Sharp has been just that for Rochester Red Wings

WASHINGTON – The Major League pitching debut of Sterling Sharp with Miami was shaky.

And the right-hander, who was drafted out of Drury University in Springfield, Missouri by the Nationals in 2016, didn’t make the Opening Day roster of Washington this spring.

But Sharp had another strong outing on Sunday for Triple-A Rochester, the top farm team of the Nationals.

“Sharp threw the ball well,” Rochester manager Matt LeCroy wrote to Federal Baseball on Sunday after Sharp got the win, 8-3 over the visiting Syracuse Mets.

The Missouri-born and educated pitcher gave up two earned runs in five innings of work to pick up his first victory of the season. His ERA is now 4.85 on the year with Rochester.

“He kept the fastball down in the zone,” LeCroy added. “He kept them on the ground with a good sinker; threw some decent secondary pitches. His last two outings have been good. He is in a good spot.”

Sharp was claimed by the Marlins in the Rule 5 draft from Washington in December of 2019 but was later returned to the Nationals in August of 2020.

Reid Garrett, a native of the Richmond area, recorded the last four outs from the bullpen for the Red Wings on Sunday. He pitched at VMI in Lexington, Virginia and was drafted in 2014 by the Texas Rangers; his ERA is now 2.31 with the Red Wings.

Dee Strange-Gordon started at short and hit leadoff for Rochester on Sunday while Luis Garcia batted second and played second.

Strange-Gordon was 1-for-4 with a homer while Garcia was hitless in four trips. Garcia is hitting .337 for the Red Wings while Strange-Gordon is at .167.

“He looks and feels good,” LeCroy noted of Strange-Gordon, who began a rehab assignment on Tuesday with Rochester.

Andrew Stevenson, an outfielder, is hitting .284 for Rochester after going 1-for-3 against the Mets.

Tres Barrera, a catcher, hit ninth in the order and was 2-for-2 and is now batting .353.

The Double-A Harrisburg Senators begin a series on Tuesday at the nearby Bowie Baysox, a farm team of the Orioles.

The Orioles plan to promote catcher Adley Rutschman, a top prospect, to Bowie from Single-A Aberdeen before the game begins.