Weekly minor-league report

Here is this week's official minor-league report, sent out by Nationals PR man Bill Gluvna...

This Week’s Top Headline
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF: In 10 combined starts with Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg, RHP Stephen Strasburg is 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA...Strasburg's stingy .157 batting average against is the 2nd lowest in minor league baseball among starting pitchers...with 60 strikeouts and 12 walks in 50.1 innings pitched, Strasburg owns a 5.0/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and averages 10.7 strikeouts per 9.0 innings...in 5 Triple-A starts with Syracuse, he is 3-1 with a 1.27 ERA (4 ER/28.1 IP)...prior to joining Syracuse, Strasburg went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA (4 ER/22.0 IP) in 5 starting assignments with Harrisburg...Strasburg is scheduled to make his final Triple-A start today at Buffalo (Mets).

Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs
International League North Division
30-21, 2nd Place, 0.5 Game Back

SAVE-A-LOT: RHP Joel Peralta's 16 saves in as many opportunities rank 2nd in the International League and 3rd in minor league baseball...in 21 appearances, he is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA (2 ER/24.0 IP)...Peralta last allowed an earned run on April 30 at Toledo (Tigers), or 33 days ago...the Bonao, Dominican Republic native has fanned 30 in 24.0 innings, an average of 11.25 strikeouts per 9.0 innings...Peralta was signed by Washington as a minor-league free agent, December 15, 2009.

START ME UP: RHP Jeff Mandel is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA (5 ER/23.1 IP) in 4 starts with Syracuse...Mandel began the season in Harrisburg, where he posted a 3.83 ERA (17 ER/40.0 IP) in 7 outings...Mandel, 25, was a 2009 Single-A Carolina League All-Star last season with Potomac...following the season, Mandel played with the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the highly-acclaimed Arizona Fall League.

THRILL OF THE CHASE: 2B/3B Chase Lambin's .318 batting average paces Washington farmhands, ranks 4th in the International League and 13th among Triple-A hitters...he has hit safely in 38 of 48 games overall...Lambin signed with Washington as a minor-league free agent, January 7, 2010.

Syracuse Player and Pitcher of the Month – May
2B/3B Chase Lambin – hit .314 (32-for-102) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 17 RBI in 28 games.
RHP Joel Peralta – went a perfect 11-for-11 in saves and did not allow an earned in 13.0 innings of work.

Double-A Harrisburg Senators
Eastern League Southern Division
26-26, 4th Place, 8.5 Games Back

MY, OH MEYERS: RHP Brad Meyers, Washington's 2009 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, is 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA (4 ER/28.2 IP) and a .194 BAA (20-for-103) in 5 starts...he's fanned 33 and walked only 5 (6.6/1 SO/BB ratio)...the 24-year-old has allowed 2 earned runs or less in each of his 5 starts...Meyers was selected in the 5th round of the 2007 Draft out of Loyola Marymount University (CA).

THE BIG PAHUTA & DR. KIMBALL: 1B/3B Tim Pahuta and RHP Cole Kimball were promoted from Single-A Potomac to Harrisburg on May 27...in just his 4th career game at the Double-A level, May 30 at Erie (Tigers), Pahuta blasted 2 home runs (11,12)...at the time of his promotion, he led the Carolina League with a .593 slugging percentage...including 4.0 scoreless frames in 3 appearances since joining the Senators, Kimball has fired a combined 15.1 consecutive scoreless innings (13 appearances) with Harrisburg and Potomac...he’s offered scoreless relief in 20 of 22 appearances overall...the 24-year-old out of Centenary College (NJ) was Washington’s 12th-round pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.

Harrisburg Player and Pitcher of the Month – May
C Jhonatan Solano – batted .299 (20-for-67) with 3 homers and 12 RBI in 18 contests.
RHP Brad Meyers – went 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA (4 ER/28.2 IP) and a .194 BAA (20-for-103) in 5 starts.

Single-A Potomac Nationals
Carolina League Northern Division
23-29, T-2nd Place, 6.0 Games Back

BURGESS KING: OF Michael Burgess recorded 31 RBI in May, 3rd most in minor league baseball during the month...the left-handed hitting slugger ranks 2nd in the Carolina League in RBI (40) and walks (27)...he has hit safely in 24 of his last 31 games, going 37-for-120 (.308) with 11 doubles, 5 homers and 33 RBI...the strong-armed outfielder is tied for 4th in the Carolina League with 5 outfield assists...Burgess, a 2-time Minor League All-Star (2008, '09), was drafted by Washington in the sandwich round (49th overall) of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

IN LEHMAN'S TERMS: RHP Patrick Lehman struck out a season-high 8 in 5.1 innings to earn his 3rd win of the season, May 30 vs. Salem (Red Sox)...the 6'6" righty from George Washington University ranks among CL leaders in strikeouts (4th, 55) and K/9.0 IP for starters (4th, 9.66)...Lehman was selected by Washington in the 13th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

SCORING RUNS IS FUN: 2B Stephen Lombardozzi ranks among the top 5 CL hitters in runs scored (t-2nd, 37), triples (3rd, 5), walks (t-4th, 25) and hits (t-5th, 59)...the 2009 mid-season Single-A South Atlantic League All-Star finished 2nd in the SAL in both runs scored (90) and hits (147) last season...Lombardozzi was a 19th-round pick in the 2008 Draft out of St. Petersburg JC (FL).

Potomac Player and Pitcher of the Month – May
OF Michael Burgess – hit .313 (35-for-112) with 10 doubles, 4 home runs, 31 RBI and 15 walks in 29 games.
RHP Patrick Lehman – in 6 games (5 starts), went 3-1 and struck out 33 in 31.2 innings.

Single-A Hagerstown Suns
South Atlantic League Northern Division
28-25, 3rd Place, 5.0 Games Back

CULTIVATON OF ROSENBAUM: In his last 5 starts, LHP Dan Rosenbaum has allowed just 4 earned runs in 29.0 innings (1.24 ERA)...he has 25 strikeouts against just 3 walks (8.3/1 SO/BB ratio) in that span...despite his 1.87 ERA (13 ER 62.2 IP) in 11 starts, Rosenbaum hasn't earned a win since his season debut on April 8...the southpaw was the MiLB.com South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 10-16...among South Atlantic League pitchers, he is tied for 6th in ERA and tied for 7th in WHIP (1.01)...Rosenbaum was selected in the 22nd round of the 2009 Draft out of Xavier University (OH).

HOLDING HIS OWN: RHP Trevor Holder has won 4 of his last 5 starts, going 4-1 with a 2.03 ERA (7 ER/31.0 IP)...he's struck out 20 and has issued just 2 walks in those contests...overall, he is 4-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 9 starting assignments…the former Georgia Bulldog has allowed 2 earned runs or less in 7 of those starts...Holder, 23, was Washington's 3rd-round pick in the '09 Draft.

Hagerstown Player and Pitcher of the Month – May
3B Steve Souza – led the team in homers (5), RBI (26) and slugging (.505) during the month.
RHP Trevor Holder – went 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA (11 ER/36.0 IP) with 22 strikeouts and just 2 walks in 6 starts.