NationalsProspects.com

Last Night In Woodbridge

Like a lot of uber-matchups, neither Potomac starter Nathan Karns nor Frederick starter Dylan Bundy figured in the decision for this one.

Instead, it was the battle of the bullpens, which the Potomac Nationals lost by turning a 4-0 lead into a 6-4 loss, the fourth straight for the P-Nats.

The disintegration began in the sixth inning, when Karns was beginning to tire but had a 4-0 lead. He had given up a two-out double followed by an infield single before he was lifted. Matt Swynenberg came in and promptly gave up a single, walk, and another single to center that sent in two runners. Suddenly, it was 4-3, and things looked much less certain.

In the bottom half, Potomac got a two-out single from Adrian Sanchez. With major-league rehab Chad Tracy coming up, Frederick went to the ‘pen to summon southpaw Trent Walters to face the lefthander. Instead, Sanchez was picked off to end the frame.

The collapse was completed in the ninth inning. Rob Wort was in his second inning of work, but the first wasn’t particularly stressful — a leadoff single, then a dropped fly to shallow center that was turned into an out, a strikeout, and then a flyout to right — but simply looked flat. A walk, a single, and then a towering shot over the RF wall gave the Keys a 6-4 lead.

As a former starter, Walters was fine to begin a fourth inning of relief. Erick Fernandez led off with sharp single up the middle to bring up the tying run, but Sanchez struck out and both Tracy and Rick Hague flew out to deep center to end the game.

Walters would finish with just two hits and no walks given up over three and 1/3rd innings. Swynenberg and Wort would combine for the same three and a 1/3rd, but with four runs on seven hits and two walks while letting in both inherited runners.

Offensively, Potomac would rap out 12 hits but struggled in the clutch (1-for-7 with RISP). Fernandez, Sanchez, and Stephen King would combine for nine hits, two doubles, and a triple, while Jason Martinson hit his fourth HR for Potomac off the LF light tower.

With the loss, Potomac falls to 6-8 in the second half, two games off the pace in the Carolina League North. Adam Olbrychowski (3-6, 5.43) gets the start tonight for the Woodbridge nine opposed by Frederick’s Tyler Wilson (4-3, 3.80).

11 Commments

  1. Good writeup.
    The term ‘pitching starved’ PNats comes back up.
    Other than Karns & Ray, they’re having to outslug everybody it seems.
    Big time props to Karns, though, outpitching the #2 prospect in all the minors.

    1. It seems they need to outslug everybody, period. Last night proved it (i.e. you can get a good start but the ‘pen can waste it). As a fan, it’s painful to watch, knowing the odds of getting any help anytime soon aren’t very good.

      2. Luke, you saw Hagerstown live at least once. Other than Meyer, is there anyone on the pitching side who they could bring up?
        I’ve been lobbying ad nauseum for Skole & Goodwin to be brought up, but that doesn’t do anything for the pitching side of the PNats.
        What do your spies there tell you? Until this year, we had a lot of contributions from people in Hagerstown, but they’re all long gone.

        1. As far as starters are concerned, Meyer is really the only one impressing at Hagerstown IMO. Hill and Turnbull have both been very average. In a small sample size, I’ve been much more impressed with the Auburn starters than the Hagerstown ones.

        2. Bobby Hansen could be brought back up, too.

          As fans, we’re accustomed to looking for the quick fix; the whole trade deadline narrative is built around that hope. But I think we also have to realize that’s unlikely to happen and root for the players that are having a rough go of it to “figure it out.”

          1. And this past draft looks like a washout without Giolito and even then its basically just a one player draft?

            Wouldn’t you assume that with a surplus at the major league and close-to-major league levels trades might be made for decent ceiling pitching prospects that might land in Potomac?

          2. Don’t write off the whole rest of the draft class before they have even pitched. I still think there is some talent in the system. LHP is fairly strong. RHP took a slide based on the last blockbuster trade for Gio. I wouldn’t bring back up Hansen with a .300 BAA but look to push others up. If it is not from Hagerstown, wait to see if there is anyone worth promoting from Auburn.

Comments are closed.