Valdez, Voth, Perkins and Turner shine in Nats minors Thursday

Wilmer Difo and Phillips Valdez shined in Thursday's Double-A Harrisburg 5-2 win over Portland.

The shortstop Difo went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Valdez (1-1) earned his first Double-A victory, going five innings and allowing one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Georgia Tech right-hander Andew Robinson struck out three in three innings, allowing one run on one hit for his fifth hold. His ERA is 2.11.

Right-hander Abel de los Santos recorded his third save with one inning of shutout relief.

Triple-A Syracuse dropped Pawtucket 6-1 behind solid pitching from right-hander Austin Voth. Voth (4-3) went six innings, allowing one run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

I believe Voth could be a candidate for a spot start as the season progresses for the Nationals, even before Lucas Giolito, as I talked about in our District 34 podcast.

Right-hander Koda Glover made his second Triple-A appearance and pitched two scoreless innings. He has not allowed a run in six straight outings, including nine out of the last 10.

Right-hander Nick Masset pitched a scoreless inning to move his ERA to 2.25. Is Glover a future eighth inning shutdown arm? He has the stuff to trend to that spot.

Shortstop Trea Turner smacked a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. He is hitting .291. Center fielder Brian Goodwin is hitting .290 and right fielder Caleb Ramsey is at .288.

The game between high Single-A Potomac Nationals vs. Lynchburg was rained out, as was low Single-A Hagerstown at Lexington.

And 19-year-old center fielder Blake Perkins went 4-for-5 in short-season Auburn's 4-0 win at Aberdeen. The 19-year-old left-hander Tyler Watson tossed five shutout innings, allowing three hits with two walks and five strikeouts for the win.