CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Potomac Nationals Game Notes at Down East

Published on May 3, 2017 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Overall Game #25 of 140

Potomac Nationals-WASHINGTON (13-11 Overall, 8-6 Road, 3-2 S. Div.) vs. Down East Wood Ducks (12-14 Overall, 6-10 Home, 7-7 N. Div.) WEDNESDAY, 5/3/17 (11:00 am) Road Game #15 of 70 TODAY'S PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RHP Jefry Rodriguez (2-1, 4.30) vs. Wood Ducks LHP Jeffrey Springs (0-2, 5.82) Grainger Stadium (4,100) LAST TIME OUT... The P-Nats bounced back in the second game of the series and won 4-2 after another fantastic start from LHP Hector Silvestre (3-0). Although the left-hander didn't get the decision, the P-Nats now move to 5-0 in games where Silvestre starts the contest. The 24-year old went 6.1 innings and allowed just one earned run (two overall runs) on seven hits and two walks. His six strikeouts in the game set an individual season high. RHP Kyle Schepel was brilliant in relief throwing 2.2 perfect innings. Over his past three appearances, Schepel has not allowed a hit, run, or walk in 6.2 consecutive innings. Potomac trailed twice in this game, overcoming a one-run deficit each time to defeat the Wood Ducks. The Red, White and Blue scored the final three runs of the game in the seventh and eighth to even the series at a game a-piece heading into this morning's rubber match. SS Edwin Lora tied the score with a fielder's choice in the seventh and 1B Ian Sagdal put the P-Nats up for good with a single to center with OF Victor Robles on third. C Taylor Gushue registered an RBI in his sixth straight game to give Potomac all the insurance it would need to secure the victory. OF Telmito Agustin also registered his first home run in the Carolina League in the top of the third inning. RETURNING PLAYERS... The P-Nats are returning 13 players from their roster from the 2016 season. The returning pitchers are RHP Dakota Bacus, LHP Matt Crownover, RHP Wirkin Estevez, LHP R.C. Orlan, RHP Luis Reyes, LHP Hector Silvestre, C Jake Lowery, INF Austin Davidson, 3B Kelvin Gutierrez, INF David Masters, INF Bryan Mejia, OF Dale Carey, and OF Victor Robles. Last season, the P-Nats finished in second place in the Northern Division with a record of (73-65). In the final playoff game of the season, Robles started in CF, Davidson at DH, Gutierrez at 3B, Mejia at 2B and Carey in LF. Returning pitchers Matthew Crownover and RC Orlan threw a combined 7.2 innings in the 3-1 loss on September 9th, 2016. Just over half the team has donned the Red, White and Blue in their career and most of these players have played together at some point and continue to move through the rankings together.

INTERNATIONAL FLARE... The P-Nats are proud to boast 10 international players to begin the season, including an all Dominican-born pitching rotation. RHP Luis Reyes (Sabana Grande de Palenque, DR), RHP Joan Baez (San Cristobal, DR), LHP Hector Silvestre (San Pedro De Macoris, DR) and RHP Jefry Rodriguez (Haina, DR) begin the season as the starting rotation for Potomac. Other foreign-born players include RHP Wirkin Estevez (Santo Domingo, DR), 3B Kelvin Gutierrez (Pimentel, DR), 2B Bryan Mejia (Bani, DR), INF Edwin Lora (Santo Domingo, DR), OF Telmito Agustin (Carlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands), and OF Victor Robles (Santo Domingo Este, DR). All international players have signed since 2010 when Washington revamped their international scouting and signings. Estevez's signing in 2010 makes him a pioneer for the Nationals Dominican Academy that has now created an influx of Major League talent from the Dominican Republic. The 2013 international free agent class is the most highly touted on this roster. Robles (#1), Gutierrez (#16), and Agustin (#28) were all signed in 2013 and make up 3/5 of the Baseball America top prospects for the Nationals that begin the season in Woodbridge. TOP PROSPECTS... Potomac's Opening Day Roster contains five of Baseball America's top prospects in the Nationals organization. OF Victor Robles is the most coveted prospect in the Nationals organization at the moment, and he begins the season with the P-Nats. According to Baseball America, Robles is the top prospect in the Washington system and is ranked in the top 20 overall by every writer in the Prospect Handbook. Robles is a 19-year old prospect who is considered a five-tool player with average-near elite rankings in every skill set. 3B Kelvin Gutierrez is considered the 16th best prospect for the Nationals in 2017. He also is considered to have the best arm in the infield in the entire farm system. INF Edwin Lora (#23), OF Telmito Agustin (#28), and RHP Joan Baez (#29) round out the list for Baseball America top prospects. MLB.com Pipeline also places OF Rhett Wiseman 22nd on their list of top prospects.

GUSHUE IN... Taylor Gushue has an RBI in each of his last six games after driving in a run last night in the eighth inning. He now has 21 RBIs in 2017 which leads the P-Nats and is third in the Carolina League. Gushue has reached base in 10 consecutive games and has a hit in his past seven. Gushue is the team leader in power with 7 home runs and a SLG % of .667 and an OPS of 1.027. He also tops the CL in HRs and SLG so far this season. #FOLKLORA... SS Edwin Lora has paced the P-Nats and the Carolina League in offense in 2017. He leads the team in R (17), BB (10) and SB (6) and is second in H (26) and AVG (.351). His .351 AVG and .443 OBP are second in the Carolina League. APRIL POWER BRINGS MAY FLOWERS...

With 8 home runs over the last five April games, Potomac finished the month of April with 22 home runs. That total paces the Carolina League. The P-Nats are also league leaders in SLG and currently sit in second for team OBP and Runs Scored and 4th in AVG. Taylor Gushue leads the team with five homers, followed by Sagdal with four. Four other players hit two home runs already this season, as there has not been an absence of power from the P-Nats in 2017

-1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, 2014 CAROLINA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS -

Upcoming Games and Pitching Probables (Third Game of three-Game Series) Thursday, May 4th vs. LYNCHBURG HILLCATS 7:05 pm Potomac RHP Joan Baez (0-3, 8.27) vs. Lynchburg RHP Shao-Ching Chiang (3-1, 1.71) Friday, May 5th vs. LYNCHBURG HILLCATS 7:05 pm Potomac RHP Wirkin Estevez (1-1, 5.24) vs. Lynchburg RHP Matt Esparza (1-2, 2.77) Saturday, May 6th vs. LYNCHBURG HILLCATS 6:35 pm Potomac RHP Luis Reyes (1-4, 4.50) vs. Lynchburg P TBD

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