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CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats Game Notes for August 9

August 9, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


POTOMAC NATIONALS (26-16, 63-46) VS. WILMINGTON BLUE ROCKS (25-15, 63-46)

RHP Brad Peacock (1-1, 8.00) vs. LHP Ray Liotta (4-2, 3.66)

August 9, 2009 -- 1:05 p.m.

G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium - Woodbridge, Virginia

Game #110/Home #53

TODAY: The Potomac Nationals can salvage a split and reclaim sole possession of first place in the Northern Division if they can pull off a victory in this afternoon's finale against the Wilmington Blue Rocks from Pfitzner Stadium. The "Blue Crew" saw their franchise record 12-game winning streak come to an end last night and these two clubs are once again in a virtual tie for the final playoff spot coming out of the North. Since the All-Star break, the P-Nats have owned at least a share of first place in all but two days and will hope to improve on their Carolina League-best 14-6 record from "The Pfitz" in this afternoon tilt. Potomac once led the North by as many as 4.5 games back on July 27.

VS. THE ROCKS: With yesterday's win, the P-Nats lead this season series 10-6 over the Blue Rocks including six consecutive victories from April 30-June 15. Potomac is still under .500 (4-5) on the year against their division rivals from the comforts of Pfitzner Stadium. After being outscored in 13-2, the P-Nats crushed the Rocks league-best pitching staff 9-0 on Saturday night. The Nationals offense is hitting just .273 against Wilmington and after his huge night yesterday, Michael Burgess has driven in a team-high 11 runs vs. the Rocks. Tom Milone's efforts (6.1IP, 0ER, 6K) yesterday helped Potomac notch their league-high 12th shutout of the season with six of those blankings coming at the expense of the "Blue Crew."

TODAY'S OPPOSING STARTER: LHP Ray Liotta (a distant cousin of the actor), 25, was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft by the Chicago White Sox out of Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida. While there, Liotta earned the 2004 Panhandle Conference Pitcher of the Year honors by finishing 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA. In his first year in the White Sox system, Liotta led the Pioneer League in ERA with a 2.54 clip with Great Falls and was rated as the No. 5 prospect in the league by Baseball America. The following season, the left-hander was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher in the Low-A South Atlantic League and also was a midseason All-Star selection in 2005. He led all White Sox farmhands in ERA (2.02), ranked second in innings (165.0), and third in wins (14) and strikeouts (144). He even entered the 2006 campaign ranked as the 8th-best prospect in the White Sox organization by Baseball America. Sadly, Liotta's career was sidetracked after undergoing Tommy John surgery that cost the southpaw the entire 2007 season. Kansas City then selected the White Sox prospect out of the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft in December of 2007.

Liotta has made his money this season working as a piggyback hurler for the Blue Rocks Eduardo Paulino and as a spot starter for Manager Brian Rupp's ballclub. As a starter this season, Liotta is 2-2 with a 5.34 ERA in seven appearances with his last start coming on July 12 in Salem where he shutout the Red Sox over 6.0 innings of work. He's faced the P-Nats on five separate occasions and blanked Potomac in four relief appearances (5.0IP, 2BB, 5K). In his only start against the Nationals (May 5th), Liotta suffered his last defeat allowing four runs on seven hits in 4.1 IP from "the Pfitz."

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Carolina League Stories from August 9, 2009


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