CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Pyrrhic Victory for P-Nats in Salem Opener

Published on May 21, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


(SALEM, VA) The Potomac Nationals won the opening game from the Salem Red Sox Friday night, but that result was an afterthought in light of a frightening injury to Derek Norris. Norris was hit in the head with a fastball and taken to a local hospital in an ambulance after lying motionless on the field for nearly ten minutes. Official reports were that Norris was conscious and moving his extremeties, a huge relief following a sobering scene that quieted the fans at Lewis-Gale Field and put the 5-4 victory into its proper perspective.

The P-Nats took the opener on a night that Stolmy Pimentel looked poised to dominate for the second straight start (last time out, the righthander threw six perfect innings). Pimentel held the Nats off the scoreboard for the first five innings on just two hits and one walk.

He was staked to a 2-0 lead in the third. After John Hee was hit by a pitch from Adrian Alaniz - who was pressed into the start when Marcos Frias was placed on the DL - to open the innning, Mitch Dening laid down a perfect bunt single. Will Middlebrooks then singled in a run and Oscar Tejeda hit a sacrifice fly to center.

Potomac finally got to Pimentel in the sixth. A one out walk to Steve Lombardozzi sparked the rally. Norris then singled to left on the first pitch. Mike Burgess singled softly to center to score Lombardozzi and bring up Tim Pahuta. Pahuta rocketed a triple to center field that scored a pair, gave the Nats a lead and chase Pimentel.

Salem answered back with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to regain the lead and set the stage for the scary seventh. After Nick Moresi reached on a dropped third strike to open the seventh, Jose Lozada was hit by a pitch. Boomer Whiting sacrificed them both over before Lombardozzi walked again to load the bases. Norris came to the plate to face Zach Hammes, who joined the Red Sox just today. A high fastball gave Norris no time to react and the distrubing scene unfolded. After Norris was taken to a local hospital, Mike Burgess's RBI groundout gave the Nats a lead they would never relinquish.

Martin Beno earned his second save, but not without drama. The Red Sox loaded the bases in the ninth, but a strikeout of Ryan Dent ended the proceedings.

The two clubs resume the series Saturday at 6:05 P.M. The broadcast can be heard online beginning at 5:45.

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