Hardy, Blue Rocks too much for Nats

Rowdy Hardy allowed two runs on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings of work as Wilmington defeated visiting Potomac, 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon.

Hardy (5-0) struck out five and walked one en route to picking up his fourth straight win. The southpaw retired the first 12 batters he faced and did not allow a runner past first base until the sixth inning.

Hardy's 1.22 ERA is the best in the Carolina League, and he has issued just five walks over 51 2/3 innings pitched this season. Yovany D'Amico pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings in relief of Hardy and notched his first save.

The Blue Rocks (23-22) got on the board in the first inning. Joe Duarte drew a leadoff walk and eventually stole home as part of a double steal, and Kila Kaaihue lofted a sacrifice fly later in the frame. Mario Lisson and Kaaihue hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the third, while Brett Bigler contributed a run-scoring single in the sixth.

The Nationals (20-23) finally broke through against Hardy in the seventh, as Edgardo Baez hit an RBI double and came home on Francisco Plasencia's groundout.

Clint Everts (1-5) took the loss, yielding five runs -- four earned -- on five hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings. David Trahan followed with 2 1/3 perfect frames. --Benjamin Hill/MLB.com