CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats Drop Bizarre Game to Blue Rocks

June 5, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


(WILMINGTON, DE) The Potomac Nationals should have known it would be a weird game when they arrived at the ballpark Saturday. The stands at Frawley Stadium were packed with dogs, and a canine fashion show dominated the pregame festivities. The theater of the absurd carried right into the action on the diamond, and a series of bizarre plays highlighted a 6-4 Wilmington win.

Evan Bronson and Alex Caldera pitched brilliantly for four scoreless innings before things got weird. Bronson faced just one more than the minimum and needed just 41 pitches to get through four innings.

In the fifth, though, the tides turned on the Nats' lefthander. Back-to-back singles from Salvador Perez and Jamar Walton set the stage for one of the more bizarre sequences of the season. After Rey Navarro failed to advance the runners with a bunt - Bronson fielded the sacrifice attempt and cut down Perez at third - Juan Rivera hit a soft grounder up the middle. Jose Lozada dove and kept the ball on the infield. Fernando Garcia then grounded a single to center just past Lozada that made it 2-0.

The next batter Patrick Norris attempted a suicide squeeze and missed the ball. Derek Norris had Rivera in a run-down between third and home with Dan Lyons. But after four throws amongst the Nats' defenders, Norris's throw home ricocheted off Rivera's helmet and bounced toward the Wilmington dugout. Rivera scored, and Garcia raced in behind him to make it 4-0.

The Rocks added a run in each the sixth and seventh innings; three straight singles scored Jamie Romak in the sixth, while consecutive doubles in the seventh plated Eric Hosmer.

The Nats scored their first run in the seventh on a Jose Lozada sacrifice fly. In the eighth inning, it was the Nats' turn to benefit from the bizarre.

After back-to-back singles from Norris and Mike Burgess, Tyler Moore walked to load the bases. After strikeouts of Robbie Jacobsen and Nick Moresi, James Thompson walked Chris Curran to score the Nats' second run. The Rocks went to the bullpen, and that contributed to more absurdity.

Eric Basurto balked twice in the same at-bat with Jose Lozada at the plate to score two more runs, and it was 6-4. But Basurto got Lozada to pop out, then struck out the Nats in order in the ninth to earn his third save.

The Nats will go for a series split tomorrow at 1:05 P.M. Adrian Alaniz will counter the lefty John Lamb. The broadcast can be heard beginning at 12:50.

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