CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Potomac Nationals Game Notes

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


POTOMAC NATIONALS (33-29, 75-57) VS. SALEM AVALANCHE (24-38, 54-78)

RHP HASSAN PENA (1-1, 4.99) VS. RHP COREY BASS (4-13, 6.52)

August 25, 2008 -- 7:05 p.m.

G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium

Game #133/Home #68

Internet Webcast -- www.potomacnationals.com

TONIGHT: The Potomac Nationals and Salem Avalanche meet in game one of a four-game series...The P-Nats fell to 0-3 on the current seven-game homestand with an 8-5 loss to Lynchburg last night..Potomac enters today 2.5 games ahead of Wilmington atop the Carolina League Northern Division.

TONIGHT'S STARTER: The Potomac Nationals send right-hander Hassan Pena to the mound trying to notch his second win in a P-Nats uniform...His last start against Kinston last Tuesday lasted just 4 2/3 innings as he allowed six runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking three...In his outing against Myrtle Beach on August 14, Pena walked a career-high six batters in four innings but ended up with a no decision after allowing just two runs on three hits...He earned his first Carolina League win on August 9 by tossing a career-high seven scoreless frames and limiting Winston- Salem to just two hits...In his home debut against Wilmington on July 30, the 23-year-old gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings including a pair of two-run homers to Brad Correll and Kurt Mertins...In six starts with Low-A Hagerstown, the 2006 13thround pick went 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA, striking out 24 in 26 innings...He spent two different stints on the Disabled List with a right shoulder injury and will be limited to 80 pitches.

STILL STANDING TALL: The Potomac Nationals have only spent two days were they were not in or had a share of the division lead since moving to the top spot on April 10...Potomac had a string of 91 straight days in first place snapped with a 4-1 loss to Wilmington on July 9...Last season the Nationals spent 31 consecutive days in first from April 5 through May 5...The P-Nats ended the first half in last place, 10 games under .500 and only saw first place for one day, June 21, after May 5.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?: The Potomac Nationals magic number to clinch the second half Northern Division title is at six...Any combination of Potomac wins and Wilmington losses would net the P-Nats the half title...The Nationals are trying to become the first team in the 31-year history of the franchise to win both halves.

LAST LAUGH FOR LAST PLACE: The Potomac Nationals have had trouble with the two teams they're facing during the final seven-game regular season homestand, Lynchburg and Salem...The P-Nats are just 18-18 against the cellar dwellers in the Northern and Southern Divisions...Against the teams with the three worst overall records for the season (Frederick, Salem and Lynchburg), Potomac is a combined 27-29...Meanwhile, against the other four teams in the league, the Nationals are 48-28.

SWEPT UNDER THE RUG: The Potomac Nationals were the last team in the Carolina League to get swept this season after losing all three games to Lynchburg to open up the final regular season homestand...The club has swept every team in the league except Salem.

FUN AT THE PFITZ: With last night's crowd of 2,111, the Potomac Nationals season attendance reached 172,264, surpassing 2004's total of 170,278...It is the largest single season attendance since 2002 when 182,059 fans entered Pfitzner Stadium...The franchise record is 220,145 set back in 1998.

ROSTER MOVES: The Potomac Nationals announced today that infielder Matt Rogelstad has rejoined the team after appearing in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and making a brief stint with Double-A Harrisburg...To create room on the active roster for Rogestad, Edulin Abreu has been placed on the disabled list with an infected left knee.

EYE ON 80: With Wednesday night's win, the Potomac Nationals matched the 1984 Prince William Pirates for second-most wins in a single season...On August 12 the P-Nats became just the eighth team in the 31-year history of the Alexandria/Prince William/Potomac franchise to win at least 70 games...The last time the franchise netted at least 70 wins was 1998 when it was still known as the Prince William Cannons...The win marked the first time the franchise won 70 games in a season since changing its name to Potomac in 1999...The most wins in a season came in 1982 when the Alexandria Dukes won 80 games.

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Carolina League Stories from August 25, 2008


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