CarL1 Potomac Nationals

P-Nats Pummel Hillcats 10-4 to Earn First Place Tie

Published on April 19, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Lynchburg, VA- The Potomac Nationals (9-7, 5-4) pummeled the Lynchburg Hillcats (9-7, 4-5) Saturday night on Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium using a season-high 17 base hits to spear the Hillcats by the final score of 10-4.

In the process, the Nationals tied Lynchburg for the first place spot in the Carolina League's Northern Division as both clubs share a (9-7) win/loss ledger.

Potomac now owns a (7-0) record in games in which they score first after jumping out to a 1-0 advantage in the 1st inning in Game Two of their four-game set with Lynchburg on an RBI single ripped through the deep hole at shortstop by 1B Kevin Keyes, who like CF Will Piwnica-Worms, collected three runs batted in.

Nationals RHP Brian Rauh (1-1) was the winning pitcher after he tossed 5.0 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on five base hits and three walks.

En route to his first win of the season, Rauh struck out a pair and lowered his ERA to 4.58 for the 2014 season.

Lynchburg RHP Mauricio Cabrera did not factor into the decision despite allowing just one unearned run in 3.0 innings on two hits and three walks.

The Hillcats plated two runs in the home half of the 1st frame when P-Nats SS Stephen Perez bobbled a ball laced on the ground by Lynchburg 1B Edison Sanchez allowing one run to score before C Tyler Tewell lofted an RBI sacrifice fly.

Tewell went 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and two RBIs.

Off the losing pitcher of record, Lynchburg LHP Eric Pfisterer (0-2), Potomac plated a trio of runs in the 4th on four consecutive singles all with two outs. Perez punched a run-scoring single through the four hole, DH Mike McQuillan swept a groundball one-base knock into right center field, Worms raked an RBI single through the second base hole, and LF Randolph Oduber pushed a broken-bat run-scoring single through the right side of the infield.

Pfisterer was ineffective in 2.1 innings in which he served up three earned runs on six hits.

Off Rauh, the Hillcats got one run back in their half of the 4th on an RBI 6-3 groundout by DH Levi Hyams to make it a 4-3 Nationals lead.

The Nationals really poured on the runs in the 7th and 8th innings against RHP Patrick Scoggin scoring two and four runs, respectively.

Scoggin was hit hard to the tune of six runs allowed on six hits.

Keyes bashed his third home run of the season off Scoggin in the 7th, a two-run shot blasted over the left field fence, which was his second four-bagger in as many games.

P-Nats 3B Khayaan Norfork rode home on Keyes' four-bagger after knocking an infield single to the left side of the infield. Norfork went 3-for-5 with the bat and scored three runs, knocked in one run with a triple, and walked once in the game.

The quartet of runs in the 8th came across via a two-run single by Worms the other way into right field and the aforementioned Norfork three-bagger cranked to the gap in left center plus an RBI single drilled up the middle by 3B Oscar Tejeda.

Potomac LHP Bryan Harper (H 2) got the hold after pitching in relief of Rauh through the 7th stanza.

Harper surrendered just one earned run in the 8th on an RBI single into right field ripped by Tewell to make it a 10-4 game before RHP Gilberto Mendez retired the side.

Mendez finished the game in the 9th inning despite allowing a single to CF Kyle Wren by inducing a flyout to center field off the bat of 2B Jose Peraza, a 5-3 groundout from LF Josh Elander, and a popout off the lumber of 3B Kevin Ahrens, the hero from Game One, which served as the final out of the game.

On Easter Sunday, a matinee Game Three contest will begin with a 2:05pm first pitch as Potomac RHP Ronald Pena (0-0, 10.97) will battle number one overall Atlanta Braves prospect (Baseball America), RHP Lucas Sims (1-1, 4.20).

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network, which is accessible at www.potomacnationals.com, will broadcast series Game Three on Easter Sunday beginning with the P-Nats Leadoff Show at 1:50pm before the live play-by-play at 2:05pm.

The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed four Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, and 2010) and eight division championships. Most recently, the P-Nats earned a 2013 Carolina League Northern Division pennant. P-Nats 2014 season tickets and mini plans are now on sale. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2014 season and beyond are available. Plan your corporate outing now for the 2014 season to see the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz as the P-Nats offer discounted group rates and all-inclusive picnic options. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the Potomac Nationals Ticket Office at 703-590-2311 for more information!

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Carolina League Stories from April 19, 2014


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