CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Atwood Outstanding as Storen Seals Deal

Published on July 25, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


SALEM, Va- After dropping game one to the Southern Division leading Salem Red Sox from Lewis-Gale Field on Friday, the Potomac Nationals not only lost the ballgame, but lost one of their best starting pitchers in Terrence Engles who left the game with an injury in the fourth inning. Needing a lengthy outing from lefty Will Atwood to offset the extra innings pitched by the P-Nats' bullpen the last two days, the southpaw responded with a career-best performance, leading the Nationals to a 5-1 victory.

Atwood (6-6) finally reached the .500 mark in 2009 by tossing a career-high 7 2/3 innings while allowing just one run on seven hits. The South Carolina native also struck out seven without walking a single Salem slugger. Atwood faced the minimum number of batters through the first five innings of play thanks to a couple of double plays turned behind him.

The only inning in which he really ran into trouble was the seventh stanza when the Sox loaded the bases with nobody out on three consecutive singles. Atwood buckled down, slamming the door on the Red Sox rally by inducing a pop up and striking out the following two batters looking to end the threat.

After Atwood left the ballgame, it would be the Nationals' 2009 first round pick Drew Storen taking the ball with a four-run lead. Storen did not disappoint once again, retiring the only four men he faced while striking out two Red Sox batters. In two appearances for the P-Nats, Storen has thrown 3 1/3 frames, allowing just one hit, striking out five, and not walking a batter.

Though the P-Nats did not need much offense with such splendid pitching, the team took advantage of some Sox mistakes early in the ballgame to put starter Kyle Weiland (3-8) on the ropes.

Michael Martinez led off the top of the first with a walk and advanced to third on a Danny Espinosa single. Martinez would notch the game's first run on a Weiland wild pitch, and Espinosa would come around to score on a Jesus Valdez groundout to push the lead to 2-0.

The top of the order would strike again in the third as Martinez led off the inning with a single to right field. The speedy infielder stole second base and came around to score on a throwing error from catcher Tim Federowicz. A dropped fly ball from Che-Hsuan Lin in centerfield on a Michael Burgess fly ball allowed Espinosa to come around with the game's fourth run, and Potomac was well on its way to a win in this one.

The Sox scratched out a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Kris Negron to make it a 4-1 contest, but the P-Nats would snatch the run back in the top of the seventh.

Martinez bashed a double off the centerfield wall, but came around to score on another Federowicz throwing error to push the lead to 5-1, and the P-Nats would let their bullpen finish off the Sox to set up a rubber game in tomorrow's finale.

First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 6:05 ET. You can catch all the action live on www.potomacnationals.com with Dan McGinn and Anthony Masterson starting with the pregame show at 5:45 ET.

For more information on tickets, daily promotions, and all things P-Nats, call (703) 590-2311 or log onto www.potomacnationals.com to join the party!

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Carolina League Stories from July 25, 2009


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