Wednesday’s action around the system was defined by loud bats, a rain-shortened finish in Wilmington, and a rough night for Rochester starter DJ Herz.
At Syracuse, Herz was tagged for six runs on seven hits in just 2⅓ innings as the Red Wings fell 7-4. He allowed three solo home runs, didn’t issue a walk, and struck out one while throwing 50 pitches, 32 for strikes.
Rochester’s offense did all of its damage through the long ball, with Cayden Wallace and Liover Peguero each going deep for solo shots and Phillip Glasser adding a two-run homer. The Red Wings finished with eight hits and struck out 13 times.
Harrisburg found a different route to its 4-3 win over Altoona, scoring all four runs on balls in the air, even though only one of them left the yard. Jarlin “Oh” Susana was charged with all three Curve runs over 2⅔ innings, allowing four hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
The bullpen took it from there, with four relievers combining for 6⅓ scoreless innings. Jhancarlos Lara got the win and Robert Cranz picked up the save, despite an error and two balls getting past Chad “Kānana” Lomavita in the ninth.
Branden Boissiere, Kevin Made, and Devin Fitz-Gerald each delivered sacrifice flies, and Boissiere also launched his 9th Double-A homer, 12th overall, to pace the Senators.
Wilmington never let Hudson Valley get into the game before the rain stepped in. The Blue Rocks had already built a 6-0 lead on eight hits in five innings when the game was called, sending the Renegades’ bullpen home early.
Austin Amaral started and got four outs while striking out three and walking three. Bryan Polanco handled the next 3⅔ innings to earn his eighth win, giving up two hits while also walking three, balking, hitting a batter, and striking out four.
Jacob Walsh was a big part of the offense, going 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs and a run scored. Ronny Cruz reached base three times, added a double, and swiped four bags to run his season total to 32.
Willits also chipped in with a triple and an RBI.
Fredericksburg made its statement early and often in an 11-3 win over Wilson. The FredNats scored nine runs in their first four trips to the plate and never looked back.
Juan Reyes worked the first three innings, allowing a solo homer and a single with no walks and two strikeouts. Richard Lovelady followed and was credited with the win despite giving up a home run in one inning.
Avery Ortiz was the headline act offensively, finishing 4-for-4 with three runs, two homers, three RBIs and a stolen base. Juan Williams added a 2-for-3 night with three runs, a triple and an RBI, while Juan Cruz and Elian Soto each went deep, and Hunter Hines also homered for Fredericksburg.
In Other News...
Nationals Were Helpless As Ronald Acua Jr. Made More Braves History
Ronald Acua Jr. kept adding to a rsum that already looks unlike anyone elses, and the Nationals were in the middle of it Friday night. Atlantas star outfielder stole a base early and later drove a three-run homer in the seventh inning of a 9-0 Braves win, the kind of all-around performance that reminded everyone why his mix of power and speed has become so rare in modern baseball.
The bigger takeaway for Washington was how quickly Acua has now separated himself from the rest of the sports elite company. By reaching the 200-homer, 200-steal mark in record time, he moved past Alfonso Soriano for a place that may stand for a long while, and he did it in a game where the Nationals never had a real answer for him or Atlantas lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Affiliate Let A Winnable Week Slip Away In Painful Fashion
The Harrisburg Senators went into their six-game set with Chesapeake knowing there was a chance to bank a useful week, and for stretches they looked capable of doing it. The series was full of close games, late pushes and enough strong individual efforts to keep Harrisburg in range, but the Baysox kept finding the key moment when it mattered and slowly turned the matchup in their favor.
By the end, the Senators were left with the kind of series that lingers because it never felt far out of reach. After splitting the first two games and hanging around through the middle of the week, Harrisburg still had openings to seize control, only to watch Chesapeake close with the better finish and leave the Nationals affiliate searching for what slipped away. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Have Just One Real Fix For Their Bullpen Problem
The Nationals have spent a long stretch living with a bullpen that too often turned late leads into damage control, and the issue has become hard to ignore even by historical standards. From 2015 through 2025, Washingtons relief work has sat among the worst in the majors, with a recent run of blown saves underscoring why the club cannot treat the problem as a one-off fix. Paul Toboni, now leading baseball operations, has made improving the minor league bullpen pipeline part of the broader answer, because the organization knows this is not a spot it can keep patching only with outside help.
That is where the real tension sits for Washington. The front office can keep shopping for relievers on the open market, but the smarter long-term play may be to build the next bullpen from within, especially with several current and minor league pitchers in the mix as possible contributors. There is also ongoing discussion about whether some starters could be better used in shorter bursts, which would give the Nationals more internal options without paying premium prices for established relievers. The challenge now is figuring out which arms can actually make that move and become dependable late-inning pieces. [Read more 🡒]