CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Keys Win Third Straight in Home Run Derby

Published on May 19, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


(FREDERICK, MD) For the second straight night, the Potomac Nationals battled into the late innings in Frederick. For the second straight night, the Keys scored the decisive runs in their final at-bat en route to a 6-4 victory, their third consecutive over the P-Nats that pushed Potomac eight games back of first place in the Northern Division.

The Keys took a lead right out of the gates. After a one-out infield single by Kyle Hudson, Morris hit Ronnie Welty with a pitch. Back-to-back singles by Joe Mahoney and Jacob Julies broke the scoring seal and gave Frederick a 2-0 edge.

Potomac had chances in both the first and second innings but could not cash in. In the first, Steve Lombardozzi doubled with one out and advanced to third on an error by Xavier Avery. After Derek Norris walked, Mike Burgess popped out and Bill Rhinehart flied out to right.

The Nats would again threaten in the second. A leadoff single by Tyler Moore was erased when Tim Pahuta hit into a double play; Brian Peacock then doubled but was stranded at second when Jose Lozada flied out.

The P-Nats tied the game in the third when Derek Norris hit his first home run of 2010 to left field. Boomer Whiting had opened the inning with a walk and a stolen base.

But the game would not stay tied for long. Welty hit a mammoth home run to left in the home half of the third; Mahoney then singled, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a Greg Miclat single.

Morris would settle in and retire the next eight consecutive Keys; after consecutive one-out singles in the sixth, Morris was lifted from the ballgame.

Dan Leatherman came on from the bullpen, and his outing looked like it would be a triumphant homecoming. The Frederick native induced an inning-ending double play in the sixth, then struck out the Keys in order in the seventh.

Raul Rivero relieved Kenny Moreland - who went five innings and yielded two runs on five hits with three strikeouts - in the sixth inning and neutralized the Nats for two innings.

In the seventh, however, the P-Nats knotted the game. After Derek Norris was hit by a pitch with one out, Mike Burgess hit a towering opposite field home run, his second of the series.

But in the eight, Joe Mahoney rocketed a two-run homer off Leahterman to break the 4-4 tie.

Jose Diaz came on to retire Potomac in order in the ninth to secure the victory and send the Nats to their third straight defeat at Harry Grove Stadium.

The Nats will look to salvage the finale in the series at 11 A.M. Thursday. The righthander Patrick Lehman will look to play the role of stopper against lefty Rick Zagone.

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Carolina League Stories from May 19, 2010


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