CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats Handle ERA Leader, Win 9-4

Published on May 25, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


The Potomac Nationals tagged the Carolina League's ERA leader for five earned runs in five innings as they evened the series with a 9-4 win over Kinston Tuesday night.

T.J. McFarland came into the game with a league-best 1.07 ERA and finished his evening with his first loss of the season. McFarland fell to 5-1 as the K-Tribe dropped to 24-22. Potomac improved to 21-25 and is once again tied with Wilmington for second place in the Northern Division, six games behind the Frederick Keys.

Adrian Alaniz earned the win for the P-Nats, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innigns in relief of Potomac starter Pat Lehman, who struggled with his control early in the game.

Lehman walked the first batter he faced, balked, and then hit the No. 2 hitter. Kyle Bellows singled to right, loading the bases, and Abner Abreu hit a bases-clearing double to give the Indians a 3-0 lead before an out was recorded.

But Lehman regained his composure quickly. The right-hander struck out the next three batters in succession to end the first. He went on to limit Kinston to just one unearned run on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He finished with five strikeouts.

Lehman had plenty of help from his offense in the bottom half of an action-packed opening frame. Will Ortiz started the rally with a one-out single, then moved over to third on a single off the bat of Michael Burgess. Tyler Moore sent both runners home with a double to deep left-center. As Tim Pahuta grouned out, Moore advanced to third before Robby Jacobsen went deep over the left-field wall, giving the P-Nats a 4-3 lead after one.

Moore finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI after an 0-for-6 outing the previous night. Ortiz was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI and Burgess was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI.

Although Kinston tied the game in the third as Karexon Sanchez scored on a fielding error by Lehman, these two clubs were not destined for another 15-inning marathon.

Lombardozzi walked to lead off the fifth and made his way around to third on an Ortiz single and a Burgess ground out. He scored as Moore broke the tie with his third RBI of the night. Lombardozzi was 2-for-4 with three runs in the game.

As Alaniz held the K-Tribe scoreless through the eighth inning, the P-Nats bought more insurance.

Lombardozzi doubled to lead off the seventh and later scored on a sacrifice-bunt-throwing-error by Ortiz. He then scored from second on a Burgess single.

Wilfri Pena hit a two-out solo-shot in the eighth, the Lombardozzi followed with a triple. Ortiz drove in Lombardozzi with a single to left, securing the 9-4 win.

Cole Kimball closed the game for Potomac, striking out two in the ninth for a total of 13 team strikeouts on the night.

Potomac hosts Kinston in the rubber match Wednesday at 7:03 p.m. The K-Tribe's Nick Hagadone will square off against Potomac's Evan Bronson.

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Carolina League Stories from May 25, 2010


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