Nationals Farm Authority

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.