Sluggish Start Slows P-Nat Attack

WOODBRIDGE, Va- Needing to win out in the rest of their first-half games to still hang on for hope of a Carolina League first-half title, there was very little room for error for the P-Nats heading into their Tuesday tilt with the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Pfitzner Stadium. Potomac had won seven of eight games from Wilmington in 2009, but the Rocks were ready while the Nats were not. The P-Nats could not overcome a sluggish start and fell behind early, a deficit which they would not overcome in a 9-2 defeat.

Jeff Mandel struggled through his worst outing of 2009 on the hill. The All-Star could not make it through the fourth inning, allowing nine runs on 11 hits while walking three and failing to strike out a batter. The righty was victimized by his defense as well who committed three costly errors in the first inning alone. Mandel (6-4) pitched less than four innings for the first time this season.

The nightmare began in the top of first with a walk to the number two hitter Johnny Giavotella. A Mike Moustakas single and a Mandel error put runners on second and third for Clint Robinson who lined a single to right to score two. Anthony Seratelli would add another RBI knock to make it a 3-0 ballgame.

The Nats would scratch back in the bottom half as Danny Espinosa would push a ground ball through the right side to score Boomer Whiting, who stole his 26th base of the season, to cut into the Blue Rocks' lead at 3-1. Single runs would not be enough, however, to keep Wilmington from Rocking the proverbial P-Nat casbah.

Top prospect Moustakas would lead off the third with a double and score on a rare wild pitch by Mandel. After another Seratelli single made it 5-1, the Blue Rock rout was on. While Wilmington starter Rowdy Hardy (1-0) held the Nats bats in check, the Rocks' lumber would spend the whole night crashing the party.

Robinson doubled to score another run in the top of the fourth, but the big blow came on a two-RBI single from Paolo Orlando to push the lead to 8-1 which would become 9-1 after a bases-loaded walk by Martin Beno.

On a night of few highlights for the P-Nats, Chris Marrero tallied an RBI single and Devin Ivany made his season debut with Potomac after spending parts of the last two seasons with the P-Nats, singling in his lone at-bat in the ninth. A combination of Beno and Cole Kimball would hold the Rocks off the board for the final 5 2/3 frames, but Hardy and three relievers would be as stingy as their teammates' bats were sizzling.

These two teams will square off in the rubber game tomorrow evening with first pitch at 7:05 ET. It will be Ladies Night at Pfitzner Stadium where all ladies get in for half price and receive a carnation from Flowers in Just Hours. It's also Virginia Lottery Second Chance Thursday where fans can bring in all non-winning scratch tickets for an opportunity to purchase buy-one-get-one-free tickets.

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!