CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Potomac Pitching Puts "K" in K-Tribe

Published on July 18, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


WOODBRIDGE, Va- For the 6,869 raucous fans at Pfitzner Stadium for Saturday night's fireworks extravaganza, the Potomac Nationals and Kinston Indians supplied plenty of bombs bursting in air before the sun would set over the trees beyond the outfield fence. In a pitcher's duel that saw both gunslingers in top form on the mound, a combination of Terrence Engles and Atahualpa Severino proved a quicker draw than Russell Young and Chen-Chang Lee as the P-Nats held on for a 2-1 victory on Saturday night.

In a game that saw just three combined runs and eight total hits, the men on the mound got top billing. Terrence Engles, an outstanding surprise for Trent Jewett's ballclub so far in 2009, continued his sensational summer, throwing 6 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out six. The organizational leader in strikeouts with 105 in 97 innings pitched, Engles (4-3) retired 17 Indian batters in a row at one point in his outing.

Unfortunately for Engles, however, Kinston starter Russell Young was up to the task and matched Engles pitch for pitch. Young carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before running into trouble. Young (2-5) went 6 2/3 frames allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out four.

The fifth would mark the first moment that the P-Nats would get to the young lefty. A Chris Marrero single to center with one out would bust up the no-no, and Francisco Plasencia would follow with a grounder that found its way into right field. Marrero advanced to third on the base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly from Michael Martinez to plate the game's first run and give the P-Nats a 1-0 lead.

Devin Ivany would blast his second home run of the season leading off the bottom of the sixth inning to give the P-Nats a bit of breathing room at 2-0, but in a game with plenty of twists and turns, the K-Tribe were primed for comeback.

With Engles still on the mound, two singles and a walk would load the bases with just one out, ending the night for Engles. Atahualpa Severino would be faced with a tall task with the bases loaded and only out, but these situations have been where "Wahpah" has excelled in 2009. Coming into the game, Severino had inherited 24 baserunners and allowed just three of them to score. An Adam Davis RBI single would cut the Nats' lead in half, but Wahpah would buckle down and strike out both Richard Martinez and Ryan Blair swinging to end the inning as the crowd went crazy.

Severino set the K-Tribe down in order in the eighth and ninth, putting an exclamation point on the P-Nats' third consecutive series win at Pfitzner Stadium by striking out Ron Rivas swinging to end the game.

In the first two games of this series, P-Nats pitching has struck out 21 Indians hitters, finding new ways to put the "K" in K-Tribe.

The final game of the homestand will take place on Sunday, July 19 with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 ET. The P-Nats will be beginning a brand new promotion as Kids Eat Free on Sundays at Pfitzner Stadium!. All kids 12 and under will receive a voucher upon entering the stadium that is good for one free regular hot dog and 12oz fountain soft drink. Gates open at noon and fans can receive autographs from select P-Nats players before the game. After the final out is recorded, fans can come down to the outfield to take part in Family Toss with the P-Nats by playing a game of catch on the outfield grass.

As always at Pfitzner Stadium, kids run the bases after every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday home games courtesy of Glory Days Grill.

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 18, 2009


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