Nationals Farm Authority

The Clippers could only muster one run off offense as they dropped a 3-1 decision to Pawtucket on Monday evening (box). Chris Michalak made the start allowing three runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings. It was one pitch that hurt him most as PawSox CA George Kottaras hit a three-run third inning homer accounting for all the runs Pawtucket needed. 2B Bernie Castro was 2/4 with a double and his 20th stolen base of the season, 1B Larry Broadway was 2/4, and DH Mike Restovich was 2/4 with a solo home run, his 18th of the season.

Tonight: Columbus RHP Collin Balester (1-1, 4.20) matches up with rehabbing RHP Curt Schilling (0-0, 0.00) who makes the start for Pawtucket at 7:05PM

Harrisburg was off on Monday.

Tonight: Senators RHP Beltran Perez (5-5, 5.51) takes the mound as Harrisburg opens a three-game home series with New Hampshire at 6:35PM. LHP Eric Fowler (3-3, 5.97) starts for the Fisher Cats

Potomac returned home for a quick three-game series with Wilmington, dropping the opener 6-3 (box/gamer). The story of the evening was Shawn Hill’s rehab start, Hill went three innings allowing no runs or walks, three hits, and striking out two. Regularly scheduled starter Craig Stammen took over in the fourth and struggled with his command through 2 2/3 innings allowing three runs on six hits and three walks. Josh Perrault settled things down with 1 1/3 innings striking out three. But Jack Spradlin and David Trahan could not hold off the Blue Rocks as they allowed three runs on four hits, one walk and a hit batter in two innings of relief leading to the P-Nats loss. CF Justin Maxwell was 2/5 with two stolen bases but struck out in the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and second. LF Chris Marrero was 1/4 with a single and a run scored. He looked uncomfortable in the outfield coming in and then having to retreat back on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Tonight: Potomac and Wilmington continue their series Tuesday at The Pfitz, with a 7:35 start. RHP Marco Estrada (1-1, 6.66) starts for the P-Nats while RHP Julio Pimentel (7-4, 2.80) gets the start for the Blue Rocks

The rains Sunday led to the postponement of the Suns game on Monday evening. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday at 6:05PM (two seven inning games).

Today: RHP Jhonny Nunez (2-6, 3.87) starts for Hagerstown at 11:05AM this morning against Augusta

Lake Monsters manager Darnell Coles pulled most of his starters after Vermont fell behind 9-1 in the fifth inning, but the Lake Monsters scored four in the seventh, five in the eighth, and capped up an amazing comeback with a Robby Tolan walk-off two-run homer as the Lake Monsters shocked the Hudson Valley Renegades 12-10 (box/gamer). Cole Kimball and Ryan Buchter were touched up four nine runs on ten hits and six walks over the first six innings. Martin Beno allowed only one run and one hit over two innings, striking out four, and Caleb Staudt picked up his first win with one inning of shutout relief. LF/CF Boomer Whiting was 2/5 with a pair of runs and one RBI. Tolan was 1/3 with the homer and three RBI. DH Garrett Bass was 2/5 with a homer and three RBI.

Tonight: The Lake Monsters continue the series with a 7:05PM game against Hudson Valley. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (1-1, 2.61) starts for Vermont

GCL and DSL will be posted later

Washington Nationals RHP Shawn Hill made his first rehab start this evening in Potomac. Hill allowed only three hits (one bunt, one broken bat, and one just under his glove) over three innings while striking out two. Hill threw 35 pitches, 28 for strikes. He was originally scheduled for three innings or 50 pitches, so he completed his 50 pitches in the bullpen. He induced six groundball outs and two of his three hits were grounders.

I asked Hill what it felt like to get back into an actual game situation. He joked “you mean after 2 1/2 months.” He said he felt good though “it was a little tiring.” He said he “tired quickly, but worked through it.” He threw only fastballs and curveballs, no changeups, “They only had two lefthanded hitters so I didn’t throw my change,” said Hill.

After sailing through the first two innings, Hill ran into trouble with a bunt single (on a play which he crossed in front of his 3B allowing the runner to just beat a delayed throw). On the next pitch, Hill allowed a single back up the middle just under his glove. When asked if it also would take time to get back into rhythm fielding the ball, Hill commented that “if I was going every five days, I’d probably have knocked that down or made the play.” Hill actually relished the opportunity to pitch with runners on base because it was easier to get a taste of it with A-ball players “rather than Albert Pujols.”

Hill admitted he didn’t realize manager Manny Acta was there and said it was “nice to see him there though I’m sure he also came to see Chris [Marrero] and Justin [Maxwell].”

Manny Acta commented on Hill, “He was free and easy and had good velocity. He threw some good sliders.” Acta added, “We want to see how he feels tomorrow.”

Hill’s next start is tentatively scheduled for Saturday with 4IP or 60 pitches. “It all depends how I feel tomorrow,” said Hill.

Notes: Sitting with Acta was bullpen coach Rick Aponte and Special Advisor to the GM Jose Cardenal. Additionally, Nationals pitchers Matt Chico and Tim Redding stayed for Hill’s three innings of work.

Josh Hall made his Columbus debut Saturday night, combining with three Clippers relievers on a 6-2 victory over Pawtucket (box/gamer). Hall picked up the win with five innings of three hit ball with three walks and four strikeouts. Hector Carrasco, Winston Abreu, and Chris Booker allowed only one run over the final four innings, striking out five. 2B Bernie Castro was 2/5 with a double and two runs scored. 3B Kory Casto had his second straight two-hit game, going 2/5 with one RBI and one run scored. 1B Larry Broadway and RF Abraham Nunez also had two hits for the Clippers. On Sunday, Emiliano Fruto struggled with his control walking seven and giving up six runs and five hits in just 3 2/3 innings, but the Clippers rallied from 6-1 deficit, scoring the last nine runs, defeating Pawtucket 10-6 (box/gamer). Jon Albaladejo, Winston Abreu, and Chris Booker combined on 5 1/3 innings of three-hit shutout relief, allowing for the Columbus comeback. RF Abraham Nunez was 3/4 with two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI. DH Mike Restovich was 2/4 with a two-run homer and a double. 2B Bernie Castro was 3/5 with a triple, one RBI and a run scored.

Tonight: Columbus LHP Chris Michalak (3-4, 2.98) faces off with Pawtucket RHP Devern Hansack (7-6, 3.67) at 7:05PM

On Saturday evening, the Senators were doubled up by the SeaWolves, dropping a 14-7 decision (box/gamer). Starter Jerome Williams was pounded for eleven runs (seven earned) on eleven hits in only three innings of work. 3B Dan Dement was 2/4 with a double and two runs scored and 1B Josh Whitesell was 2/4 with double, home run and three RBI. The SeaWolves completed the four-game sweep, scoring four sixth inning runs en route to a 7-4 win over Harrisburg (box/gamer). Garrett Mock made the start allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks over five innings of work with five strikeouts. Mock has struggled since his return to Harrisburg surrendering fourteen runs on twenty-six hits and thirteen walks in only 21IP. Dan Kolb took the loss giving up the four sixth inning runs on five hits. Mike Hinckley made a rare relief appearance with two two-hit shutout innings. The Senators got two hits apiece from CF Roger Bernadina, DH Dan Dement, 3B Ofilio Castro, 2B Marcos Yepez, and SS Seth Bynum.

Today: The Harrisburg Senators do not play today.

SP Shairon Martis and SS Ian Desmond led the P-Nats to an 8-2victory on Saturday evening (box). Martis won his ninth game of the season with seven shutout innings allowing only five hits and two walks while striking out three. Desmond was 4/5 with a double, home run, two RBI and three runs scored. Over his last 10 games, Desmond is batting 0.318 and slugging 0.659. CF Justin Maxwell had his second straight two-hit game, going 2/4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. CA Brian Peacock and DH Devin Ivany were each 2/5 with one RBI and one run scored. On Sunday evening, the P-Nats could not take the four-game series in Salem, splitting the series with a 5-1 loss (box). Justin Jones took the loss surrendering four runs (three earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings of work. SS Ian Desmond continued his hot streak with another home run and LF Chris Marrero snapped an 0/16 streak going 2/4.

Tonight: RHP Shawn Hill (NR) makes a rehab start as Potomac returns home for a quick three-game series against Wilmington and RHP Michael Penn (2-1, 3.76) at 7:35PM

Zach Baldwin was knocked around for six runs on nine hits in only 3 2/3 innings of work as the Suns dropped a 10-6 decision in West Virginia (box). 3B Leonard Davis was 3/5 with a run scored, CF Francisco Plasencia was 2/6 with one run scored, and LF Lindon Bond was 2/4 with a run scored. The Suns did not play on Sunday.

Tonight: Hagerstown returns home to host Augusta at 7:05PM. Pitchers TBA.

It’s the least surprising news coming out of Vermont. Glenn Gibson put up an impressive start, allowing only one hit and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings pitched, walking three and striking out seven. Unfortunately for Gibson and the Lake Monsters, Vermont dropped a 2-1 ten-inning game in Brooklyn (box/gamer). In seven games in Vermont, Gibson has pitched 37 2/3 innings with a 0.72ERA, 0.83WHIP and 42 strikeouts to 7 walks. RF Aaron Seuss extended his hitting streak to fourteen games with two hits in three at-bats. And, DH Garrett Bass was 1/4 with a double and a run scored. On Sunday, Colton Willems bounced back from an ugly start allowing no runs on only two hits over five innings as the Lake Monsters defeated Brooklyn 4-1 (box/gamer). Willems is now 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in seven starts, over his 34 1/3 innings Willems has struck out 16 and walked seventeen. Ryan Harrison and Alberto Tavarez pitched the final four innings allowing only two hits and striking out five. Aaron Seuss extended his hitting streak to 15 games, going 3/4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Seuss is now batting 0.374 in 31 NY-Penn League games. CA Sean Rooney was 2/3 with a double, run scored and one RBI.

Tonight: RHP Cole Kimball (1-2, 4.11) takes the mound at 7:05PM for Vermont as they return home for a series with Hudson Valley and RHP Joshua Johnson (1-2, 3.54)

The GCL Nationals dropped a slugfest to the GCL Cardinals 14-8 (box). PJ Dean had the best afternoon with five innings allowing three runs on three hits and two walks and striking out six. Justin Phillabaum surrendered two runs in one inning of work, Robert Almonte gave up five runs in 1/3 of an innin, and Shane Erb was tagged for four runs in one inning. 2B Frank Cruz was 3/4 with a double, one RBI and two runs. CF Stephen Englund was 2/5 with a double and a run scored. Englund is batting 342/468/421 with 6 stolen bases in 11 GCL games. RF Michael Burgess was 4/5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Burgess is hitting 0.367 and slugging 0.733 over his last ten games. 3B Steven Souza was 2/2 with a pair of doubles. On Sunday, Ross Detwiler made his third professional appearance and for the third time it was against the GCL Dodgers. After holding them scoreless for the first five innings, Detwiler was touched up four three runs on six hits in three innings of work with five strikeouts as the GCL Nationals dropped a 9-8 decision (box). 20-year old RHP Randy Matias pitched the next four innings allowing only one run on two hits with five strikeouts. CF Stephen Englund was 0/3 with two walks, a run scored and his seventh stolen base of the season. RF Michael Burgess was 2/5 with a double and RBI. SS Stephen King was 1/5 with a three-run homer, his sixth in the GCL. And, 3B Steven Souza was 2/4 with a two-run home run.

Today: The GCL Nationals visit the GCL Cardinals at 12:00PM. LHP Pat McCoy (1-1, 5.87) is likely to pitch.

The DSL Nationals1 dropped a 6-1 decision to the DSL Padres on Saturday morning (box). 18-year old RHP Marcos Frias took the loss allowing five runs on six hits in five innings of work. 19-year old RHP Juan Jamie pitched three one-hit shutout innings striking out five. 17-year old CF Eury Perez was 2/2 with a pair of walks and a run scored. The DSL Nationals2 lost to the DSL Mets 7-2 on Saturday (box). 19-year old LHP Francisco Vizcaino allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings with three walks and only one strikeout. 17-year old LHP Joel Campana-Ventura made his DSL debut allowing one run on one hit in one inning of work with one strikeout. And 17-year old RHP Ironel Paez made his second appearance with two shutout innings allowing three hits and striking out two. 20-year old SS Francisco Soriano was 1/3. On Sunday, the DSL Nationals1 blasted their DSL National2 counterparts 17-7 (box). 21-year old RHP Amado de los Santos picked up the win with six innings allowing one run and striking out three. 21-year old Juan Beltre was 2/4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and four RBI. 19-year old 1B Eduardo Urbina was 3/6 with two RBI and two runs scored. Eury Perez was 3/5 with three runs scored and four RBI. Francisco Soriano was 2/3 with a pair of walks. 18-year old LF Weesley Hernandez was 2/3 with a home run.

Today: The DSL Nationals1 host the DSL Mets at 11:00AM. The DSL Nationals2 visit the DSL Tigers at 11:00AM

With Joel Hanrahan scheduled to make the start tonight for the Nationals, the Clippers turned to Levale Speigner for last night’s game against Indianapolis. Speigner was torched for eight runs on nine hits in only 3 1/3 innings in a 13-2 loss to the Indians (box). CF Brandon Watson was 3/4 with one RBI and a pair of doubles. Watson is 11/17 over his last four games. 3B Kory Casto was 2/4 and CA Juan Brito was 2/4 with a solo home run, his second of the season.

Tonight: With regularly scheduled starter Brandon Claussen on the DL, newly promote RHP Josh Hall (NR) makes his first Columbus start at home this evening against Pawtucket and RHP David Pauley (6-3, 3.88) at 7:05PM

Harrisburg left the tying run at 3B with one out in the top of the ninth inning as the Senators dropped an 8-7 decision in Erie (box/gamer). After loading the bases with one out, PR Seth Bynum scored on a wild pitch putting the tying run 90 feet away. LF Sheldon Fulse struck out and 3B Dan Dement walked to reload the bases, but DH Josh Whitesell struck out as the rally came up one run short. Fulse was 2/4 with a pair of runs scored. Dement was 2/4 with a double, three-run homer and four total RBI. Over his last 10 games, Dement is hitting 0.400 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI. Whitesell was 2/5 with a two-run home run. Starter Jim Magrane was touched up for seven runs on twelve hits over six innings of work. And, reliever Zech Zinicola pitches two innings , walking one and striking out allowing a solo home run. Notes: The Senators added RHRP Alex Morales from Columbus.

Tonight: RHP Jerome Williams (0-2, 8.26) versus Erie LHP Jon Connolly (5-4, 4.00) at 7:05PM

Potomac outlasted Salem in twelve innings winning the game 4-2 on a two-run home run by 2B Brandon Powell (box). SS Ian Desmond was 2/7 with a double, one stole base and a run scored. CF Justin Maxwell was 2/7 with a double and two RBI. RF Mike Daniel was 2/5 with two walks and a double. LF Chris Marrero was 0/6 with five strikeouts. And, CA Devin Ivany was 3/5 with a run scored. Over his last 10 games, Ivany is batting 0.364 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Clint Everts started in place of regularly scheduled pitcher Cory VanAllen and allowed only one run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. Jack Spradlin took over in relief and threw 2 2/3 shutout innings allowing only three hits. Adam Carr picked up the win in relief pitching three perfect innings, striking out four. Carr is 2-0 with five saves and a 1.26ERA and 0.91WHIP in nine July appearances. Over 14 1/3 innings, he has struck out 18 and walked five. Eddy Baeza picked up his sixth save of the season with a scoreless twelfth.

Tonight: RHP Shairon Martis (8-7, 4.74) versus Salem LHP Brian Bogusevic (9-6, 3.70) at 6:07PM

Hagerstown dropped the completion of their suspended game from Thursday 7-1 before blanking West Virginia 9-0 in the regularly scheduled match-up (box1/box2). The Suns relievers who took over for Erik Arnesen struggled through the final five innings allowing all seven runs on seven hits and five walks. Hagerstown could only muster four hits on offense, all singles by 3B Leonard Davis, RF Joe Napoli, 1B Robbie Jacobsen, and DH John Poppert. In the regularly scheduled game, Jeff Mandel and Buzz Vargas combined on the three hit shutout. Mandel went six innings allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out two. SS Marcos Cabral was 2/4 with a triple and four RBI. This month, the 23-year old Cabral is hitting 284/368/412 in 25 games. Leonard Davis was 1/3 with a solo home run.

Tonight: LHP Zach Baldwin (3-0, 2.12) wraps up the series in West Virginia against RHP Donovan Hand (0-0, 0.00) at 7:05PM

Pitching has not been an issue with the Lake Monsters in 2007 and Friday was no difference as Vermont pulled off a ten-inning 1-0 victory on a bases loaded walk to Jonathan Martinez (box/gamer). Hassan Pena, Matt Perks, and Ryan Buchter combined to allow only seven hits and five walks while striking out six (Alberto Tavarez pitched to one batter, hitting him in the head). RF Aaron Seuss was 2/4 extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

Tonight: LHP Glenn Gibson (3-0, 0.87 ERA) takes on Brooklyn at 6:00PM

The GCL Nationals did not play.

Today: The GCL Nationals play the GCL Marlins at 10:00AM

The DSL Nationals1 dropped a 7-2 decision to the DSL Tigers (box).  3B Yeurys Tejeda was 2/3 with an RBI. And, CF Eury Perez was 1/3 with a triple and a run scored. 19-year old RHP Julio Perez was the pitching highlight going four shutout innings allowing one hit and one walk while striking out five.

Today: The DSL Nationals1 host the DSL Padres at 11:00AM

The DSL Nationals2 did not play.

Today: The DSL Nationals2 visit the DSL Mets at 11:00AM

Collin Balester won his first Triple-A game allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings in a 5-3 Columbus win over Indianapolis (box). Balester struck out six and only really ran into trouble in the fourth where he gave up both the runs, three of the hits, and one of the walks. This was easily Balester’s strongest start for Columbus. Winston Abreu picked up his fourth save of the season striking out three over two innings and surrendering only a solo home run. The Clippers got most of their offense from the top of the order where CF Brandon Watson, 2B/3B Brent Abernathy, and LF/RF George Lombard combined for 10 of the 15 Columbus hits, 3 of the 5 runs scored, and 4 of the 5 RBI. Watson was 4/5 with two runs scored, he batting 0.406 over his last nine games. Abernathy also was 4/5 scoring once and driving in one. Lombard was 2/4 with a pair of RBI.

Tonight: Columbus wraps up their four-game series with Indianapolis as Columbus RHP Levale Speigner (2-2, 5.85) matches up with Indians RHP Runelvys Hernandez (0-2, 9.00) at 7:25PM

The Senators had no solution for SeaWolves starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens who handcuffed Harrisburg for seven innings in a 7-2 loss in Erie (box/gamer). Jurrjens, who has been mentioned in rumors of possible deals between Detroit (Erie’s parent club) and Washington held the Senators to only a Seth Bynum solo home run while striking out 10 Harrisburg batters. CF Roger Bernadina was 1/3 with his organization leading 28th stolen base of the season. 3B Dan Dement was 2/4 with a double and a run scored. Beltran Perez made the start allowing five runs on six hits and three walks in four innings of work. Carlos Martinez made his first appearance for Harrisburg in 2007, surrendering two runs on three hits in four innings of relief with three strikeouts.

Tonight: Harrisburg RHP Jim Magrane (2-7, 3.76) versus SeaWolves RHP Eddie Bonine (10-5, 3.26) at 7:05PM in Erie

Potomac could manage only five hits in a 5-4 loss to Salem in the first game of their road trip (box). Marco Estrada started for the P-Nats and took his first loss allowing five runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Estrada struck out five and walked only one. LF Marvin Lowrance had two Potomac’s five hits, both home runs, as he drove in three. RF Mike Daniel was 1/3 with one RBI and a run scored.

Tonight: LHP Cory VanAllen (1-5, 8.07) takes on Salem RHP Raymar Diaz (6-6, 4.50) at 7:07PM

The Hagerstown Suns played three innings at West Virginia on Thursday evening before the game was suspended because of rain.  They will continue the scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning at 6:05 on Friday night.  They will complete the first game through nine innings and play a seven inning game approximately a half hour after the first game has been completed. Erik Arnesen had made the start for the Suns going three innings allowing no runs, only one hit and striking out two.

Tonight: RHP Jeff Mandel (1-3, 4.81) is the scheduled starter tonight in West Virginia. It is uncertain whether he will take over Arnesen in game one or start the regularly scheduled second game.

How does a pitcher nearly double their ERA only giving up one run in six innings of work? Well, it helps if youe ERA is 0.35 to start the game. Vermont starter Adrian Alaniz allowed his first earned run of the season as a starter (the other came in a relief appearance) as the Lake Monsters dropped the Crosscutters 4-2 (box/gamer). The 23-year old 2007 8th round selection struck out five and surrendered only three hits and did not walk a batter as he moved to 5-0 on the season. Over his seven appearances for Vermont (four starts), Alaniz has a 0.57ERA and a 0.57WHIP over 31 2/3 innings with 36 strikeouts and only four walks. Reliever Martin Beno came on in the eighth and hit the only two batters he faced on only three pitches. Caleb Staudt came on and finished the game off with three one-hit shutout innings, striking out three. RF Aaron Seuss and CA Sean Rooney each had two hits for the Lake Monsters. Seuss hit a fifth inning solo home run but it was the three runs Vermont manufactured in the fourth that proved the difference. From the Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Sean Rooney started it with a one-out, bloop single to right. Jake Rogers slapped a grounder between short and third. Dan Lyons deftly laid down a bunt near the fringe of the infield grass on the third-base side, and beat out the throw by a step.  Jonathan Martinez then laced a ball just out of the first baseman’s reach at first to score Rooney. Boomer Whiting walked to score Rogers, and Bill Rhinehart scored Lyons with an infield single up the hole at shortstop.

Whiting finished 1/3 getting his average up above 0.200. Rhinehart was 1/2 with his team leading 28th RBI. Seuss is now batting 346/384/481 in 29 games in Vermont.

Tonight: RHP Hassan Pena (4-2, 2.93) opens the series in Brooklyn facing Cyclones RHP Nicholas Waechter (2-2, 4.64) at 7:00PM

The GCL Nationals blew an early lead but a three-run eleventh inning led them to an eventual 6-3 win over the GCL Mets (box). The GCL Mets issued five eleventh inning walks leading to the three runs and win. SS Smiley Gonzalez was 1/5 with three RBI and a stolen base. CF Stephen Englund was 2/5 with with two runs, two stolen bases and one RBI. RF Michael Burgess was 1/4 with an RBI and a run scored. 2B Stephen King was 3/6 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. And, 3B Steven Souza was 2/6 with a run scored. Brad Peacock started for the GCL Nats allowing three runs on four hits over four innings with four strikeouts.Jose Pinales and Kai Tuomi pitched the final three shutout and hitless innings with four strikeouts.

The GCL Nationals do not play today

The DSL Nationals1 did not play on Thursday.

Today: The DSL Nationals1 host the DSL Tigers at 11:00AM

The DSL Nationals2 defeated the DSL Padres 7-2 (box). 20-year old RHP Manuel Rivera picked up his first DSL2 victory with six shutout innings allowing four hits and striking out five. 19-year old CA Jose Altuve was 2/5 with two RBI; 19-year old RF/CF Eleazar Cuevas was 2/4 with a double and two runs cored; and, 18-year old 1B Juan Urdaneta was 1/4 with a pair of runs scored.

The DSL Nationals2 do not play today.

From the Senators …

The Harrisburg Senators announced today that two pitchers have been removed from the active roster. Reliever Josh Hall was sent to Columbus and starter Mike O’Connor was placed on the Disabled List.

Hall moves to triple-A after appearing in 28 games with the Senators this season. He was 2-3 with a 3.95 ERA and one save. Hall worked a total of 57 innings and allowed 48 hits, 25 earned runs, 29 walks and had 43 strikeouts.

O’Connor goes to the D.L. with what the Nationals are calling left shoulder fatigue. Mike made nine starts with Harrisburg and has a 1-4 record with a 5.77 ERA. In those nine starts, O’Connor worked 43.2 innings and allowed 50 hits, 28 earned runs, 10 walks and 35 strikeouts.

The O’Connor move is retroactive to July 24th. The Nationals did not name any replacements to the Senators roster. The team will begin its series at Erie this evening with 22 active players, two below the allowed Eastern League limit.

From Columbus …

LHP Brandon Claussen was placed on the 7-day DL

John Lannan’s first professional start ended with an ejection.

Who saw that coming?

The 22-year old Lannan gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings of work in his first major league start. He allowed two walks and six hits (including a titanic home run to dead CF by Ryan Howard) and struck out only one. But the bigger story was the fact that homeplate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Lannan after he hit both Chase Utley and Howard with pitches with one out in the fifth. Wendelstedt continued to make himself the focus of this game.

I typically don’t like reading about criticisms of umpires but in this case, it is without a question warranted.

Lannan will never be known as a power pitcher. He relies more on working around the strikezone getting batters to hit his pitch. From the start of the game Wendelstedt was squeezing Lannan (and Phillies starter Adam Eaton as well) with an incredibly tight strikezone. And to compound the small strikezone, Wendelstedt was still inconsistent in the calling of pitches. Lannan threw identical fastballs early in the first inning, the pitches crossed the plate in the same place and CA Jesus Flores caught the pitches in the exact same place but one pitch was a ball and one was a strike.

Nationals bench coach Pat Corrales was riding Wendelestedt about his strikezone and Wendelstedt immediately took the bait barking back at Corrales “He’s all over the place.” I will grant Wendelstedt that point, Lannan was all over the place. However, every pitch clearly fell within even the strictest definition of the strikezone.

That brings us to the HBPs in the fifth. It was clear in this inning that Lannan had lost something. He was wild as it appeared the near 80 pitches it took him to get through four innings had paid its toll on him. After retiring Shane Victorino, Lannan hit Utley on the hand with a high and tight fastball. From the replays, he was not throwing at Utley, you could clearly see that the pitch just got away from him. It was a similar case with Howard as Lannan’s attempt to reclaim the inside portion of the plate resulted in Howard being hit on another fastball that he could not control. Rather than issue a warning after the second HBP, Wendelstedt immediately ejected Lannan.

Should a warning have been issued at that point? Absolutely.

Should Manny Acta have pulled Lannan after that second HBP? I’d say yes. He’d clearly tired and was unable to control his fastball. And if the Nationals had not played 14 innings the previous game, I imagine that Lannan would have been pich-hit for in the fourth.

But what should not have happened was the knee-jerk ejection. Wendelstedt made himself the story and that’s wrong.

Bottom line on Lannan? He was OK. Not great, but not necessarily as bad as his final line implies. He is what he is, a soft-tossing LHP who relies on his control to perform at his best. When he works in and around the strike zone he can be a solid middle of the rotation guy, but when his command escapes him, you get what happened this afternoon.

Minor league news & notes … Jim Bowden’s weekly Examiner article touches on several members of the Vermont Lake Monsters (Willems, Gibson, Alaniz, Zimmermann, Pena, and Rhinehart) as well as players from Potomac (Lowrance, Carr, and Martis), and Harrisburg (Castro and Bernadina) … John Lannan makes his major league debut at 1:05PM today in Philadelphia, RHRP Chris Booker was optioned back to Columbus to open up a spot on the 25-man for Lannan

Chris Michalak made the spot start for regularly scheduled starter John Lannan as the Clippers dropped the game late allowing two runs in the top of the ninth on their way to a 6-4 loss (box). Michalak allowed three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and one strikeout, leaving the game with 4-3 lead. But reliever Hector Carrasco allowed a seventh inning solo home run and Edward Valdez gave up two runs in the ninth. Only one of those runs was earned as the first run scored on an error by 3B Kory Casto and that base runner eventually scored himself. CF Brandon Watson was 2/4 with a double and a run scored. Watson is hitting 0.343 over his last ten games. CA Juan Brito was 1/4 with a double and two RBI, his 12th and 13th RBI over the last ten games.

Tonight: RHP Collin Balester (0-1, 5.00) takes on Indianapolis RHP Bryan Bullington (10-4, 3.92) at 7:05PM in Columbus

The Senators blew two leads before rallying to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth on a Steve Mortimer RBI single only to lose the game to Akron in 10 innings 5-4 (box/gamer). Mike Hinckley made the start allowing three runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings or work while striking out five. Hinckley allowed two homers accounting for all three of his runs. Mortimer was 2/4 with a double and three RBI, DH Dee Brown was 2/3 with a run scored, and 2B Dan Dement was 2/5 with a solo home run, his 8th of the season.

Tonight: Harrisburg RHP Beltran Perez (5-4, 5.22) opens the series in Erie against SeaWolves RHP Jair Jurrjens (4-5, 3.81) at 7:05PM

Potomac had one of those games to forget on Wednesday evening, as the starting pitching, relief pitching, defense and offense all struggled in a 12-2 blowout loss to Kinston (box/gamer). Craig Stammen fell to 7-6 on the season allowing six runs on eight hits and five walks in only four innings of work. Greg Bunn was equally as hittable allowing five fits in only 1 1/3 innings of relief. Bunn was charged with six runs but only three were earned as a Brandon Powell error extended the sixth inning during which Clint Everts allowed all three of his inherited runners to score. 1B Brett McMillan and 3B Greg Thissen had two hits and one RBI a piece for the P-Nats with Thissen connecting for a solo home run.

Tonight: Potomac RHP Marco Estrada (1-0, 6.38) will take the hill in Salem at 7:35PM and be opposed by Avalanche RHP Rory Shortell (5-3,2.99)

Hagerstown allowed an early lead to slip away as the dropped the first game of their road trip 7-5 at West Virginia (box). Jhonny Nunez made the start allowing three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings of work, striking out four. SS Michael Martinez was 2/4 with a triple, run scored and RBI. CA Jhonathan Solano was 2/5 with a double, run and RBI. Solano is batting 0.286 with seven RBI over his last ten games. CF Lindon Bond was 2/3 with a walk scoring twice.

Tonight: Suns LHP Yunior Novoa (5-10, 4.84) matches up with Power RHP Chris Toneguzzi (4-1, 6.27) at 7:05PM in West Virginia

2007 2nd round selection Jordan Zimmermann picked up his first professional win as three Lake Monsters starters combined to defeat Williamsport 3-1 (box/gamer). Zimmermann went five innings allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Zimmermann has made six appearances for Vermont, surrendering only six runs on fourteen hits in 20 2/3 innings of work with an impressive 31 strikeouts. Edulin Abreu and Alberto Tavarez combined on four innings of three-hit shutout relief with Tavarez striking out the side in the ninth for his fourth save of the season. CF Mark Gildea was 3/4 with a run scored, one RBI and his ninth steal of the season. After a slow start to the season, Gildea has heated up and is now batting 275/453/375 in 26 games in Vermont. DH Garrett Bass was 2/4 with a triple and two RBI, raising his seasom RBI total to 20.

Tonight: Vermont RHP Adrian Alaniz (3-0, 0.35) takes the mound in the rubber game of the series in Williamsport at 7:05PM. Facing him will be Crosscutters RHP Tyson Brummett (1-2, 2.88)

2007 5th rounder Brad Meyers made his third start of the season, allowing only one hit in four shutout innings but the GCL Nationals faltered in relief dropping a 4-3 decision to the GCL Cardinals (box). Meyers has now thrown nine GCL innings allowing no runs or walks and only two hits while striking out nine. Patrick Arnold took the loss surrendering four runs on five hits in only 2/3 of an inning of relief. SS Smiley Gonzalez was 1/3 with a walk. Jake Smolinski again played first base and was 1/3 with a walk and a run scored. The big bat of the day was RF Michael Burgess who was 1/2 with a home run and three RBI. Burgess is hitting 309/409/582 with three homers in 17 GCL games.

Today: The GCL Nationals are on the road against the GCL Mets at 12:00PM. RHP Brad Peacock (0-1, 5.06) is likely to pitch for the GCL Nats today.

The DSL Nationals1 defeated the DSL Mets 6-3 behind the solid pitching of Jorge Urena, Miguel Aracena, and Carlos Peralta (box). The 20-year old Urena picked up his fifth win of the season allowing three runs on six hits over six innings with six strikeouts and only one walk. The 20-year old lefty Aracena struck out five batters over two shutout innings where he gave up only two hits. The 21-year old Peralta added his ninth save of the season with one shutout inning of relief. 19-year old 1B Eduardo Urbina keeps on gitting, he was 2/4 with a double, run scored and two RBI. Over his 43 games for DSL1, Urbina is batting 287/385/407 with 30 RBI. Adrian Sanchez, the 16-year old 2B, was 2/4 with a run scored and an RBI. Sanchez is batting 0.361 over his last ten games.

The DSL Nationals1 are off today

The DSL Nationals2 dropped an 11-6 decision to the DSL Tigers (box). 20-year old SS Francisco Soriano was 2/3 with two walks, one run, one stolen base and two RBI. Over his 12 DSL2 games, Soriano is batting 385/556/564. Alejandro Hodge, the 17-year old CF, was 1/3 with a run and two walks. Though he took the loss allowing three runs on eight hits over four innings, 20-year old RHP Ruben de la Rosa did strike out seven batters in his relief stint. Over his last seven innings of work, de la Rosa has struck out sixteen hitters while walking only one.

Today: The DSL Nationals2 travel to play the DSL Padres at 11:00AM

It is official, Nationals lefthanded pitching prospect John Lannan is scheduled to make his major league debut tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. The 22-year old Lannan has capped the meteoric rise from High A Potomac to the majors in less than four months.

Drafted in the 11th round of the 2005 out of Siena College, Lannan began his professional career in Vermont where he was 3-5 in 14 games (11 starts) with a 5.26ERA and a 1.66WHIP. In 63 1/3 innings of work, Lannan allowed 74 hits with 31 walks and 41 strikeouts.

He spent the entire 2006 season in Low A Savannah where he was 6-8 in 25 starts (27 appearances with a 4.70ERA and 1.47WHIP. Over 138 innings, Lannan allowed 149 hits and 54 walks while striking out 114 hitters.

It was this season that Lannan broke out. He began the season in Potomac where he was 6-0 in 8 starts with a 2.13ERA and 0.95WHIP. Over his first 50 2/3 innings of 2007, he struck out 35 and walked only 15. This start earned him a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg where he didn’t slow down. In six appearances, Lannan was 3-2 with a 3.25ERA and 1.23WHIP. In his 36 innings for the Senators, he struck out 20 and walked 15. Undaunted, Lannan picked up the pace in his promotion to Triple-A Columbus. In an identical six appearances (and oddly enough 36 innings as well), Lannan was 3-1 with a 1.75ERA and 1.17WHIP with 17 strikeouts and 12 walks. All added up, Lannan is 12-3 for the Nationals affiliates this season with a 2.35ERA and 1.09WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 42 walks.

As it can be seen from his statistics, Lannan is not a strikeout pitcher. His repertoire consists of both a two and four seam fastball, a solid curveball and a plus changeup. Lannan is your traditional soft-tossing lefthander who bases his pitching style on control and getting the opponent to hit his pitch. More importantly, it appears that Lannan has the makeup given his response to the challenges presented in multiple promotions in such a period of time.

The Clippers returned home and got themselves back in the winning column with a 5-2 victory over Indianapolis (box). CF Brandon Watson’s infield single in the bottom of the seventh scored Melvin Dorta from second base with the decisive third run and 3B Kory Casto added the insurance in the eighth with a two-run home run, his eleventh of the season. Watson was 2/4 and is batting 0.343 over his last 10 games. Casto was 1/3 with a walk and is hitting 296/406/703 over his last eight games with three home runs and seven RBI. 1B/2B Brent Abernathy was 1/2 with a two-run double and a stolen base. Emiliano Fruto bounced back from an ugly start in Richmond to allow two runs on five hits over six innings with five strikeouts. Jon Albaladejo picked up the victory in his Columbus debut with two shutout innings of relief. And, Winston Abreu tallied his third save of the season striking out the side in the ninth. Over his last 17 1/3 innings pitched, Abreu has struck out thirty-six batters.

Tonight: LHP John Lannan (3-1, 1.75) is scheduled to start tonight against Indianapolis RHP John Wadin (1-1, 5.71) at 7:05PM

The Harrisburg Senators used the long ball to defeat the Akron Aeros 6-2 (box/gamer). Frank Diaz, Dan Dement, and Dee Brown all homered in the Harrisburg victory. CF Diaz was 1/4 with a two-run home run and over the last 9 games is hitting 308/341/769 with five home runs and eleven RBI. 3B Dement was 2/4 with a two-run home run and is hitting 0.350 over his last 10 games. LF Brown was 2/4 with a double and a solo home run. Garrett Mock made the start but lasted only three innings allowing one unearned run on six hits and two walks while striking out three. No reason was provided for his early departure. Josh Hall picked up the win with five shutout innings of relief surrendering only two hits and striking out three.

Today: The Senators wrap up the series and their home stand at 12:05PM with a game against Akron. Harrisburg LHP Mike Hinckley (9-8, 5.57) faces Akron LHP Reid Santos (7-2, 2.51)

Though he did not factor in the victory, the story of Potomac’s 4-3 win over Kinston was P-Nats starter Justin Jones (box/gamer).  Jones pitched six innings allowing three runs on three hits, but the story was his nine strikeouts including seven in a row. Over his last three starts, Jones has struck out twenty-two hitters in seventeen innings of work. Jack Spradlin picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of relief striking out three and Adam Carr picked up his eighth save of the season with 1 1/3 shutout innings. SS Ian Desmond was the hero on offense going 2/4 with two runs and hitting a solo home run to provide the final margin of victory. LF Chris Marrero was 1/3 with a walk and a run scored, reaching base safely in his 31st out of 33 Carolina League games. RF Mike Daniel was 2/4 with his 10th stolen base in 14 Carolina League attempts. Daniel id batting 0.343 over his last two games with half of his twelve hits for extra-bases.

Tonight: The P-Nats wrap up their home stand with a 7:35PM game against Kinston with Potomac RHP Craig Stammen (7-5, 4.31) facing off with Kinston RHP Kevin Dixon (9-3, 3.94)

Suns starting pitcher Don Levinski left his Tuesday start against Hickory in the third inning with an apparent injury, and the Suns relief corps could not provide that as Hickory swept a four-game series with Hagerstown, beating them 7-4 (box). Levinski allowed only one hit in his 2 2/3 innings but walked four before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. Coby Mavroulis, Buzz Vargas, and Josh Wilkie all struggled through the next 5 1/3 innings allowing a combined seven runs on sevn hits with three walks and only two strikeouts. 2B Marcos Cabral was 2/3 with a pair of walks, DH Jhonathan Solano was 1/4 with three RBI, and LF Francisco Guzman was 2/4 with a pair of doubles, one RBI and one run scored.

Tonight: Hagerstown RHP Jhonny Nunez (2-6, 3.76) opens the series in West Virginia and LHP Mike Ramlow (4-5, 6.37) at 7:05PM

The Williamsport Crosscutters managed to score three seventh inning runs on only one hit as they rallied to defeat the Lake Monsters 3-2 (box/gamer). Cole Kimball made the start and held the Crosscutters at bay shutting them out on two hits ad one walk over six innings of work while striking out four. Kimball has settled down in his last two starts allowing only one run on five hits over eleven innings after surrendering fourteen runs on seventeen hits in his first four starts. Martin Beno took the loss as his control abandoned him. Facing only three batters, Beno hit two of them and walked the third leaving the game with the bases loaded and nobody out. Ryan Buchter allowed the tying run on a sacrifice fly and the eventual game-winning runs on a double. LF Boomer Whiting was 1/5 with a run scored and three stolen bases. 2B Jake Rogers and SS Dan Lyons each had two hits in the loss as the Monsters left the bases loaded with one out in the ninth down one run.

Tonight: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (0-1, 2.87) takes on Williamsport RHP Christopher Kissock (0-0, 5.63) at 7:05PM

As previously reported, Nationals 1st rounder LHP Ross Detwiler made his second professional start going three innings this time, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out two in a 6-5 loss to the GCL Dodgers (box). Detwiler has thrown five shutout innings allowing only five hits and one walk while striking out five. Patrick McCoy took the loss giving up five runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings in relief. All of McCoy’s runs were the result of the home run, allowing a three-run shot in the third and a two run shot in the sixth. Both DH Jake Smolinski and CA Derek Norris hit their first professional home runs. Smolinski was 1/4 with a two-run home run and a walk. Norris was 1/3 with a solo home run, walk and two RBI. SS Smiley Gonzalez was 2/4 with a a walk and a run scored, his second straight game with two hits. CF Stephen Englund was 3/5 with a run scored and two stolen bases, Englund is batting 0.333 since his return from injury.

Today:  The GCL Nationals host the GCL Cardinals at 12:00PM. RHP Patrick Arnold (0-2, 5.91) is the probable starter

The DSL Nationals1 defeated the DSL Nationals2 3-1 behind the pitching of 21-year old RHP Federico Tanco (box). Tanco won his third game of the season going five shutout innings allowing only three hits and striking out six. In seven starts for DSL1, Tanco has struck out fifty-one hitters in only thirty-nine innings of work. 22- year old RHRPs Eduar Acosta and Carlos Peralta pitched the final two innings allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out two. In Peralta’s last 10 games, he is 2-0 with five saves witha 1.23ERA and nineteen strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings of work. Starting for DSL2 was 18-year old LHP Randy Almonte. Almonte allowed three runs on four hits in four innings of work with both three strikeouts and walks. In his 23 2/3 innings this season, Almonte has struck out twenty and walked twenty-one. Offensively, DSL1 had contributions from 19-year old SS Dani Arias who was 2/4 with a stolen base, Arias is hitting 351/442/486 in his last 10 games. 19-year old 1B Eduardo Urbina was 1/3 with a walk and a stolen base. 19-year old 3B Yeurys Tejeda was 0/2 with a stolen base and two runs scored and is hitting 300/333/650 with four home runs and four stolen bases in his last 10 games. 16-year old 2B Adrian Sanchez continues to impress going 2/4 with a double and one RBI. Sanchez is hitting 324/359/514 this season for DSL1. 17-year old CF Eury Perez was 0/1 with one run scored, one RBI and two stolen bases. For DSL2, 20-year old SS Francisco Soriano was 1/4 with a walk and is hitting 385/556/564 in twelve games for DSL2. 17-year old 2B Hendry Jimenez was 1/4 with a run scored. And, 17-year old CG Alejandro Hodge was 1/3 with a stolen base. In 37 DSL2 games, Hodge is batting 305/468/326 with thirteen stolen bases in sixteen attempts.

Today: DSL1 is on the road for a game against the DSL Mets at 11:00AM and DSL2 is at home hosting the DSL Tigers at 11:00AM