Washington Nationals: Minor Leagues - The Week That Was Down on the Farm

Performance of the Week

In the last three years, it has sometimes been easy to forget about Syracuse starter Tom Milone. He's been so consistently good that you almost take him and his sub-3.00 ERA with lots of strikeouts and very few walks for granted. But this season saw the southpaw from California face some early season struggles, so it's a pleasure to see him command his pitches as he did this past Saturday against the Rochester Red Wings. In seven innings of work, he allowed three hits with only one Red Wing player reaching second base (and that was on a throwing error). He struck out nine (including the side in his last inning of work) and didn't walk anyone raising his K/BB rate to an obscene 14.67 on the season. The dominant pitching performance paced the Syracuse Chiefs to a 2-0 victory for the night and earned our Performance of the Week.

By the Numbers

Syracuse Chiefs (5-2, 19-24 overall)

Hot: SP Tom Milone 7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 9 K, 0 BB
Hot: C Jhonatan Solano .455 (5-11), 2 R, 3 RBI
Hot: 1B Chris Marerro .379 (11-29), 3 R, 4 RBI
Hot: 3B Adam Fox .429 (6-14), 3 R, 3 RBI
Not: OF Corey Brown .125 (2-16), 3 R
Not: SP Ross Detweiler 8.2 IP, 15 H, 10 ER, 5 BB

Harrisburg Senators (4-1, 21-20 overall)

Hot: SS Josh Johnson .500 (8-16), 8 R, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 1 HR
Hot: OF Archie Gilbert .381 (8-21), 5 R, 2 RBI
Hot: RP Erik Arnesen 5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 K
Not: SP Shairon Martis 3 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB
Not: RP Ryan Tatusko 3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB

Potomac Nationals (4-3, 18-26 overall)

Hot: OF Destin Hood .433 (13-30), 5 R, 10 RBI, 7 2B
Hot: 2B Jeff Kobernus .423 (11-26), 6 R, 5 RBI, 4 SB
Hot: 1B Steven Souza .285 (6-21), 6 R, 9 RBI, 4 HR
Hot: RP Josh Smoker 5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 6 K
Not: SP Paul Demny 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 BB

Hagerstown Suns (2-4, 28-16 overall)

Hot: RP Chris Manno 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 5 K
Hot: C David Freitas .353 (6-17), 5 RBI, 1 HR
Hot: 3B Sean Nicol .500 (4-8), 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR
Not: OF Michael Taylor .105 (2-19), 6 K
Not: RP Sam Brown 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 K

Diamond Debuts

SP Oliver Perez (HAR) - After working closely with Spin Williams in extended spring training, Perez made his season debut last Thursday night for the Senators. He generally lived in the 83-85 mph range and worked into the sixth inning only allowing one run on one hit.

RP Rafael Martin (POT) - Martin supposedly lost his arm slot over the winter (did he look in Colorado?...it's always in the last place you look) and is working himself back into the form that saw him succeed in Harrisburg last season. Through his first three games in Potomac, Martin has thrown 3.2 innings and only allowed one run on five hits while striking out four.

IF Matt Antonelli (SYR) - After only four games at Double-A Harrisburg, Antonelli was promoted to Syracuse and he has produced at roughly the same clip there as he is hitting .294 (5-17).

SS Justino Cuevas (POT) - Cuevas broke out against Lynchburg in only his second game of the season when he went 3 for 4 with two home runs and three runs batted in. However, he has committed an error (two fielding, one throwing) in each of the three games he's played in so far.

IF Alex Valdez (HAR) - Valdez entered last night's contest batting .364 in four games but took the collar in five at-bats to drop his batting average down to .250 on the season in Harrisburg. The infielder has scored three times and driven in three runs as he has been used mostly as a DH for Tony Beasley's club so far.

OF Kevin Keyes (HAG) - Keyes begin his time in Hagerstown 0 for 9 with five strikeouts until he came to the plate in last night's 4th inning when he clubbed a three-run home run over the left-center field wall.