CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Nats cap off amazing comeback with

Published on July 31, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WOODBRIDGE, Va.- If perseverance is the Nationals modus operandi, they proved it Thursday night at Pfitzner Stadium with another amazing comeback. Potomac would just not go away against the Winston-Salem Warthogs as they stormed back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game and eventually won it in 12 innings 8-7.

Francisco Plasencia tripled to lead off the 12th putting the winning run just 90 feet away, and Steve Spurgeon (2-2) intentionally walked the next two hitters with no outs. With the bases loaded, Trevor Lawhorn slapped a grounder into left field past Winston-Salem's infield that had five defensive players ending the four hour twenty-three minute marathon.

Trailing 7-4 in the final frame against Henry Mabee, Potomac ironically found its groove. Aaron Seuss led off with a double and Jhonatan Solano singled bringing the tying run to the plate. When Brian Finegan struck out and Michael Martinez hit an RBI groundout, the P-Nats were down to their final out. But even with the pressure mounting, Potomac seized the moment. Dan Lyons made the score 7-6 when his ground ball took a big hop over the head of shortstop Joe Persichina to drive in Solano. Then, Plasencia's grounder to first turned into a bizarre play when first baseman Freddie Thon's attempted throw to Mabee covering the bag went wide extending the game. Dee Brown, who has been one of the hottest Potomac hitters lately provided tying blow with a single up the middle scoring Lyons and evening the score at 7-7.

The entire game was a seesaw battle as both teams had leads and lost them. There were a total of four lead changes and three ties. The Warthogs were in complete control of the game when they took a commanding lead in the top of the eighth inning with the score tied 4-4. Martin Beno struggled to throw strikes as six out of the seven hitters he faced reached base. The right-hander walked four and hit a batter as he lasted just 1/3 of an inning. The Hogs mounted just one hit but still found a way to score three runs.

Finegan, Martinez, Solano, and Andrew Lefave all had RBI hits when the Nationals scored runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. Potomac had a 4-2 lead after the fourth, but Winston-Salem battled back with runs of its own in the fifth and sixth.

The two teams combined to use 11 different pitchers. Josh Wilkie was spectacular in relief for the P-Nats tossing 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball. He allowed just one hit and struck out five and entered the game when Beno departed with one out in the eighth. Edulin Abreu (1-0) pitched a perfect 12th for his first win with the Nationals.

Potomac has won nine consecutive games versus the Warthogs at Pfitzner Stadium. Game two of the four-game series with Winston-Salem is tomorrow night at The Pfitz. Luis Atilano (4-0, 2.39) and his undefeated record will start for the P-Nats opposite right-hander Jacob Rasner (3-5, 4.11) from the Warthogs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Carolina League Stories from July 31, 2008


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