CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats pounce back

Published on August 4, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


LYNCHBURG, Va. - The friendly confines of Calvin Falwell Field have treated the Nationals kindly this season. Potomac improved to 6-2 at the Lynchburg Hillcats home park on Monday night with a 13-7 pounding to take game one of the series. With tonight's defeat, Lynchburg has lost 11 consecutive games which ties the longest losing streak in team history.

There was certainly no shortage of offense by either team but it was the Nationals who prevailed. Tony Watson, who no-hit Potomac over seven innings the last time he faced them had an opposite performance tonight. The left-hander was tagged for eight runs over just 3 1/3 and it did not take long for the P-Nats to light him up. Already ahead 2-0 in the top of the second, Dan Lyons smacked the first of his two doubles on the night to drive in a run. Andrew Lefave followed with a two-run single and Potomac led 5-0.

The advantage grew larger in the top of the fourth thanks to a hit parade that included three doubles. Lyons started the charge with another two-bagger and Lefave's subsequent single drove him in. Lefave was 3-4 on the night with three RBI and a walk. The next batter was Dee Brown whose RBI double not only gave the P-Nats a 7-1 lead but it knocked Watson (6-11) out of the game. Derek Antelo came on in relief but surrendered Aaron Seuss' RBI double and the Hillcats found themselves in an 8-1 hole.

Lynchburg though, seemingly would not go away. Trailing 9-2, the Cats responded with three runs of their own. Hassan Pena was making his third start as a P-Nat but could not get through five innings. Pena walked Kent Sakamoto with one out and then gave up a RBI double to Miles Durham who was the last hitter he faced. The Cuban lasted just 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs on seven hits and did not qualify for his first P-Nats victory. He gave way to Clint Everts who proceeded to surrender a sacrifice fly to Eddie Prasch and a run-scoring single to Danny Bomback cutting the score to 9-5.

With two runs already in on Alex Presley's single, and the score 11-7 in the bottom of the seventh, the Hillcats brought the tying run to the plate. Edulin Abreu walked Brian Friday to load the bases but the right-hander struck out Kent Sakamoto looking on a nasty slider to extinguish the threat.

For every Lynchburg surge, the Nationals had an answer as they scored in every inning except for the third and the eighth. Michael Martinez's three-hit night was punctuated with an RBI single in the seventh. Two more insurance runs came across in the ninth thanks to a wild pitch and a hit batter.

Josh Wilkie (1-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief with three strikeouts to earn his first win of the season.

The two teams combined for 20 runs and 18 hits tonight. Seven of the nine players in the Nationals starting lineup recorded at least one hit. Game two of the series is tomorrow night at City Stadium. Right-hander Jeff Mandel (4-3, 4.13) will start for the P-Nats opposite fellow righty Jared Hughes (3-9, 4.60). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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