CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Potomac Nationals Game Notes

Published on April 25, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


POTOMAC NATIONALS (13-5) @ FREDERICK KEYS (11-8)

RHP JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (2-0, 0.61) VS. RHP JAKE ARRIETA (1-0, 2.75)

April 25, 2008 -- 7:00 p.m.

Harry Grove Stadium

Game #19/Road #10

Internet Webcast -- www.potomacnationals.com

TONIGHT: The Potomac Nationals and Frederick Keys meet for the first time this season in game one of a three-game series...The P-Nats had their second scheduled off day yesterday after dropping the series finale against the Winston-Salem Warthogs, 7-5, on Wednesday afternoon...Potomac has a 2 1/2 game lead over Frederick for the lead in the Carolina League Northern Division.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Potomac Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann makes his third start of the season...Last time out, the 21-year-old worked five scoreless frames against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, allowing three hits and striking out six...The former second-round pick has been the Nationals' best and most consistent starter to this point in the season allowing just one earned run in 14 2/3 innings ranking second in the league in ERA (0.61) and holding opposing hitters to a .128 average against...The Wisconsin-native was credited with his first professional save after getting out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth and pitching four scoreless innings in relief of Washington Nationals right-hander Shawn Hill on April 8...Frederick right-hander Jake Arrieta makes his fifth start of the season for the Keys tonight...Selected in the fifth-round of last June's draft, the 22-year-old left his last start in line for the win after working a season-high 7 1/3 innings and holding Winston-Salem to just two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out eight; however, the Frederick bullpen couldn't hold the lead in a 3-2 loss...The former TCU Horned Frog ranks second in the league in strikeouts (26) and K'ed nine Lynchburg Hillcats in just four innings in his debut on April 4th...Arrieta has walked 12 batters in 19 2/3 innings including four in two of his last three outings, but has held opponents to a .154 average against...He did not allow a run in 16 innings on the mound while making his professional debut with the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.

ONE VERSUS TWO: The top two teams in the Carolina League Northern Division match up in tonight's contest in Advanced-A's version of the "Battle of the Beltway" pitting the Nationals against the Orioles...Last season Frederick took 12 of the 19 games played between the two squads including clinching the first half Northern Division title with a 9-8, 10-inning victory on June 16th at Harry Grove Stadium...That was also the last time the P-Nats lost an extra inning game as the club has won seven straight in extra frames since...The series will also feature Potomac's top-ranked pitching staff in terms of ERA (2.39) against Frederick's top-hitting team in terms of batting average (.265).

WE'RE NUMBER ONE: The three-game series between the P-Nats and Keys features five former first-round draft picks including Potomac's Ross Detwiler (2007 #6 overall) and Chris Marrero (2006 #15 overall) and Frederick's Matt Wieters (2007 #5 overall), Bill Rowell (2006 #9 overall) and Brandon Snyder (2005 #13 overall)...Nine top-ten prospects according to Baseball America will be represented including the Nationals' Marrero (#1), Detwiler (#2) and Zimmermann (#7) and the Orioles' Wieters (#1), Rowell (#5), Snyder (#6), Arrieta (#7), Pedro Beato (#9) and Bradon Erbe (#10).

TOUGH AND TIGHT: Of the Potomac Nationals first 18 games, 12 have been decided by three runs or less including seven one-run games...The P-Nats are 7-5 in those games and 4-3 in the one-run contests...The club is a perfect 6-0 in games decided by more than three runs, outscoring its' opponent 48-15...The Nationals five losses have come by a combined seven runs.

LD-DAY: Potomac Nationals' third baseman Leonard Davis has been on a tear since being activated from the Disabled List on Saturday...The 24-year-old has a hit in each of his first four games and is 6-for-14 with half of his hits going for home runs...After crushing a two-run homer in his first at-bat against Wilmington on Saturday, Davis has homered in each of the last two games to take the team lead...Last season, the California-native hit a career-best 20 home runs in time between Low-A Hagerstown and Potomac...The Potomac Nationals lead the Carolina League with 14 home runs as a team.

FIRST ROUND PICK-LE: The Washington Nationals first overall draft picks each of the last two seasons have been struggling as of late with the P-Nats...Last year's number one pick Ross Detwiler lasted just 2/3 of an inning on Wednesday and was pulled to due pitch count (40) after giving up two runs and three hits and suffering the loss against Winston-Salem...Chris Marrero, 2006's first choice, is marred in a 1-for-25 (.040) slump at the plate after having a six-game hit streak end last Tuesday...One encouraging sign for the 19-year-old, he has walked five times and struck out only four over that span.

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