Wilmington Blue Rocks Fall Short of Series Sweep Against Potomac Nationals in 8-3 Loss

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Wilmington, DE - With a chance to sweep Potomac for the first time in over a year, the Wilmington Blue Rocks could only muster three hits and fell to the visiting Nationals, 8-3, at Frawley Stadium on Friday night.  Ninth-hole hitter Dan Lyons drove in five runs and Potomac nicked Rocks starter Paul Mildren for five runs in the third inning en route to salvaging the finale of the three-game set.  Also in the loss, Wilmington's Kurt Mertins went hitless in three at-bats, thus bringing his team-best 17-game hitting streak to a close. 

The last time the Blue Rocks swept a three-game series from Potomac was May 4-6, 2007.  But, the home club was taken out of contention for a repeat venture early when the Nationals batted around against Mildren in the top of the third.  Lyons lofted a two-run homer into the left-field bullpen with no outs to begin the salvo.  Francisco Placensia added an RBI single that went through the wickets of the southpaw starter and Aaron Seuss landed the knockout punch with a two-out double into the left-center alley. 

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Mildren (0-2), a native Australian, settled down over the next couple of innings, allowing the Rocks to chip away at the deficit.  Anthony Seratelli led off the bottom of the third with his third triple of the year and was driven home in the next at-bat when Jeff Howell grounded out to shortstop.  Wilmington scored again later that frame when Chris McConnell shot a single to left-center that plated Brett Bigler from second.  The inning ended when McConnell attempted in vain to take second base on the throw home. 

In the fourth, Brad Correll blasted a lead-off shot against starter Luis Atilano (1-0) for his first Blue Rocks homer in his seventh game.  Correll was assigned to Wilmington on the Fourth of July after signing a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals organization.  He had 15 homers in 41 games for the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent Northern League. 

But, the Blue Rocks would get no closer and would fail to notch another hit over the final five frames.  Atilano went five strong innings on a night in which he was to be limited to four innings or 60 pitches.  The 23-year-old had Tommy John surgery two summers ago when he pitched for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the Atlanta farm system. 

Potomac's bullpen threesome of Jhonny Nunez, Alex Morales and Clint Everts combined to hold the Rocks hitless and allow just one baserunner - Brett Bigler, who reached on an error with two outs in the eighth. 

Mildren was finished after 5.2 innings and six runs.  He allowed 10 of Potomac's 13 base hits.  The lefty had gone six scoreless frames in his previous outing on July 5 at Myrtle Beach, settling for a no-decision. 

The Blue Rocks bullpen was dealt a pair of barbs in the defeat.  Russ Haltiwanger gave up a two-run single with one out in the eighth, ending Wilmington's string of scoreless relief innings at 13.1.  And, for the second straight night, Henry Barrera was called for an illegal pitch.  In the top of the ninth, the righty's 2-0 offering to Dee Brown with one out was ruled illegal by base umpire Will Little, who cited Barrera for coming off the slab before delivering the ball home.  Rocks manager Darryl Kennedy adamantly argued the call and was promptly ejected from the game. 

Wilmington continues its seven-game homestand on Saturday at 6 p.m. when the Lynchburg Hillcats invade Frawley for the first of a four-game set.  The Blue Rocks call upon righty Ed Cegarra (2-4, 4.32) to oppose Hillcats right-hander Michael Crotta (7.6, 5.00).

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