P-Nats take rubber game from Mudcats

Nathan Karns pitched seven strong innings for the Potomac Nationals as they took the rubber match in wild fashion over the Carolina Mudcats 2-1 at Pfitzner Stadium.  In his third rehab appearance with the Nationals, Drew Storen threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout.

The ending to the game was one of the strangest and craziest this season.  Giovanny Urshela was at second base with two outs in the ninth trailing by a run against Neil Holland.  Anthony Gallas singled sharply into left field and Urshela was sent home to try and tie the game.  Urshela collided with P-Nats catcher David Freitas and despite the ball getting not being caught cleanly, Urshela never touched home plate.  With Urshela woozy on the ground after the collision, Freitas picked up the ball and tagged out Urshela to end the game.

Karns (4-2) got the win finishing seven innings for the third time in four starts.  He gave up one earned run scattering only three hits and struck out five batters.

Storen came on to replace Karns in the eighth inning.  He struck out the first batter he faced and after Dwight Childs reached on an error, Tony Wolters hit into a 3-5 double play to end the inning.

Xavier Nady appeared in his third game on rehab assignment for Potomac. Nady was 0-for-3 in three plate appearances and was replaced after playing seven innings in right field.

The Mudcats jumped on top with a two-out run in the third inning.  With Childs at first base, Bo Greenwell knocked an RBI double down the left field line for a 1-0 lead for Carolina.

After Potomac went the first four innings without a base runner, they were able to break through with a little luck in the sixth.  Ramirez was at first base after a one-out single and attempted a steal second with Francisco Soriano at the plate.  Soriano hit what looked to be a routine fly ball to center field but Carlos Moncrief never picked up the ball and it fell in for an RBI triple to tie the game.  Blake Kelso came up next and put Potomac in front 2-1 with a sacrifice fly that scored Soriano.

After starter Matt Packer retired all nine batters he faced, Will Roberts (3-6) came in out of the pen for the Mudcats.  He took the loss allowing two runs on three hits in four innings of action.