CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Potomac Drops Series Finale in Seesaw Affair

Published on July 9, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC- Looking to sweep the three-game road series from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the P-Nats were resilient in coming back from a late inning deficit as the two teams would play bonus baseball on getaway day. A lined shot off the bat of Jesus Sucre, however, would end the contest as the Pelicans would walk off on the P-Nats in a seesaw affair by the score of 6-5.

Jeff Mandel would start on the hill for Potomac, and the righty tossed six excellent innings. The Baylor product allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out four. Mandel, however, would leave with a no-decision in this ballgame though he pitched well enough to earn his eighth win of the season.

The P-Nats would strike first in the series finale, notching two runs in the top of the third inning on a two-run, two-out single by Sean Rooney to put Potomac on top 2-0. Rooney was on his way to a 4-for-5 night at the plate as the P-Nats' catcher notched three RBI and raised his batting average to .312.

Some suspect defense would plague the P-Nats in the bottom of the fourth inning as two Dan Nelson errors on one play would give the Pelicans their first run, and the home team would plate another on an RBI groundout from Luis Sumoza.

The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Pelicans would push the go-ahead runs across on a two-run single from Michael Fisher against reliever Cole Kimball to make it a 4-2 game.

Potomac would strike back quickly plating three runs of their own in the top of the eighth inning. Boomer Whiting led off with an infield single and Rooney would blast a double off the top of the right-center field wall to score Whiting to cut the Pelican lead in half, 4-3. Danny Espinosa would bounce an infield single to put runners on the corners with nobody out for the heart of the order. A hit batter would load the bases for Francisco Plasencia and Plasencia would loft a fly ball to left field to score Espinosa with the go-ahead run to make it a 5-4 game.

Plasencia would go 2-for-3 to extend his league-leading hitting streak to 15 games.

With Kimball still on the hill, Myrtle Beach would bounce right back as Gerry Rodriguez blasted a Kimball offering off the scoreboard in left to tie the game at five.

The game would remain tied until the tenth inning. Coming into the contest, the P-Nats were 9-1 in extra-inning affairs including 5-1 on getaway day bonus baseball, but the Pelicans would put the finishing touches on this ballgame in the bottom half of the frame. While the P-Nats were unable to get any of their two-out rallies to account for runs, Myrtle Beach loaded the bases with two outs off Martin Beno (1-3).

Jesus Sucre then roped a sharp ground ball to third baseman Stephen King that glanced off his glove and skipped into left field to bring home the winning run for the homestanding Pelicans.

Rudy Darrow (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to get the win for the Pelicans.

The P-Nats will now board the bus to head to Kinston to take on the Indians in a three-game set from Grainger Stadium. Game time on Friday is set for 7:05 ET. You can catch all the action live on www.potomacnationals.com with Dan McGinn and Anthony Masterson starting with the pregame show at 6:45 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 July 9, 2009


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