CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats complete sweep of half titles

Published on August 29, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WILMINGTON, Del..- The Potomac Nationals completed a historic regular season on Friday night, becoming the first team in the 31-year history of the Alexandria/Prince William/Potomac franchise to sweep both half titles with a 3-1 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

Left-hander and former first-round pick Ross Detwiler (8-8) helped the P-Nats clinch a half title for the second time with a gutsy performance on the mound, tossing six innings and limiting the Blue Rocks to a run on four hits while striking out six and walking three. The 22-year-old was also the winning pitcher when the Nationals defeated the Warthogs 5-3 to claim the first half Northern Division crown.

Detwiler worked his way out of jams all night with poise and tenacity. After walking the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning, the St. Louis-native proceeded to strike out the side ending the frame.

The Blue Rocks managed to plate the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Paulo Orlando walked to open the inning and Cody Strait got hit by a Detwiler pitch to put runners at first and second with no outs. Brad Correll hit a bouncing ball to third that was fielded by Stephen King behind the bag, and King barely won a foot race with Orlando for the first out of the inning.

With runners still at first and second, Kurt Mertins hit a bouncer to third that was again fielded by King. This time, bases umpire Will Little ruled that Strait beat King to the bag and ruled him safe, loading the bases. The 20-year-old King took exception to the call and began to argue with Little. As Randy Knorr came out to try and separate King and Little, home plate umpire Andy Dudones entered the confrontation. After an exchange between King and Dudones, the previous was ejected from the game.

Even through the turmoil, Detwiler kept his composure. He got Jeff Bianchi hit a ground ball to short where Dan Lyons flipped to second for the force on Mertins, but Michael Martinez's turn to first was late to get the out on Bianchi who was credited with a RBI driving in Strait with a 1-0 Wilmington lead.

Potomac waited until Wilmington starter Ed Cegarra departed to finally come to life offensively. Right-hander Greg Holland (4-5) took over for the 19-year-old who tossed five scoreless innings and limited the P-Nats to just three hits while striking out seven and walking only two. Martinez greeted him with a double to left-center field and Andrew Lefave followed with a double to right-center putting runners at second and third with no outs.

With Francisco Plasencia at the plate and the count at 2-2, Holland uncorked a wild pitch enabling Martinez to sprint home from the third and tie the game at one. After Plasencia struck out, Dee Brown gave Potomac the lead for good with a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Lefave who avoided the tag from Jeff Howell at home to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead.

Detwiler would again find himself in trouble in the bottom of the sixth as Orlando and Strait both singled to open up the inning putting runners at the corners. However, the lefty again got tough, striking out Correll and Mertins before getting Bianchi to fly out to shallow left center to end the threat and preserve the lead.

The Nationals bullpen took over from there as Jack Spradlin worked around a couple of base hits in the seventh to record his sixth hold and Clint Everts notched two scoreless innings to earn his third save in as many tries. The 24-year-old Everts, who has spent parts of the last three seasons with the P-Nats, got Derrick Robinson to pop out to short to record the final out.

Potomac scored its third run in the top of the eighth inning as Chris McConnell let a routine ground ball off of the bat of Matt Rogelstad go between his legs into left-center field with two outs in the inning allowing Lefave to score the insurance run.

With the victory, the Nationals did what the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds couldn't do - win both half titles as an Alexandria/Prince William/Potomac affiliate.

Potomac is now just two wins shy of matching the 1982 Alexandria Dukes for the most wins in a single season with 80.

Even with the loss, the Wilmington Blue Rocks clinched the wild card in the Northern Division as the Frederick Keys were ousted by the Winston-Salem Warthogs 12-4.

The Nationals and Blue Rocks will meet in the best-of-five Divisional Round of the playoffs beginning September 3 at Pfitzner Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The P-Nats and Rocks will meet in game two of the four-game series tomorrow night as Potomac tosses right-hander Hassan Pena (2-1, 3.99) opposite righty Mario Santiago (7-8, 3.52). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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Carolina League Stories from August 29, 2008


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