Syracuse has won nine straight; Lopez strikes out career-high 11 for Potomac

The Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs are on a nine-game winning streak after Wednesday's 9-5 win over Lehigh Valley. The Chiefs were 6-for-13 (.462) with runners in scoring position.

Emmanuel Burriss, Jason Martinson and Dan Butler each had two RBIs and a double. Shortstop Trea Turner went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and is now batting .304. Turner also had his 12th stolen base. Burriss is hitting .289.

Caleb Ramsey went 2-for-3 and scored two runs. He is batting .286.

Paolo Espino (5-5) got the win despite allowing five runs. P.J. Walters earned his second hold with three scoreless innings, and Matt Grace did not allow a run in the ninth.

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Left-hander Matt Purke hung in there with five innings for Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday. He left with the game knotted at 3-3.

Reading pulled away for an 8-4 win, but Purke was able to scatter six hits and allowed only three runs. The critical point was that he surrendered no walks, with two strikeouts. He tossed 58 pitches, 43 for strikes.

Left-hander Bryan Harper (2-2) allowed three runs in 1/3 of an inning to take the loss. Only two of the runs were earned. It was the most runs he had allowed in his last five appearances.

Shortstop Wilmer Difo smacked a triple and a two run homer and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Difo is hitting .293.

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Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez had the line of the night with high Single-A Potomac as the P-Nats drilled Winston-Salem 8-2 in Woodbridge, Va.

Lopez went seven innings, surrendering only two hits. He hit one batter, walked none and struck out a career-high 11 hitters. He fired 103 pitches, 69 for strikes. Lopez (6-7) finished with four consecutive strikeouts. This is a welcome sight for Lopez, who alongside Lucas Giolito, could become a lethal 1-2 punch for the Nationals in just a few years.