Minor League Minute...

The Syracuse Chiefs(AAA) had a three-game winning streak ended by the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, losing 2-0 on Sunday. Elijah Dukes was 2 for 4 with a double. Marco Estrada took the loss in spite of having allowed only 1 ER in 6.0 IP... The Akron Aeros beat the Harrisburg Senators (AA) twice Sunday. SS Ian Desmond was 1 for 6 in the doubleheader, dropping his average to .287 on the season. In 35 games, Desmond's hit 10 2B, 6 HR's and collected 16 RBI's and 12 SB, while posting a .354 OBP, .483 SLG, .837 OPS...The Potomac Nationals (Class A) are 4-1 in July following Sunday's 4-3 win over the Frederick Keys. Chris Marrero was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI's Sunday, and he was 4 for 13 with 2 2B's and 2 RBI's in the four game set with the Keys. Will Atwood improved to (4-6) on the season, allowing 4 H, 1 ER and 2 BB in 5.0 IP in which he K'd 8...The Hagerstown Suns (Class A) dropped a 9-7 decision to the Hickory Crawdads Sunday. In 2 games against the Crawdads this weekend, C Derek Norris ('07 4th Rd) was 4 for 7 with 3 HR's and 4 RBI's, now hitting .314 with 19 2B, 17 HR's and 57 RBI's in 77 games with a .406 OBP, .569 SLG, and .975 OPS...The Vermont Lake Monsters dropped a 5-1 decision to the Hudson Valley Renegades Sunday. J.P. Ramirez ('08, 15th Rd), who was ranked 9th overall in the Nationals' system by Baseball America in 2009, hit his 1st HR of the year, and the first this season at Centennial Field...