CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Nationals Storm Back With 8-6 Over Sox

Published on April 13, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


SALEM, VA - In a back and forth battle under very sloppy conditions, the Potomac Nationals withstood a relentless comeback by the Salem Red Sox to claim their second victory of the season after an exciting 8-6 win Monday night. Michael Burgess slammed his first home run of the season early and fellow slugger Chris Marrero chimed in with a game-tying blast late to help the P-Nats improve to 2-3 on the young Carolina League season.

Catcher Sean Rooney also had a huge day for Trent Jewett's ballclub. In just his second start of the season, the 22-year-old backstop had a two-run first inning single and drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th becoming the first P-Nat this season to register a three RBI game.

For the fourth time in five games, Potomac jumped on the board first beginning with the Burgess blast off Salem starter Seth Garrison with a man on to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead. The next batter, Stephen King followed with a double and would come around to score the Nationals' third run on a Jesus Valdez RBI single. The hits would keep coming as Francisco Plasencia reached base and after a wild pitch thrown by Garrison, Rooney lined a single up the middle plating two and the Potomac lead jumped to 5-0 after one.

But the Red Sox would chip away at the lead adding a run in the 3rd and then pulled to within 5-3 on a two-run single by Taiwanese outfielder Chih-Hsien Chiang in the bottom of the 5th. Salem tied the score against the P-Nats bullpen in the 6th on a run-scoring single by DH Jered Stanley and a Rooney throwing error on a stolen base attempt brought home the tying run.

Then in the 7th, the Red Sox got the lead man on in Ryan Kalish who got into scoring position on a wild pitch by Potomac reliever Kyle Gunderson. Following a groundout that moved Kalish to third, Chiang hit a grounder to first that Marrero fielded and threw home in an effort preserve the tie. Marrero's throw one hopped Rooney and went to the backstop allowing Kalish to score and give Salem their first lead.

But Marrero would more than make up for his throwing error by slicing a fly ball that just cleared the fence out in right for his team-leading second home run of the season to tie the game back up at 6-6 in the 8th. After Valdez was hit by a pitch, Jewett went to his bench and brought in the speedy Boomer Whiting into the tied game. With ease, Whiting took third on a base hit by Plasencia and would score the go-ahead run on the Rooney sac fly. Aaron Seuss provided Potomac with an insurance run by smacking his third double of the season off the left field wall that plated Plasencia with the Nats' season-high eighth run.

Gunderson picked up the win in relief of the starter Bradley Meyers who worked the first four and two-thirds allowing three runs on five hits. It was the Rice University product's first win of the season and he combined with fellow righty Jamie Lehman to allow no hits to the Red Sox over the final three and two-thirds innings of the contest. Lehman walked two over two scoreless innings to pick up the save.

Game two from Lewis-Gale Field at Salem Memorial Park will take place Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Dan McGinn will have all the action 6:45 p.m. with the Potomac Nationals pre-game show and you can hear all the action online at www.potomacnationals.com

The P-Nats return home to celebrate their 2008 Carolina League Championship on Friday, April 17 when they host the Myrtle Beach Pelicans from Pfitzner Stadium at 7:05 p.m. It's the first Freebie Friday of the season and the first 1,000 fans will receive a Replica Championship Ring courtesy of the News & Messenger.

Join the party all season long at Pfitzner Stadium with the Potomac Nationals! Single-game tickets, season tickets and mini-plans for the 2009 season are available now. For more information, call (703) 590-2311 or visit www.potomacnationals.com.

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Carolina League Stories from April 13, 2009


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