Friday’s slate brought a little of everything for the Nationals’ affiliates: a late comeback in Harrisburg, a power surge in Rochester, another rough night for Wilmington, and two more lopsided losses for Fredericksburg and the DSL Nationals.
Rochester’s 10-5 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was the loudest offensive showing of the bunch. The RedWings trailed by three before sending 11 batters to the plate in the sixth and scoring six times to flip the game.
Max Romero Jr. did the heavy lifting, doubling once and launching two home runs while driving in four. Trey Lipscomb also kept the line moving with three singles and two RBIs.
Luis Perales got the win despite a shaky outing, allowing all five Scranton/Wilkes-Barre runs on five hits, including a homer, and two walks over five innings. Max Cornelio followed with two scoreless innings to finish it off.
Rochester also added RHP Wyatt Mills, assigned from Washington after a waiver claim from the Dodgers.
Harrisburg found a far more dramatic path to victory. Down 2-0 in the ninth at Chesapeake, the Senators got Sam Brown’s three-run homer with one out to steal a 3-2 win.
Josh Hartle made his Harrisburg debut and worked into the sixth, giving up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Luke Young earned the win with two perfect innings in the eighth and ninth, pushing his AA record to 3-0.
Brown added a single, and Kervin Pichardo reached base three times as Harrisburg managed just six hits and one walk.
Wilmington’s night was almost ugly in a different way. The Blue Rocks lost 3-2 to Brooklyn, their third straight setback against the Cyclones, and they came close to getting no-hit.
Tucker Biven took the loss after Brooklyn tagged him for two runs on four hits in two innings. Mikey Tepper allowed the third run on a solo homer and two hits over four frames.
Wilmington finally got on the board in the second when Elijah Nunez scored on a Homer Simpson RBI after being hit by a pitch. Ronny Cruz ended the no-hit bid with the lone hit in nine RISP chances, though Brooklyn handed out 10 walks.
Eli Willits scored the other run on a pickoff throw that got away and ended up in center field before a bad throw home.
Fredericksburg’s latest loss was another one for the rough file. The FredNats fell 18-7 to Delmarva, with Marlon De La Cruz taking the loss after giving up six runs on six hits and six walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Christhian Vaquero was one of the few bright spots, going 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk, a home run, and two RBIs. Everett Cooper also reached base twice, singled, walked, and scored.
In the DSL, the Nationals dropped their ninth straight, falling 8-6 to the DSL Twins. Jhoan Thomas was knocked out before finishing the third, charged with four runs, three earned, on five hits, no walks, and a hit batter. Esnaider Vargas and Euris Acosta each scored a run and reached base twice, with both drawing a walk and hitting a double to pace the offense.
In Other News...
Daylen Lile Is Giving The Nationals Something They Desperately Need
Amid a roster that has been reshaped by injuries and recent trades, Daylen Lile keeps giving the Nationals a needed jolt. The young outfielder came through again in the 5-3 win over the Reds, driving the offense in a way Washington has been looking for as it tries to piece together a steadier lineup around the players still standing.
Liles night included a three-run homer and a leadoff double, more evidence that his production against Cincinnati is becoming a real storyline rather than a small sample blip. Cade Cavalli did enough on the mound for a quality start despite the three solo homers he allowed, and the bullpen helped close it out, giving Blake Butera another example of how the Nationals can survive these stretches if the lineup keeps finding unexpected answers. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Keep Scoring But The Same Painful Problem Wont Go Away
The Nationals keep showing they can score in bunches, and that part of the season has become impossible to ignore. Washington leads MLB in runs scored this year, a sign that the lineup has enough depth and aggression to keep games uncomfortable for opponents, even when the results dont always break the right way.
Blake Butera has pointed to the teams approach and the need to keep competing through the bumps, but the latest loss was a reminder of the same issue that has lingered around this club. After building a 3-0 lead, Washington still watched the game slip away, with Harry Fords two-run homer delivering the decisive swing and Yovanny Cruz helping preserve it in relief in the seventh. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Just Sent Chris Hacopian A Message About His Future
The Nationals are wasting little time giving Chris Hacopian a meaningful first step in pro ball. Washington is sending its 2026 first-round pick to High-A Wilmington to start his professional career, a sign the organization believes he is ready to be challenged right away rather than eased in at a lower level. Hell land in a prospect-heavy environment too, joining names like Eli Willits and Ronny Cruz as the Blue Rocks continue to serve as a proving ground for some of the systems best young talent.
For Hacopian, the move also adds a little intrigue to what comes next. He is projected as a second baseman, but there is already at least some possibility the Nationals could try him in a corner outfield spot if that better fits the long-term plan. However they map out the fit, the assignment says plenty about how Washington views his bat and his ability to handle an aggressive opening push in the minors. [Read more 🡒]