dominguez went 5-for-6 with five RBI, including an eighth inning grand slam in his second game with the Grizzlies this season (see more below). It was the second Grizz grand slam of the season, joining Matt Reynolds in the sixth inning at home on April 6, the difference in an 8-4 win over Reno. Dominguez registered the first five-hit game of the season for the Grizzlies; Hernandez, Carter Kieboom, Jose Marmolejos, Brandon Snyder and Wilson had each had a four-hit game in April.
Fresno starter Austin Voth pitched like a man who needed far less run support, turning in a quality start on 104 pitches over seven innings. Voth scattered three earned runs on eight hits, walking two with six strikeouts.
Wilson went 8-for-15 in the series with a triple and four doubles, and reached base 14 times with six walks.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• 3B Jacob Wilson (3-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, R, BB)
• 1B Chris Dominguez (5-6, HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R)
• CF Collin Cowgill (3-6, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Top Performers: Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics)
• DH Seth Brown (1-2, RBI, BB)
• 1B Corban Joseph (2-4)
• RHP Miguel Romero (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K)
Harrisburg (AA Eastern League):
Thursday: Ben Braymer pitched seven solid innings and the Sens offense erupted for eight extra-base hits in their 7-4 win over the Trenton Thunder Thursday night at FNB Field. Braymer allowed just two hits in moving to 2-1. Drew Ward and Rhett Wiseman both homered for the Sens. Chuck Taylor and Tyler Goeddel both drove in two runs for the Senators. Aaron Barrett pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save. Harrisburg improves to 22-5 while Trenton falls to 15-9.
Turning Point
Trenton plated a run in the top of the fourth inning to trim the Senators lead to 3-2. Rhett Wisemanhomered to give the Sens a 4-2 lead. With two outs and no one on base Bryan Mejia singled and Luis Garcia doubled him to third. That brought up Chuck Taylor and the game’s turning point. Taylor tripled to drive in both runs, giving the Senators a 6-2 lead.
On Capitol Hill
Ben Braymer started and was outstanding. Braymer allowed only two hits, both home runs while walking two and striking out five. He retired the side in order four of his seven innings. He threw 90 pitches, 56 strikes in a solid bounce back start from his last outing in Hartford. Taylor Guilbeau worked the eighth inning and allowed two runs on a two-run home run by Kyle Holder. Aaron Barrett worked around a two-out walk to earn his sixth save on the season.
With the Gavel
Rhett Wiseman and Drew Ward both homered for the Senators. Wiseman’s was his tenth on the season and he continues to lead the Eastern League. Rhett also doubled and singled and scored twice. Luis Garcia had two hits, a double and a triple. Harrisburg had a season-high eight extra base hits, three doubles, three triples and the two home runs. Chuck Taylor tripled in two runs to cap a three-run fourth inning. Tyler Goeddel also tripled and drove in runs in the game. F
Friday: The Sens fell to Trenton 9-3 in a rain shortened six-inning game Friday night at FNB Field. The teams played the game in a steady light rain before the rain picked up to cause the game to be called. Drew Ward had two hits while Chuck Taylor homered, his fifth on the season. Harrisburg had a 2-1 lead into the third inning, but Trenton plated three in the fourth and three in the sixth. The Sens fall to 22-6 with the loss while Trenton improves to 16-9 with the win.
Turning Point
With the score 3-2 Trenton in the fourth inning, the Thunder had two on and two outs when they plated three runs on a single by Ben Ruta driving in one run followed by a two-run single by Chris Gittens making the score 6-2 Trenton.
On Capitol Hill
Wil Crowe started and was roughed up for five earned runs. He allowed four straight hits in the third, producing two runs, then another three runs in the fourth. Logan Ondrusek made his Senators debut going two innings and allowing three runs on three runs. It was a tough go for all the pitchers in the wet weather.
With the Gavel
Chuck Taylor homered in the sixth inning, his fifth on the season. Drew Ward had two hits and scored a run. Tres Barrera and Tyler Goeddel each doubled in the second inning. Rhett Wiseman singled in the sixth extending his hit streak to six games.
Saturday: The Senators bounced back Saturday night and won in come from behind fashion beating the Trenton Thunder 6-5 in front of 5,875 fans at FNB Field. After seeing their 2-0 lead wiped away by the Thunder in Trenton’s five-run third inning, the Senators rallied behind Luis Sardinas and Ian Sagdal in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 6-5 lead. Four Senators relievers kept Trenton at bay for the win. Harrisburg improves to 23-6 while Trenton falls to 16-10.
Turning Point
The Senators trailed 5-2 into the bottom of the fourth inning when with one out, Luis Sardinas homered into the left field stands trimming the Trenton lead to 5-4 and giving the Senators the momentum they needed to go on to rally to win the ballgame.
On Capitol Hill
Harrisburg used five pitchers Saturday with four in relief of started Jackson Tetreault. The four relievers combined to toss six shutout innings allowing three hits while striking out six. Erick Fedde was the first out of the bullpen, tossing a scoreless inning. He was followed by Jacob Condra-Bogan who faced seven batters over two innings allowing a single hit. James Bourque pitched two scoreless, the seventh and eighth innings before turning the game over to Aaron Barrett. Barrett allowed a leadoff double in the ninth but retired the final three batters to earn his seventh save. Jackson Tetreault started and went three innings, allowing five runs but just one earned in the third inning. Condra-Bogan earned the win, his first double-A win.
With the Gavel
Luis Sardinas had the big night for the Senators hitters. His two-run home run in the fourth inning brought the Senators to within a run and his RBI double in the fifth inning drove in the run that proved to be the winner. Ian Sagdal tied the game with his fourth home run in the fourth inning. Drew Ward had two hits to raise his average back over .300. Tyler Goeddel had a run scoring single in the second inning. The Sens had night hits in the game.
Sunday: Postponed.
Monday: OFF.
Potomac (High-A Carolina League):
Thursday: The Potomac Nationals (11-17) got a brilliant outing from RHP Kyle Johnston on Thursday night, helping defeat the Winston-Salem Dash (15-13) by a score of 4-1. On the heels of an historic offensive performance on Wednesday, Potomac gave their ace an early lead to win their second consecutive ballgame and end the road trip with a 3-4 record.
Two pitches into the game, 2B Osvaldo Abreu put Potomac ahead with his first home run of the year. A walk and two singles followed, but Dash starter LHP John Parke (L, 1-2) coaxed the first of five Winston-Salem double plays to escape the jam.
SS David Masters continued his dominance over the Dash this season, hitting his seventh home run of the season to the opposite field in right to put the P-Nats ahead 2-0 in the second. It was the second home run in consecutive days for Masters, who is now the active Carolina League leader in the category, and sixth against the Dash already this season.
In the fourth inning, Potomac extended the lead to 3-0 without the benefit of a hit. C Jakson Reetz and Masters drew walks ahead of 3B Anderson Franco, who hit a ground ball to second base. In an attempt to turn yet another double play, Dash 2B Nick Madrigal‘s throw sailed high to first and allowed Reetz to score from second base.
LF Telmito Agustin catalyzed a run in the fifth, stealing second base after the third of his four hits on the night. 1B KJ Harrison drove him in from second on an infield single to first base when a close play at first distracted attention to Potomac’s lead baserunner. Parke got out of the fifth inning with another double play, and completed 7.0 innings in a losing effort.
Friday: Despite a home run from SS David Masters for the fourth consecutive game, the Potomac Nationals (11-18) failed to capitalize on an early 2-0 lead in a 7-3 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash (16-13). Potomac led 2-0 after the opening inning, but lost the lead in the fifth frame, and eventually fell behind by three runs courtesy of a three-run seventh inning from the Dash.
For the fourth consecutive outing, RHP Blake Battenfield (W, 1-0) notched a quality start for the Dash. The right-handed starter had allowed just one earned run over his previous three starts and hadn’t picked up a victory, though Battenfield pulled out his first win of the season despite a three-run performance on Friday night. LF Telmito Agustin notched a two-run home run for Potomac in the opening inning, but Battenfield settled in and allowed just one more run over his next five frames, the fifth inning home run for Masters.
Opposite Battenfield, LHP Grant Borne (ND) pitched with a lead early for Potomac but failed to hold the advantage. The Dash got on the board with a sacrifice fly from C Carlos Perez in the second inning, while Borne struggled with command in the fifth frame. A one-out walk to DH Tate Blackman started the rally for the Dash, while 2B Nick Madrigal plated a pair of runs with a double, which gave the Dash a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning.
Masters’ home run led off the home half of the fifth inning for Potomac and tied the game, though the P-Nats failed to score throughout the rest of the night. After 5.1 innings from Borne, Potomac turned to RHP Luis Reyes (L, 0-3) for his second relief appearance of the season. Reyes worked out of a jam in the sixth inning but failed to post a scoreless seventh frame. RF Tyler Frost drew a leadoff walk, while Madrigal reached on a throwing error by Masters. 1B Jameson Fisher gave Winston-Salem a 4-3 lead with an RBI single, while SS Zach Remillard followed with an RBI single of his own. LF Craig Dedelow capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly, as the Dash led 6-3 after 6.5 innings.
RHP Alec Hansen worked two-shutout frames out of the bullpen for Winston-Salem, while RHP Luis Ledomaneuvered around a HBP in a scoreless ninth inning for the Dash. The home run from Masters was his eighth of the season, which tied his career high, and also tied the shortstop for the league lead.
Saturday: Cancelled.
Sunday: Cancelled.
Monday: OFF.
Hagerstown (Low-A South Atlantic League):
Thursday: Joan Adon allowed just one run in nearly six innings and Hagerstown utilized a four-run seventh headlined by a Kyle Marinconz two-run double to vault over the Asheville Tourists 7-3 at McCormick Field Thursday night.
Adon (W, 2-1), allowed just two base runners through the first five innings while fanning the side in the second to earn a final line of 5.2 innings pitched, three hits and one earned run, while wringing up eight batters.
The bats took some pressure of their starter, etching two big innings in the board. Hagerstown (11-16) started the third with a Nic Perkins double to right before Marinconz smashed a homer over the center field wall to start the scoring. Next, Gilbert Lara poked a single up the middle to keep his hitting-streak alive before Jacob Rhinesmith roped a two bagger to right to score the shortstop and put Hagerstown in front 3-0.
Marinconz’s night was not over there. After Riley Pint walked the bases loaded with no one out, the second baseman ushered Juan Pascal and Cody Wilson, who doubled home two in the previous at-bat, home to push Hagerstown to a 7-1 lead over Asheville (10-16).
Marinconz finished the night with four RBI. He’s the first Sun to accomplish that feat this year.
Lara’s hitting-streak reached 17-games and remains tied for the longest-active streak in Minor League Baseball. Jarred Kelenic waited until the ninth inning to pop a single into center field, but it was good enough to keep pace with Hagerstown’s shortstop.
Tourist starter Nick Bush (L, 1-2), earned the tough-luck loss after offering a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings.
Chandler Day was the first reliever in from the pen. The righty allowed one run in 1.1 innings before handing the ball to Aaron Fletcher. The Houston-product set-down a pair via the strikeout in as many hitless innings.
The Tourists picked up two runs in a wonky seventh frame. Javier Guevarareached on a fielder’s choice before coming around on a Terrin Vavra double. Vavra would later score after Luke Morgan struck out swinging and on a dropped third strike, Perkins threw the ball into center field to bring the base-runner home.
Friday: Tim Cate opened up the Suns’ series with the Augusta GreenJackets with his fourth consecutive quality start to lead Hagerstown over Augusta 4-2 at SRP Park Friday night.
Cate (2-2) offered six innings, fanning eight batters and allowing just three hits and one earned run in the win over Augusta (14-12). Over his last four games, the lefty has spun 24 innings, allowing four earned runs (1.50 ERA) while wringing up 27 batters.
The Uconn-product is not the only Suns (12-16) player on a hot streak, Gilbert Lara continued his torrid hitting stretch Friday night as well. The shortstop finished 1-for-4, but with his two out single in the third, he stretched his hitting streak to the longest in professional baseball this season. He has now reached in 18-consecutive games, holding a .364 average (28-for-77) since the stretch began April 14.
Heading into today’s set of games, he was tied with the West Virginia Power’s Jarred Kelenic for longest-active hitting streak in the South Atlantic League. The New York Mets’ 2018 first round draft pick finished 0-for-3, with a pair of walks to halt his streak, giving Lara sole posession of the longest streak in the South Atlantic League and all of Minor League Baseball.
After trading a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning and the top of the second inning, Hagerstown broke the tie in the top of the seventh. With Tyler Cropley at second after walking and stealing a bag, Cody Wilson lined a triple to center to score the catcher and put Hagerstown in front 2-1.
Next, Augusta reliever Tyler Schimpf (L, 1-1) issued a wild pitch that allowed Wilson to score and push the Suns to a 3-1 lead. Schimpf proceeded to walk the bases loaded before walking Justin Connell to score Kyle Marinconz and give the Suns their third run of the inning.
Ryan Tapani came in for Cate, working two innings before giving Jhonatan German (S, 3) the ball to slam the door shut with a hitless, three strikeout frame.
Saturday: Starter Jake Irvin rebounded from a tough start last week with a quality start to propel the Suns to a 5-4 victory of the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park Saturday night.
Irvin (W, 1-3) gave up nine runs in just one inning of work April 28 against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, but his approach was much different against Augusta (14-13). The righty pounded the strike zone, throwing 69 pitches, 47 for strikes across six innings where he allowed just two runs to score.
The offense jumped out to support their starter in the first, as Cody Wilson singled and Kyle Marinconzwalked to open the game. After that, Jacob Rhinesmith and Gilbert Lara hit back-to-back base knocks to drive in Wilson and Marinconz to give the Suns (13-16) a 2-0 lead. On a pop-up from Omar Meregildo, third baseman Wander Franco made a throwing error that allowed Rhinesmith to come home and put the Suns in front 3-0.
The single from Lara pushed his hitting streak to 19-games, the longest streak in Major or Minor League Baseball this year. The last Hagerstown Sun to earn a 20-game hitting streak was Jeff Maloney, who hit in 20-consecutive games from July 18-August 8, 1999. Since his streak began April 14, Lara is 29-for-81 (.358 average), with 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI. To put those numbers in perspective, only 13 players in the South Atlantic League have more than 16 RBI and merely 11 have more than 11 extra-base hits this entire season.
While Augusta added a run in the bottom off the second off a Frankie Tostado homer to left, his fifth of the season, the Suns offense was able to hold the GreenJackets at bay, adding two more runs in the seventh.
Jamori Blash got the ball rolling with a one out single on the third base side of the field before Trey Vickers drilled his second homer of the season beyond the left center fence to increase Hagerstown’s lead to 5-2.
Following the offensive fireworks, Jackson Stoeckinger (S, 1) navigated through 2.1 scoreless innings to send the the Suns home with their third consecutive victory.
Sunday: After tying the game in the seventh and pulling ahead in the tenth, the Suns were unable to hold Augusta at bay in an 11-inning, 3-2 loss to the GreenJackets at SRP Park Sunday afternoon.
Nico Giarratano blooped a single to right to end the game, scoring Aaron Bond in the process to earn the walk-off victory for Augusta (15-13). That is the third walk-off loss the Suns have been a part of this season.
Aaron Fletcher (L, 1-2) was on the hook for the loss, despite only giving up two, unearned runs in 2.1 innings of relief. The lefty allowed two hits and did not walk a batter.
Meanwhile, Solomon Bates (W, 4-2) continued his incredible stretch in relief. He has now just allowed one run to score in his last seven innings pitched, spanning three separate outings for the GreenJackets.
The two squads traded runs in the 10th, after Pablo O’Connor sacrificed Omar Meregildo to third, Trey Vickers was able to punch a single up the gut to put Hagerstown (13-17) in front 2-1. The GreenJackets tied the game in the home half of the inning with a Jacob Gonzalez one out single to plate Shane Matheny.
After not getting a hit in the first six innings, Jacob Rhinesmith doubled with Israel Pineda on first to move runners to second and third with just one out. Later, O’Connor walked with the bases loaded to knot the score at 1-1.
Francys Peguero earned the no decision despite pitching an incredible ballgame. The righty worked six frames, allowing just three hits and one run, while fanning four. That’s good for Hagerstown’s fourth quality start of the road trip.ng streak, ending the stretch at 19 games. That places him just one game shy of Jeffrey Maloney, who hit in 20 consecutive games for the Suns in 1999. Lara hit .358 over the stretch, which began April 14 and launched three homers while plating 16 RBI.
