CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Lannan Paces Potomac to Win

Published on April 30, 2007 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WOODBRIDGE, Va. -- The last time Winston-Salem and Potomac got together, things turned ugly in the form of a brawl, ending with two Nationals' players injured, one with three hairline fractures in his vertebrae.

Potomac's 3-2 win Monday night over Winston-Salem was not marred by a return fight between the two benches, but was memorable for the right reasons.

Potomac starter John Lannan mowed through the Winston-Salem line-up at Pfitzner Stadium, flirting with a no-hitter through the first five innings and turning in a three-hit performance.

Lannan, who brought a 3-0 record and a 2.63 ERA into the contest, faced one more hitter than the minimum through the first five innings before a line drive single to center off the bat off Winston-Salem catcher Adam Ricks broke up the no-hit bid.

Lannan was particularly efficient throughout the game in terms of pitch count, throwing 79 total, 47 for strikes. The left-hander had four innings where he threw less than 10 pitches, and in his busiest inning he threw only fourteen.

With the low pitch-count didn't come many strikeouts. Lannan only struck out three Warthogs in his fifth start of the year, and registered 11 ground outs versus six fly outs in a blazing game time of 2 hours 2 minutes.

The former 11th round pick out of Siena College in New York did run into a bit of trouble in the later innings, giving solo home runs to Micah Schnurstein in the seventh and Brandon Johnson, leading off the eighth.

Lannan, now 4-0 on the season, has had a tendency to hold down opposing offenses for long stretches of time, being the owner of a 17 2/3 innings-long scoreless streak dating from April 6 to April 25.

On the other side of the mound, the Warthogs starter, Derek Rodriguez, struggled with control through his five innings, walking the lead off man in the first, second and fourth innings, walking five total Nationals.

Potomac left fielder and Carolina League batting average leader Dee Brown saw his 11-game hitting streak snapped as he went 0-for-3 on the night. Brown brought a .372 average into the game.

Edgardo Baez and Brandon Powell both recorded multi-hit games for Potomac, but it was Ian Desmond who knocked in a pair of runs on two fielder's choices.

Closer Alex Morales slammed the door shut and picked up his second save of the season, working 1 1/3 innings striking out two Warthogs in the process. Morales has struck out five hitters in his last 3 1/3 innings.

Potomac and Winston-Salem square off again tomorrow in the second of their four-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35.

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Carolina League Stories from April 30, 2007


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