Rendon rehabs in Bowie; Valdez shines for Potomac

Anthony Rendon (oblique) played seven innings at second base in Double-A Harrisburg's 3-2 win at Bowie Friday night. He notched a single in four at-bats.

Colin Bates pitched six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs. Brian Goodwin smacked a home run, Pedro Severino contributed a RBI single and Tony Renda was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to give the Senators the lead.

Next up for Rendon could be back-to-back rehab games to test his core again and see if he is ready to join the Nationals by Monday's return home versus the Blue Jays.

*

A very nice debut for right-hander Phillips Valdez up a level at high Single-A Potomac.

The P-Nats downed Wilmington 3-1. Valdez left with the game tied, so did not factor in the decision, but the Dominican right-hander put up solid numbers. He allowed only three hits over six innings, one run, one walk and struck out three. Derek Self (1-0) and Nick Lee came on to toss three scoreless innings as the P-Nats rallied for the win. Self notched the victory and Lee his fifth save.

The 23-year-old Valdez hit one batter, but induced eight groundouts and three flyouts. He had also pitched well for low Single-A Hagerstown, going 5-2 with a 1.47 ERA in eight starts with the Suns. He had 32 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 43 innings.

Stephen Perez, Isaac Ballou, Khayyan Norfork and Estarlin Martinez each collected two hits for the P-Nats, who are now 12-12 at home.

*
Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez gets the ball Saturday. He is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA.

Nick Pivetta (3-3) gets the start Sunday at 1:05 p.m. versus Myrtle Beach. He has done quite well this season for the P-Nats, sporting an impressive 1.41 ERA. A lot of people go to see Lopez and Lucas Giolito, but one major league scout says Pivetta is worth the look as well. Like Giolito, the 22-year-old Pivetta has a big frame at 6-foot-5, 220 lbs. out of New Mexico Junior College.

Right-hander Giolito gets another crack at the Pelicans Monday night (1-3, 4.84 ERA). Giolito gave up three runs over five innings in a 3-0 loss at Myrtle Beach May 25.

*

Low Single-A Hagerstown put up a pair of five-run frames in a 12-6 hellacking of Kannapolis. Every starter had at least one RBI. Austin Davidson led the way with two hits, including a two-run shot and four RBIs. Brennan Middleton crushed his first homer of the season. The Suns are 25-23 and guaranteed a winning record in May with the victory.

*

Jason Martinson slammed his fifth homer this season in Triple-A Syracuse's 3-1 loss to Durham. The Bulls got the win despite managing only one hit in the game.