Nationals Blanked by Winston-Salem in Series Finale
Woodbridge, VA- The Winston Salem Dash (17-19, 9-11) shutout the Potomac Nationals (20-17, 12-9) on Monday evening at Pfitzner Stadium in 7-0 fashion as the hosting club mustered just six total base hits in the Game Four finale. The victory for Winston-Salem halted Potomac's five-game winning streak and prevented the Dash from being swept in a four-game series for the first time since June of 2008.
This was only the second time in 2013 the Potomac Nationals were blanked by their opposition.
Winston-Salem RHP Bryan Blough was terrific in his eighth start of the season going 7.0 scoreless frames and allowing five hits and three hits, while striking out eight.
Potomac LHP Robbie Ray was pulled from the game after 3.0 innings in which he surrendered a pair of earned runs on two hits with two walks and a whopping seven strikeouts. Ray fanned the side in the 1st inning and in the process, 3B Jeremy Farrell was ejected by home plate umpire, Dan Merzel, for arguing balls and strikes. Farrell was replaced in the field at third base and in the two spot of the Dash lineup by 3B David Herbek who went on to have a successful 2-for-2, three RBI night at the plate. Ray threw 36 pitches in the 3rd inning to summon his exit from the game.
The Dash plated two runs in the 3rd inning on an infield single that spiraled passed the glove of SS Jason Martinson and into shallow left field to allow DH Mark Tracy, who walked, to score. Then, SS Chris Curley lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to center field plating 1B Martin Medina, who reached via a double to left field.
Winston-Salem poured two more runs on in the 5th inning as Herbek belted a run-scoring sacrifice fly up the right field chalk in foul ground to bring home CF Yoandy Barroso, who punched a leadoff single through the right side of the infield to get aboard. The catch of the game occurred when C Kevan Smith blasted a high drive to dead center field and CF Michael Taylor scaled the outfield wall like Spider-Man and came down with the baseball possibly robbing Smith of a home run shot. On an errant throw amidst a double steal airmailed by Nationals C Adrian Nieto, that sailed off the glove of 2B Adrian Sanchez, 2B Joey DeMichele came in to touch home plate.
In the 6th stanza, Herbek blooped an RBI single into left center field to wheel home Tracy after a leadoff single ripped into center field allowed the designated hitter on base.
Nationals LHP Christian Meza tossed 3.0 innings out of the bullpen relieving Ray and gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits, while walking two and fanning three.
Potomac RHP Colin Bates dealt 2.0 scoreless frames despite hitting two batters amidst a trio of strikeouts.
With two more runs in the 9th inning off of RHP Derek Self courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Tracy to score the double of RF Mark Haddow and a solo home run that just stayed fair inside the left field foul pole off the lumber of Medina, his first four-bagger of the 2013 season.
Winston-Salem RHP Jeremy Erben retired the P-Nats in order in the 9th inning to seal the shutout win on getaway night as Nieto lined out hard to center field and DH Kevin Keyes along with RF Caleb Ramsey fanned hacking.
The Potomac Nationals host the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals) for a three-game series to wrap up this current seven-game homestand sending RHP Rob Gilliam (0-0, 0.00) to the mound to battle Wilmington RHP Aaron Brooks (0-3, 4.99). Gilliam makes his 2013 P-Nats debut after spending the beginning of the campaign on the disabled list.
Tuesday night will be a Two-For-Tuesday with two-for-one offers on general admission tickets, hot dogs, and sodas.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming with the P-Nats Baseball Pre-Game Show at 6:50PM before the live play-by-play at 7:05pm. Broadcast coverage is accessible by heading to www.potomacnationals.com.
The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. P-Nats 2013 season tickets and mini plans are on sale now. Sponsorship opportunities for the '13 season are now available. Plan your corporate outing now in preparation for the summer months as the P-Nats offer discounted group rates and all-inclusive picnic options. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the ticket office at 703-590-2311 for more!
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