Harrisburg vaulted themselves into the wildcard lead with a doubleheader sweep yesterday. In game 1, Tanner Roark and El Duque Hernandez combined for eight innings of one run ball in a win over Akron (7 + 1 extra inning). Roark gave up just one run in 5.2 innings and El Duque (1-1) retired all seven men he faced to earn his first AA win in a Game 1 Harrisburg 6-1 victory over Akron. Catcher Jhonotan Solano landed the decisive blow, a two run single in the extra 8th inning to plate Edgardo Baez and Ofilio Castro. Harrisburg patched together a Game 2 2-1 win with Jack Spradlin, Corey Van Allen, Rafael Martin (W, 5-2), and Cole Kimball combining for seven innings of one run ball.

Yunesky Maya (L, 0-1) struggled late in his first outing for Potomac. His line: 4IP, 7H, 6R, 3BB, 4K, 1HR. The P-Nats launched a furious comeback but Jose Lozada made the final out of the game trying to advance on a wild pitch in Potomac's 9-8 loss to Winston Salem. They still have a 1.5 game lead over Wilmington in their divsion.

Your Hagerstown summary , minors links, and key performances after the jump:

Hagerstown was down 7-6 entering the bottom of the 8th. They managed to come back with a Eury Perez triple to tie and a JP Ramirez two run homer to take the lead. 2007 fiirst round pick Josh Smoker (the high schooler drafted ahead of Jordan Zimmermann) earned the save and has now given up only two solo HR while striking out 14 in the eight innings he's pitched since becoming a reliever. Hopefully, Smoker can get back on the system radar by becoming a reliable option out of the bullpen.

• Adam Kilgore's story on Maya focuses on his pitching repertoire, his struggles with a blister, and his cultural transition to the states. 
• Sue Dinem at nationalsprospects.com writes an excellent gamer that also focuses on Maya, cautions people not to be worried about a rehab start and highlights Potomac's heroic efforts to launch a comeback.
  
• Geoff Morrow of the Patriot News was busy yesterday writing a gamer on Game 1 focusing on the 8th inning rally, a Game 2 summary, and a preview of their next series against Red Sox affiliate Portland. I greatly enjoyed learning about another side of life in the minor leagues in Morrow's article on Harrrisburg's Japanese trainer. The Japanese trainer addresses injuries while learning a new langauage and booking hotels for the team.
• Bob Parasliti's Hagerstown gamer focuses on an interview with left field prospect JP Ramirez and how a change to his batting practice routine helped him hit the game winning HR.  

AAA Syracuse: Cancelled due to rain.

AA Harrisburg:

• Stephen Lombardozzi, 2B: Game 1, 2-5, R, 2RBI, 3B, SB; Game 2, 0-2, BB
  
• Chris Marrero, 1B: Game 1, 2-5, RBI, 2B; Game 2, 2-3, R
  
• Michael Burgess, DH: Game 1 0-4, 2K
• Tanner Roark, RSP: Game 15.2IP, 4H, 1ER, BB, 4K
  
• Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, RRP: Game 1(W, 1-1), 2.1IP, 0ER, 4K
• Jack Spradlin, LRP: Game 2, 3.2IP, 0R, 3H, 1B, 8K (ties career high)
• Rafael Martin, RRP: Game 2, 1.1IP, 0R, K (Martin pitched for the first time since 8/7 and is a prospect of interest we signed from the Mexican League).

High A Potomac:

• Derek Norris, C: 0-5, 4K
• Tyler Moore, 1B: 1-3, R, 2BB
• Jamar Walton, LF: 3-5, R, 3RBI, K (This seems to be the free agent they signed to replace Michael Burgess. Organizational depth who had a .523 OPS for Wilmington.)

Low A Hagerstown:

• Rick Hague, SS: 2-3, R, 2RBI, HR, BB, SF
  
• Adrian Sanchez, 2B: 3-5, 2R, RBI
• Destin Hood, RF: 3-5, 2B
• JP Ramirez, LF: 2-5, 2R, 2RBI, 2R HR
• Eury Perez, CF: 1-3, R, RBI, Sac bunt