Nationals Farm Authority

What started out with the potential for an interesting night, two of the Nationals top ten pitching prospects on the mound against Carolina League powerhouse Kinston, quickly devolved into something the Potomac Nationals will want to forget.  The P-Nats were swept by the Indians 5-1 and 11-6 on a cold night at Pfitzner Stadium in front of a crowd of no more than 100-125 people. 

Clint Everts pitched the first game and struggled with his control.  He spent the first two innings walking a tightrope, not surrendering a run while walking three and leaving the bases loaded both times.  In the fourth inning, his luck finally ran out.  Everts, the Nationals #3 prospect according to Baseball America, was knocked out of the game as the Indians tallied four runs compounded by an error by SS Seth Bynum on a double play ball that likely would have got Everts out of the inning without allowing a run. 

He began the inning with a groundout before walking 2B Micah Schilling. Schilling then stole second on a close play.  Indians 3B Argenis Reyes then reached on a bunt single.  Both runners moved up on a wild pitch by Everts who then walked SS Brian Finegan to load the bases.  It appeared that Everts was going to dance out of trouble again when CF Trevor Crowe hit a sharp grounder to 2B, a tailor-made double play ball.  Unfortunately the throw to second was missed by SS Seth Bynum, allowing two runners to score.  A clearly distracted Everts than allowed a double to 1B Michael Aubrey scoring two runs, putting the Nationals down 4-0.  A single by RF Brian Barton ended Everts night. 

The Nationals offense in game one was baffled by Kinston SP Joe Ness who held them to three hits and one walk in six and one third innings pitched.  The only bright spot was 2B Trey Webb who went 2/3 and drove in the only Potomac run on a double in the sixth inning.  The P-Nats continued their alarming trend of compiling more strikeouts (8) than hits (4).  Including both games last night, the Nationals have 248 hits and 258 strikeouts so far in 2006.

The theme didn’t change much in game two, where LHP Mike Hinckley was knocked around for seven runs, all earned, in only two plus innings of work.  The #6 prospect in the Nationals system picked up where Clint Everts left off, walking the first two batters of the game.  He followed that up by surrendering a bases clearing double to Kinston CF Trevor Crowe, a ringing shot into the RF corner.  Clearly flustered, Hinckley nearly threw away a groundball back to the mound on the next pitch, agrounder by DH Stephen Head.  Indians LF Brian Barton was then hit on a pitch for which Hinckley felt Barton made no effort to avoid.  Clearly distracted, Hinckley then allowed a line drive double to Carolina Hitter of the week, Indians RF Ryan Goleski, putting the P-Nats in a 3-0 hole before they even took their first AB.  He got out of further trouble with some poor baserunning by Kinston.

The Nationals tried to even the score in the bottom of the first scoring a run on two singles and two hit batters, but leaving the bases loaded when CA Russ Cleveland grounded out to second base. 

Hinckley appeared to get himself under control to start the second inning, quickly getting two outs before a walk and two singles gave back the run Potomac scored in the bottom of the first.  The game was ostensibly over in the Kinston third when the Indians batted around sending eight to the play and scoring six runs before and out was recorded. 

There was more Potomac offense in the second game.  SS Jonathan Castro who was added to the P-Nats roster that afternoon, made his debut memorable with two solid hits, line drive single to RF and a line drive double to LF.  CA Russ Cleveland also had a solid night at the plate (outside of leaving the bases loaded in the first) by going 2/3 and scoring two of the six Potomac runs.

Game notes:

• Clint Everts control was an issue. He threw 83 pitches, 39 of them were balls.  You can see that Everts has the ability to be a good pitcher.  He worked himself out of self-created messes in the first and second innings using his secondary pitches.  Everts fastball hovered between 85-88 mph in his three plus innings of work; his curveball was in the 78-80 mph range; and his changeup also around 78-80mph.
• Tony Blanco:  In game one, he was first pitch swinging in his first AB and swung 3-0 in his second AB.  He didn’t seem to have a plan and was just going up there mashing.
• Devin Ivany played a solid CA behind the plate throwing out two runners (and it appeared that a third was also out).  He blocked balls very well.
• Seth Bynum had a rough night at SS, making three errors.  All three errors led to runs.
• Mike Hinckley appeared out of sorts.  The hits he gave up were all solidly hit.  The HBP in the first inning clearly seemed to aggravate him and may have led to some of the mistake pitches he made later in the inning.
• Jim Henderson was brought in relief for Hinckley and proceeded to allow a walk, booming triple and double, Bynum’s error, and another booming double in his next dozen or so pitches.