Schwartz Dominates Pelicans in 9-2 Rout
Myrtle Beach, SC-The Potomac Nationals (33-24, 13-13) crushed the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-27, 12-13) in series Game Two, 9-2 on Tuesday evening at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on the strength of a stellar starting outing by RHP Blake Schwartz (5-1), the winning pitcher, as well as a pair of four-run frames.
Potomac has now won seven consecutive games and remain (9-1) in their last ten games played.
Schwartz gunned through 7.0 stanzas to win his fifth start of the season, a staff-best win mark. Schwartz scattered three singles allowed to CF Jake Skole, LF Chris Grayson, and SS Luis Sardinas, and struck out five batters.
Schwartz retired the Pelicans in order in the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th innings and picked off two runners in the contest, Skole in the opening inning and 3B Drew Robinson in the 5th.
Potomac collected their first four-run inning in the 4th off the losing pitcher, RHP Alec Asher (4-4), courtesy of an RBI single off the bat of RF Randolph Oduber, who went 3-for-5 with one runs scored, a rare two-RBI infield single chopped in back of the second base bag by LF Billy Burns, and a run scoring one-base knock nailed into center field by 1B Caleb Ramsey.
Asher, facing Potomac for the first time in 2013, went 3.2 innings and surrendered four earned runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in his second shortest starting outing of the season.
The Nationals tacked on an additional run in the 7th off Myrtle Beach RHP Paul Schwendel, who allowed a total of five runs, four earned, via a liner into center field sent by Oduber to give the P-Nats a 5-0 lead.
The additional four-run frame in the 8th was highlighted by a Ramsey fielder's choice RBI groundball, an RBI single cut into left center field by CF Michael Taylor, and a two-run single lashed into center field by 2B Adrian Sanchez, who had a 3-for-5 night at the plate with two runs scored.
Nationals RHP Colin Bates pitched a scoreless 8th inning despite allowing a leadoff double to Robinson and a walk to RF Preston Beck.
Potomac RHP Rob Wort, despite two strikeouts, allowed two earned runs in the 9th on a broken bat RBI single from Grayson and a run scoring single yanked by Robinson.
P-Nats RHP Greg Holt came into to retire the last batter of the game, Beck, and fanned the side by committee getting Beck to hack at an offering to the end the game.
Game Three on Wednesday night with a 7:05pm first pitch will feature a terrific pitching matchup in Potomac LHP Robbie Ray (3-2, 2.60) versus Myrtle Beach RHP Nick Martinez (4-2, 2.70), with two of the best hurlers in the Carolina going at it.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming with the P-Nats Baseball Lead-Off Show at 6:50pm in preparation for the live play-by-play at 7:05pm. Broadcast coverage of Potomac Nationals Baseball 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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