Potomac Nationals Split Four Game Series Against Kinston Indians

With the regular season winding down, the Potomac Nationals are fighting for their playoff lives in a final series. Having been eight games under .500 in the first half of the season, the Nationals have recently skyrocketed in the Carolina League standings.

The Potomac Nationals have won seven of their last nine games prior to this most recent season-ending series against the Kinston Indians. The newly appointed Carolina League MVP, Tyler Moore, powered the second-half surge. Moore leads the league in both home runs and RBIs.

Needing a win to clinch a playoff spot in the first game of the series, the Nationals sent Trevor Holder to the mound. Holder delivered a dominant pitching performance to lead the team to victory. Holder gave the team six shutout innings while striking out six players. who singled in a run in the first inning, provided the offense. This run ended up being the game-winning run; as the Nationals went on to win the first series game 2-0.

The Nationals' day was not over as there was a double-header scheduled on Saturday to make up for a rain cancelled game against Kinston from mid-August. With the playoff berth wrapped up, the Nationals decided to bench some of their better players such as Moore and catcher Derek Norris.

Once again the Nationals' bullpen, the team's proverbial Achilles heel, turned a winnable game into a loss. Starting pitcher Carlos Martinez left the game after four strong innings, tied at one run apiece. Relief pitcher Justin Phillabaum picked up where Martinez left off and surrendered six runs in a little over an inning of work, including a triple scoring home run. The Nationals went on to lose the second game, 7-5.

With their minds fixed on future playoff glory, the Nationals were caught napping on Sunday as they registered no-hits through ten innings of a pitching duel. Indians starter Marty Popham and two relief pitchers combined for a no-hitter for Kinston while striking out 12 batters. The game was scoreless through nine innings until Indians catcher Doug Pickens singled in the game-winning run at the top of the tenth inning. The Indians won the game 1-0.

Today, the Nationals blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning, but won the game in walk-off fashion with a single in the bottom of the ninth. Bases were loaded, bringing in two runs for the P-Nats, which ultimately won the game.

The Nationals bullpen made a late game of the match-up as relief pitcher AJ Morris allowed five runs to cross home plate during the top of the ninth. Prior to that, things were business as usual in the early innings as Moore hit his league leading and National's record 31^st home run of the season. Marcos Frias also pitched in six shutout innings.

After surrendering five runs in the top of the ninth inning, the Nationals loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning with two singles and a walk. Left fielder Robert Jacobsen finally ended today's Labor Day game with a single into left field scoring two runs. In a wild one, the Nationals win the season finale 7-6.