CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Long outduels Arnesen in opener

Published on August 7, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The last trip the Potomac Nationals will ever make to Ernie Shore Field did not start well. Behind Matt Long's solid outing Thursday, the Winston-Salem Warthogs defeated Potomac 4-1 for just the sixth time in 17 games this season taking game one of the four-game set.

Long (7-10), who was roughed up for six runs by the P-Nats last Saturday, but pitched much better this evening keeping Potomac's offense at bay. The right-hander lasted 6 2/3 innings giving up just one run on six hits but struck out eight en route to his seventh win of the year.

Long outpitched Erik Arnesen who was good, but was plagued by one bad inning. Arnesen (2-1) entered the game having won his first two starts with the Nationals but gave up three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the game tied 0-0, John Shelby laced a double into left-center field, followed by two straight singles from Joe Persichina and C.J. Retherford giving the Warthogs and 1-0 lead. Arnesen continued to leave the ball up in the strike zone and the Hogs made him pay. Brett Bonvechio made it 2-0 with a line-drive sacrifice to right field and Salvador Sanchez's RBI double scored Retherford for a 3-0 lead.

Potomac answered in its half of the fifth with a lone run. With runners at first and third and nobody out, Brian Finegan hit into a 6-3 double play that scored Darryl Lawhorn cutting the deficit to 3-1. However, that was all the offense the P-Nats would get.

Arnesen lasted a season-long seven innings but did absorb the loss. He hung a curveball to Retherford in the sixth that the former Arizona State Sun Devil deposited over the left field wall for his 16th bomb of the season, which made it 4-1.

Game two of the series is tomorrow night at Ernie Shore Field. Andrew Kown (0-0, 0.00) will make his P-Nats debut in place of Ross Detwiler opposite John Ely (6-11, 4.83). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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