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Potomac Nationals

Potomac Nationals vs. Myrtle Beach

September 3, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Despite outhitting the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (81-56, 44-22) last night, the Potomac Nationals (72-63, 38-29) mustered just one run in a 2-1 loss at Pfitzner Stadium. The teams meet in game two of a four-game series Saturday night at Pfitzner Stadium.

Set to start game two of the series, LHP Matthew Crownover (4-4, 4.27) will make his third start of the season vs. the Pelicans. Crownover is 0-1 with a 5.90 ERA in his first two starts vs. Myrtle Beach. RHP Erick Leal (10-4, 2.98) is scheduled to start for the Pelicans. The righty has only thrown 4.1 innings over his last two starts as he works his way back from an injury in mid-July.

First pitch Saturday night is scheduled for 6:35pm.

LAST TIME OUT...The Potomac Nationals (72-63 38-29) ran into the league's top ranked pitching staff Friday night, as they were held to just one run on four hits in a 2-1 loss to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (80-56, 44-22). Though the Pelicans tallied only four hits, a critical error by 1B Matt Page in the eighth inning proved to be the difference in the game. The two teams traded scoreless frames through the first 4.5 innings, as LHP Hector Silvestre (ND) and RHP Duane Underwood (ND) were both very good in their respective longest starts of the season in the Carolina League. Underwood, who has pitched at both one level above and one level below this season allowed just one run over 4.2 innings, while Silvestre got through the fifth for the first time in his first three 2016 Potomac starts. Silvestre allowed only two hits over five shutout frames. Underwood buckled first, as Potomac put together a two-out rally together against the righty in the fifth inning. Page singled and moved to second base when Underwood hit LF Dale Carey with a pitch. Myrtle Beach went to the bullpen, but RHP James Norwood (W, 1-0) immediately gave up an RBI single to CF Victor Robles. Robles' single to right field was his third hit of the game, though RF Jeffrey Baez threw out Carey at third base for his 16th outfield assist of the season. Norwood gave up just the hit to Robles over 2.1 shutout frames. Potomac went to the bullpen to start the sixth inning, and RHP Jorge Pantoja quickly allowed the Pelicans to get back into the game. Pantoja missed the strike zone with eight of his first nine pitches, as the Pelicans drew two walks and had men at first and second base for Baez with no outs. Baez popped out to Page, but SS Andrew Ely flared a single into shallow centerfield, and the throw from Robles was not in time to get DH Yasiel Balaguert at the plate. Pantoja stranded men at the corners, as the game was knotted at one after 5.5 innings. After a scoreless frame from RHP Whit Mayberry, the P-Nats gave the ball to RHP Neil Holland (L, 1-4) for the eighth inning. With the game still tied at one apiece, C Ian Rice doubled with one out. After Holland got Baez to foul out to C Raudy Read, Ely hit a ground ball right at Page, but the ball went underneath the Potomac first baseman's glove. Page's third error of the season allowed Rice to score and made the score 2-1, the eventual final. Carey drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning against RHP Daury Torrez, and 3B Kelvin Gutierrez had a one-out single, but DH Austin Davidson grounded into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the ninth, RHP Ryan McNeil (SV, 22) got Read to ground out and the Myrtle Beach closer finished the game with two consecutive strikeouts. With the win, Myrtle Beach has a magic number of one to host the first game of their first round playoff matchup with the Salem Red Sox. Potomac's magic number to host game one of the Northern Division matchup in the first round fell to three, as the Lynchburg Hillcats fell Friday night.

BACK IN THE PLAYOFFS...With Potomac's 11-5 win Wednesday night over the Frederick Keys, the P-Nats earned a spot in the 2016 Carolina League playoffs. Despite a rocky August and a small surge from the Keys, Potomac still clinched a playoff berth with five games to go. The P-Nats will meet the Lynchburg Hillcats in the first round of the playoffs in a best of three series. Game two will be at Calvin Falwell Field in Lynchburg, as will game three if necessary. If the P- Nats are able to end the second half tied or with a lead in the Northern Division, game one would be at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge. If Lynchburg wins the second half outright, all three potential first round games will be at the home of the Hillcats.

SHROCK HEADS TO OAKLAND...Early Thursday morning, Potomac 2B Max Schrock was traded to the Oakland Athletics for LHP Marc Rzepczynski, who will join the Major League bullpen. Schrock, who departs Potomac as the team leading hitter (.341), played in 54 games for the P-Nats and hit five home runs with 29 RBIs.

Schrock started his Potomac career with a 16-game hit streak, and had three game- winning hits, including two walk-off hits, in a span of just over a week. Schrock ended his tenure with the P-Nats with at least one hit in six straight games, a span that included three multi-hit efforts. The second baseman had 27 multi-hit games in 54 games for the Red, White, & Blue. Schrock earned a call up to Double-A Midland after just two games for the High-A Stockton Ports.

AN ALL-STAR, AGAIN...RHP Ryan Brinley was named to the Carolina League Postseason All-Star team on Saturday. Brinley, a 27th round pick by Washington in the 2015 MLB Draft was a mid-season All-Star as well. Brinley has a 1.53 ERA and 15 saves in 29 outings for Potomac. The Potomac closer is third in the league in saves and second in the Nationals' organization.

POTOMAC'S RECENT POSTSEASON SUCCESS...Despite missing the playoffs in 2015, the P-Nats have now reached the playoffs in six of 12 seasons under the current franchise name. In three of the first five trips to the playoffs, Potomac came away with the Mills Cup Championship. In 2014, the P-Nats beat Lynchburg in two games in the semifinals and took down Myrtle Beach in four games in the finals. In 2010, Potomac defeated the Keys in a best of five series in the semifinals and beat Winston-Salem in four games for the title. In 2008, the P-Nats swept Wilmington in three games and then took down Myrtle Beach in four games in the finals. Potomac also made the playoffs in 2011, but lost in five games to Frederick in the first round. In 2013, the P-Nats took down Lynchburg in the semifinals but was swept by Salem in the Championship matchup.

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