Nationals Farm Authority

Columbus Clippers (4-3)

Day	Result
4/24	L 3-7
4/25	L 5-8
4/26	W 4-3
4/27	L 4-13
4/28	W 5-2
4/29	W 8-1
4/30	W 6-4

The Clippers had their second straight week over 0.500, winning their last three games to finish 4-3 for the last week of April. Columbus saw their offense break out with 107 total bases on a week that saw them bat a collective 260/332/398 with an impressive nine triples. 2B Pete Orr and OF Ryan Langerhans & Tommy Murphy all posted OPS of above 1.000. Orr had four triples. Langerhans hit two home runs & drove in nine and Murphy scored eight runs. On the mound, the Clippers rode strong starts from RHPs Jason Bergmann & Tyler Clippard who combined for half of COlumbus victories on the week. Both of them bounced back from tough first starts to finish with 23 combined innings of work with a 1.22 WHIP and a 4.30 ERA with 18 strikeouts. The strength of the Clippers this past week was their bullpen. RHPs Chris Schroder, Brian Sanches, & Steve Shell along with LHPs Mike Bacsik & Charlie Manning worked 29 innings on the week, striking out 33 while walking only 11. They compiled two wins and three saves with a collective 1.86 ERA & 1.24 WHIP.

 Hitter of the week: IF Pete Orr - As previously mentioned, Orr hit four triples among his fourteen hits on the week. He batted 400/417/686 with three RBI. Additionally, Orr was successful in two out of his three stolen base attempts during the week.

 Pitchers of the week: RHRP Chris Schroder (left)& LHRP Charlie Manning (right)- It is appropriate that the Clippers bullpen gets the nod here. Schroder made three appearances for the week (5IP) allowing only one run on four hits with eleven strikeouts and no walks. Manning was equally as impressive pitching 5 2/3 shutout innings allowing only two hits and three walks while striking out nine.

Forgettable performances of the week: CA Jesus Flores & LHRP Arnie Munoz - Flores managed only one hit on the week, finishing 050/174/100. Munoz was torched for seven earned runs in only four innings of work over two appearances.

Harrisburg Senators (4-2)

Day	Result
4/24	W 13-6
4/25	W 14-7
4/26	L 1-2
4/27	L 2-4
4/28	no game
4/29	W 6-2
4/30	W 6-2

Another week. Another four victories for the Senators. Harrisburg bashed its way to another four wins with an Eastern League leading eight home runs and 42 runs for the week as part of their 284/366/428 week. CA Luke Montz, 1Bs Andrew Lefave & Luis Jimenez, and OFs Roger Bernadina led the way for the Senators on offense. On the mound, the Senators saw strong starts from RHPs Shairon Martis & Marco Estrada who allowed combined to allow only one earned run over their twelve combine innings of work. The bullpen, specifically RHPs Beltran Perez & Jim Ed Warden, continued their strong 2008 performances. The only concern for Harrisburg is their low strikeout totals from their pitching. Harrisburg pitchers struck out only 30 batters in their 53 2/3 innings of work. By putting the ball in play as much as they have, Harrisburg is relying on their defense to turn those batted balls into out. Fortunately for the Senators, their were only three errors leading to three unearned runs for the week.

 Hitter of the week: CA Luke Montz - After barely losing out last week, Montz had a second straight strong week to garner the honors. He batted 316/381/737 with two home runs and eleven RBI on the week while continuing to play a strong defensive game behind the plate.

[no photo] Pitcher of the week: RHSP Marco Estrada - There was no one overwhelmingly strong candidate so I gave it to Estrada. He was 1-0 in his one start for the week, allowing one run on four hits and three walks over six innings of work.

Forgettable performances of the week: IF Ofilio Castro & LHP Eude Brito -Castro hit only 222/263/222 on the week with only four singles. Brito was knocked around for eight runs (seven earned) over five innings of work.

Potomac Nationals (4-2)

Day	Result
4/24	no game
4/25	L 2-5
4/26	W 3-2
4/27	L 2-6
4/28	ppd rain
4/29	W 1-0; W 3-2
4/30	W 1-0

Potomac hit only 174/266/281 for the past week, scoring only 12 runs over their six games played. They had the lowest hit total for the week in the Carolina League with 29. The highlight on offense were OF Marvin Lowrance (273/333/545) and IF Matt Rogelstad (333/333/500), each with a home run. But the P-Nats finished the week at 4-2 on the back of their continued strong pitching. The P-Nats starters and bullpen had a team ERA of of 2.57 for the week with an eye-popping WHIP of 0.94 with 44 strikeouts and only eight walks over 49 innings of work. LHP Cory VanAllen and RHPs Jordan Zimmermann & Adrian Alaniz led the way with three strong starts. VanAllen & Zimmermann were the architects of the two 1-0 P-Nats shutouts during the week.

 Hitter of the week: OF Marvin Lowrance - As I previously commented, Lowrance batted 273/333/545 for the week with a home run and two RBI. It was a tough selection given the poor performance of the P-Nats at the bat overall.

Pitchers of the week: LHSP Cory VanAllen (left) and RHSPs Jordan Zimmermann (middle), & Adrian Alaniz (right) - If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Nationals have to be ecstatic about the performance of their starting pitchers in Woodbridge. The three honored starters had only two wins on the week but combined for four starts (24 2/3 IP) allowing only 14 combined hits and two walks while striking out 23. Fans in the DC area should make the most of their opportunity because these three guys are not long for Potomac.

Forgettable performances of the week: CA Brian Peacock & RHSP Jhonny Nunez - Peacock was 0/13 on the week with onyl one walk. Nunez had the tough luck start for the week allowing six earned runs on eight hits and one walk over only four innings of work.

Hagerstown Suns (4-1)

Day	Result
4/24	W 8-7
4/25	W 9-5
4/26	W 8-6
4/27	suspended 2-2, rain
4/28	no game
4/29	W 7-1
4/30	L 5-9

Hagerstown finally had a breakthrough week, finishing 4-1. It was a breakout by their offense that led them to their strong week. The Suns batted 285/328/471 with eight home runs and 35 RBI. Their 43 runs scored this week were the third most in the Sally League. 1B/3B Tim Pahuta, 1B Bill Rhinehart, RF Michael Burgess & SS Dan Lyons led the way on offense with seven of the team’s home runs and 23 of their RBI. Pitching-wise, the Suns were right around league average with a 3.93 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. They struck out 49 batters while walking 24. Colton Willems led the starters this week but a strong performance by the bullpen was a key to the strong Hagerstown week. RHP Kyle Gunderson, Erik Arnesen, Clint Everts, and Martin Beno led the way with 11 1/3 IP surrendering only two runs on three hits and six walks with fourteen strikeouts.

 Hitter of the week: OF Michael Burgess. While Burgess did not have some of the rate stats that would impress (BA 259 & OBP 259), he slugged his way ot the honors this week (741) with four home runs and ten RBI.

Pitcher of the week: RHSP Colton Willems - Willems is slowly coming around for the Nationals. He made one start on the week, allowing one run on three hits over six innings with four strikeouts. On the season, Willems is now 2-2 with a 3.04ERA and 1.13 WHIP.

Forgettable performances of the week: OF Stephen Englund & RHSP Brad Peacock -Englund batted only 182/250/227 on the week with four errors in the outfied. Peacock had another tough week allowing seven earned runs over two starts 8 2/3 IP with nine hits, six walks and five strikeouts.