Washington Nationals: Friday Minor League Updates.

• Syracuse Chiefs: RHP Garrett Mock walked seven Pawtucket Red Sox' batters last night in just 3.2 IP, surrendering two hits and three runs while throwing 91 pitches, 47 strikes in an 8-2 loss to Boston's Triple-A affiliate. LHP Matt Chico followed Mock on the hill and surrendered four hits, three walks and four earned runs in 1.2 IP. Roger "The Shark" Bernadina was 1 for 4 with 2 K's, leaving the outfielder 3 for 8 with three runs scored, one HR and three RBI's in three games back after dealing with an undisclosed family matter. '06 1st Round pick Chris Marrero was 2 for 4, and eight games into his first season at Triple-A the 22-year-old first baseman who put up a .294/.350/.450 slash line in 141 games at Double-A last year is hitting .241 (7 for 29) with six walks, seven K's, two doubles and five RBI's in the Chiefs' first eight games. Jhonatan Solano's first HR of 2011, a two-run blast in the 7th provided all the Chiefs' scoring. Box: Chiefs 2, PawSox 8. The Nats' 2010 Pitcher of the Year, Tom Milone makes his second start of the season at 2:00 pm EDT this afternoon after throwing 7.0 scoreless in his Triple-A debut. 

• Harrisburg Senators: The Sens dropped an 8-1 decision to the Trenton Thunder (NYY) last night with 26-year-old right-hander Ryan Tatusko giving up 10 hits, three walks and seven earned runs in 3.2 IP. RHP Jimmy Barthmaier, 27, rebounded from a 2.2 IP outing in a start on April 12th in which he gave up five hits, three walks and five ER, with 1.1 scoreless last night. 26-year-old right-hander Hassan Pena, an '06 13th Round pick, struck out 5 in 2.0 IP. The Nats' 2010 Minor League Player of the Year Tyler Moore was 1 for 4 after going 2 for 5 Thursday night, breaking an 0 for 19 slump over a five game stretch. On the year, Moore's hitting .156 (5 for 32) with 0 walks and 10 K's in 8 games. Box: Senators 1, Thunder 8. 6'4'' right-hander Erik Davis, acquired from the Padres in return for Alberto Gonzalez this Spring, makes his second start and third appearance of the season for the Senators after throwing 4.0 scoreless in his first start on 4/14 in which he struck out six. Harrisburg plays at 5:05 pm EDT against the Thunder tonight.

• LINK: "Ryan Tatusko is starting off 2011 right where he's most comfortable. As a starting pitcher for the Harrisburg Senators he's doing what he always felt came most naturally..." - High Heels On The Field: Nationals Pitching Prospect Ryan Tatusko Maximizes His Potential

• Potomac Nationals: 23-year-old left-hander Daniel Rosenbaum, an '09 22nd Round pick, gave up five hits, two walks and one run while striking out six in 5.0 IP last night in the P-Nats game against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (KCR), but he was replaced on the mound by RHP Kyle Morrison (an '09 32nd Round pick) who threw a scoreless sixth, but then imploded in the seventh, giving up a walk, a single and a two-run HR before he was lifted with the game tied. 22-year-old '09 30th Round pick Rob Wort surrendered what would end up being the winning run for the Blue Rocks one out later on an RBI double. Eury Perez was 2 for 4 at the plate for the P-Nats after going hitless in 12 AB's before last night's game. Cutter Dykstra, acquired from Milwaukee in the Nyjer Morgan deal, was 1 for 4 with a run scored, and 22-year-old '09 2nd Round pick, Jeff Kobernus, was 2 for 3 with a solo HR, his first of the season. Box: P-Nats 4, Blue Rocks 5. 6:05 pm EDT start for Potomac tonight, as they throw '09 3rd Round pick Trevor Holder, 24, who'll be making second start in his second year in Potomac after giving up six hits, two walks and three earned runs in 6.0 IP last time out. 

• Hagerstown Suns: 21-year-old 2010 13th Round pick, right-hander Christopher McKenzie, gave up seven hits, six walks and five earned runs last night in his second start for the Suns after having given up just one hit, three walks and one run in his 2011 debut. The son of Nats' pitching coach Steve McCatty, 23-year-old, '09 34th Round pick Shane McCatty, gave up four hits and three runs, two of them earned in 2.2 IP. 2010 no.1 overall pick Bryce Harper was 0 for 3 with a K and a walk, and the 18-year-old phenom is now 7 for 31 (.226) with a double, HR, five RBI's, five walks and nine K's in his nine games. Box: Suns 4, Blue Claws. 6:35 pm EDT start time tonight for the P-Nats and Blue Claws as 21-year-old '08 18th Round pick, left-hander Bobby Hansen makes his second start for the Suns. 

• VIDEO: "Bryce Harper's minor-league career isn't off to a rousing start, but the Nationals' phenom understands this is all part of his development as a ballplayer." - "Harper learning the ropes in Hagerstown" - Mark Zuckerman, CSN Washington