CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Keys counter Nationals in finale

Published on May 4, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WOODBRIDGE, Va.- The Potomac Nationals were 13-1 at home going into last night. Now 48 hours later the club has lost more games at Pfitzner Stadium than it did in its first 14 contests as the Frederick Keys followed their 10-6 win on Saturday night with a 6-2 victory on Sunday afternoon, and after winning the first two games of the series, the Nationals had to settle for a split.

Things started well in the bottom of the first inning for Potomac (19-9) as Jemel Spearman led it off with a double down the left field line. Spearman would then steal third and score on the play as Keys catcher Justin Johnson bounced a throw into third and give the P-Nats a 1-0 advantage.

Frederick (17-12) answered by turning to former first-round pick Matt Wieters in the top of the third inning. With Johnson at second and two out, Wieters singled through the right side of the infield to tie the game at one.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, another former first-rounder, Potomac's Chris Marrero, gave the P-Nats the lead right back. Two days after hitting a game-tying three-run homer against the Keys, Marrero crushed a solo shot to left field making it a 2-1 Nationals lead.

That turned out to be the final run Potomac would score as Frederick tallied four unanswered runs.

The Keys got even with Ross Detwiler (1-2) and the Nationals in the fifth. Detwiler actually struck out Johnson to start the inning, but the pitch got away from catcher Brian Peacock enabling the Frederick backstop to reach base. Danny Figueroa dropped down a sacrifice bunt moving him over to second base, and Chris Amador hit a grounder between first and second that deflected off of the left arm of Marrero and rolled behind second enabling Johnson to score and tie the game at two.

Frederick would take the lead for good in the sixth. Brandon Snyder singled to lead off the inning against Detwiler. After a Brandon Tripp sacrifice moved him to second, Todd Davison drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Paul Winterling drove in Snyder with a single to right giving the Keys a 3-2 lead and chasing Detwiler. Chris Lugo then made his Carolina League debut by retiring Miguel Abreu on a fly ball to right, scoring Davison, who advanced to third on the Winterling single, and adding to the Frederick lead 4-2.

The Keys added an unearned run in the seventh and anther run in the ninth off of Lugo who went 3 2/3 innings and allowed four hits.

The Potomac Nationals will begin a seven-game road trip tomorrow night in Myrtle Beach. Game one of the three-game series against the Pelicans is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. at BB&T Coastal Field.

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Carolina League Stories from May 4, 2008


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