Salem bounces back to edge Potomac

By Joe Conroy

Published: August 26, 2008

A day after Hassan Pena dismantled the Salem lineup for the best start of his pro career, Jeff Mandel did his best to muster a similarly impressive performance Tuesday night.
Mandel entered the game with a 9.2 scoreless innings streak, but that stretch came to an end quickly when he gave up a run in the first inning on the way to a 4-2 loss that took just two hours and 13 minutes.
Despite the defeat, Potomac’s magic number to clinch the second half Carolina League title was lowered thanks to a 6-0 Myrtle Beach win over Wilmington in the first game of a doubleheader (the second game ended too late to be included). The magic number to clinch stands at 4 prior to the start of the second game for Wilmington.
Mandel, who threw seven innings against the Avalanche, has pitched well his last four starts, allowing just five earned runs over those appearances, and had not tasted defeat since Aug. 5 at Lynchburg before Tuesday when he fell to 6-5 on the year.
Tuesday night Mandel’s defense victimized him twice in the form of two Darryl Lawhorn fielding miscues at second base to open different innings, leading to three unearned runs in front of a Pfitzner Stadium crowd of 1,137.
Michael Burgess, Washington’s No. 4 prospect, added his sixth home run of the year for Potomac in the seventh, a solo shot to lead off the frame in just his 14th game in the Carolina League. It was Burgess’ 24th of the year after the former first rounder tallied 18 at Low-A Hagerstown in 112 games.