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CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats Hold On To Take Series From P-Cans

August 27, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC- Needing to continue to win to keep pace with the suddenly streaking Wilmington Blue Rocks, the P-Nats took care of business once again in Myrtle Beach, using a combination of four relievers to silence the Pelican bats in the finale of their four-game set by the score of 5-3.

In what was deemed a "bullpen" game by Trent Jewett, reliever Osvaldo Rodriguez got the nod on the hill to begin the ballgame against lefty Richard Sullivan. Rodriguez rose to the occasion, tossing 3 1/3 innings, surrendering just a single run on two hits while striking out three.

The Pelicans took an early lead with a run in the second inning on a one-out double from Chris Shehan to score Gerry Rodriguez, giving the P-Cans a 1-0 lead. That lead would last for just one inning as the P-Nats knotted the game in the fourth with a solo home run off the bat of Jesus Valdez, his sixth of the year to keep "Zeus" scorching at the plate.

The following inning, the P-Nats found themselves with just one runner on base and two down in the frame, but the team would mount a two-out rally that would mean the difference in the ballgame for Potomac.

Boomer Whiting lined a base hit into centerfield to score Tim Pahuta with the go-ahead run, and Michael Martinez followed with a single into left to put two runners aboard. A Sullivan (2-12) balk moved the baserunners to second and third base for Danny Espinosa who walloped a three-run round-tripper deep into the seats in left field, his 16th blast of the season to break the game open at 5-1.

Donell Linares cut the lead in half with a two-run blast in the sixth inning off reliever Justin Phillabaum to cut the lead to 5-3, and all of a sudden the Pelicans players and their fans had woken up from their three-game slumber.

But with the P-Cans primed for a comeback and a series split, Dan Leatherman came out in the seventh inning to slam the door for the final three frames. Leatherman, in picking up his fifth save of the season, threw three excellent innings, surrendering just one hit while striking out two to close out the ballgame for the P-Nats.

Lefty Ricardo Pecina (1-0) picked up his first Carolina League victory with 1 2/3 innings in relief of Rodriguez, striking out three in the process.

The P-Nats, having won the series three games to one, will now head to Kinston for a three-game set against the Indians. Unfortunately for the P-Nats, with Wilmington's sixth straight win, the team remains 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Rocks.

Game time is 7 ET on Friday evening, and you can catch all the action live on www.potomacnationals.com with Dan McGinn and Anthony Masterson starting with the pregame show at 6:40 ET.

For more information on tickets, daily promotions, and all things P-Nats, call (703) 590-2311 or log onto www.potomacnationals.com to join the party!

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Carolina League Stories from August 27, 2009


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