Detwiler leads P-Nats to victory
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By HUGH RIST
For the News & Messenger
Published: May 25, 2008
Just five days after fanning a career-high nine in four innings against Wilmington, Detwiler matched the to-tal Sunday afternoon in a 6-3 victory over the Salem Avalanche before 3,723 sun-drenched fans at Pfitzner Stadium.
If Detwiler, who did pitch one scoreless inning in relief for the Washington Nationals last season, pitches like he did on Sunday, he could find himself on a similar path of John Lannan, who rose from Potomac starter to a fixture in the Washington rotation by season’s end last year.
Sunday Detwiler delighted fans and largely overmatched the Avalanche hitters the first time through the lineup. Detwiler fanned six of the first eight hitters he faced before running into trouble in the third.
Meanwhile in the first two innings, the Nationals did what they have been unable to do regularly lately—find the timely hit. Seth Bynum hit a one-out single to right, but was forced out at second on a fielder’s choice grounder by Chris Marrero. Marvin Lowrance was hit on his front leg by a pitch before Leonard Davis drilled a run-scoring double to left to make it 1-0.
Potomac took a 3-0 lead in the second on a two-run single to left by second baseman Matt Rogelstad. Dee Brown led off the inning by legging out an infield roller and he moved to third when Francisco Plasencia bounced a double down the left field line.
Detwiler said the early offense gave him a real confidence boost.
“It’s a lot easier to pitch when your offense goes out and gives you early runs,” Detwiler said. “I’ve been making little adjustments each time out and trying to keep command in the zone, stay ahead of hitters. I could definitely relax a little more today.”
Jimmy Van Ostrand, who has now driven in 13 runs against Potomac this season, rifled a two-run single to left center, pulling the Avalanche within 3-2. Detwiler nearly pitched out of the jam, surrendering a single to Roberto Mena and walking Jordan Parraz before retiring Tim Torres on a sacrifice bunt and getting Mark Ori to pop out to shortstop.
Roberto Mena began the Salem fifth with a double to left, moved to third on a ground ball by Parraz and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tim Torres to tie the game 3-3.
Potomac took advantage of an error by Ori to score three runs in the sixth, putting Detwiler in line for the victory. Davis reached on the fielding error and moved to second when Baez walked. After a bloop single by Dee Brown loaded the bases, Plasencia snapped the tie with a sacrifice fly to right. Baez later scored when reliever Raymar Diaz uncorked a wild pitch and another sacrifice fly by Jhonatan Solano gave the P-Nats a 6-3 lead.
Reliever Clint Everts worked out of a tough jam in the seventh, hitting the leadoff batter and seeing the next batter reach on an error. But he struck out Parraz, coaxed Torres to pop out to short, before fanning Ori to end the threat. Overall, Potomac pitchers struck out 13 Salem batters. Everts notched his second save of the sea-son, both against Salem.
Detwiler (4-2) allowed three runs on six hits in six innings, running his season strikeout total to 50 in 45 1/3 innings. He threw 86 pitches, 51 for strikes. He said he isn’t thinking about making the big leagues, only on improving his performance each time out.
“All I can do is work on my approach during the next outing and stay ahead of hitters. If I do that, we’ll see if the opportunity (to be promoted) presents itself,” Detwiler said.
Manager Randy Knorr said he thinks experience has helped Detwiler.
“I think when he first got here, he was throwing more than pitching. He was trying to throw the ball by hit-ters. (Potomac pitching coach) Randy (Tomlin) has been working with him to improve his approach and Ross has really bought into it.”
Knorr said he believes Sunday’s victory is similar to the way the team has played most of this half.
“In close games, they (the players) seem to bear down and do what they need to do. We get timely hitting. When a starter pitches well, the bullpen guys don’t want to be the ones who give it up. When it is a lopsided game (like Saturday’s 10-2 loss), they tend to lose focus and don’t play very well,” Knorr said.
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