Warthogs hang on

What began as a frolic turned into a bit of a fright late, but the Winston-Salem Warthogs held on for a 7-5 victory over the Potomac Nationals yesterday at sunny Ernie Shore Field.

The Warthogs, after scoring just two runs in the first two games of the series, chased starter Ross Detwiler with a two-run first and then extended the lead to 6-0 with another run in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

But after starter Michael Dubee of Winston-Salem was pulled, having thrown 74 pitches through six innings, the Nationals did enough damage against the bullpen to make the game more interesting than Manager Tim Blackwell of the Warthogs would have preferred.

"Today we almost backed into a loss by maybe being a little too tentative in our approach," Blackwell said. "We've got a 6-0 lead and all of a sudden in turns into a nail-biter and one swing can tie the ballgame."

Blackwell, whose team took the series two games to one with its fifth victory in the past six games, said his strategy was affected by today's day off.

He said he didn't want to go two more days without getting some work for several relievers, including the three -- Israel Chirino, Matt Davis and Ryan Rote -- who pitched yesterday.

None were sharp. Chirino walked back-to-back batters in the seventh and both scored, and Davis gave up a two-run homer to Leonard Davis that pulled the Nationals to 6-4 in the eighth.

Then, after C.J. Retherford's solo homer to left extended the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the inning, Rote was able to survive a double by Seth Bynum and an RBI double by Matt Rogelstad by striking out Chris Marrero -- the third hitter in the Nationals' order -- for the game's final out.

Dubee, who gave up just two hits and two walks, picked up the victory to improve to 2-0 and lower his earned-run average to 3.91. Rote got his second save.

Blackwell was asked if he and pitching coach Brian Drahman could have sent Dubee back to the mound in the seventh.

"Yes we absolutely could have," Blackwell said. "And that was our discussion and our debate. With the off date, and had we continued to run (Dubee) out there, that means there are several guys that are just sitting in the bullpen and not getting innings.

"So that was our decision. We needed to get the other guys in."

The early runs by the Warthogs were a relief for a team that had managed just eight runs in the previous four games, and that entered the game ranked last in the Carolina League with 52 runs in 15 games.

Javier Colina extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a one-out double in the first, and Brandon Allen drove a 3-2 pitch from Detwiler over the wall in right for his second homer of the series and his third of the season.

After Lee Cruz walked and Retherford scratched out a hit on a grounder to third, Manager Randy Knorr turned to reliever Carlos Martinez. Detwiler, a first-round pick by the Washington Nationals in last June's draft, needed 38 pitches to get two outs.

Martinez stopped the bleeding by retiring Adam Ricks on a fly to center, but only temporarily. Anderson Gomes extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-out RBI double in the fourth, and the Warthogs sent seven batters to the plate while scoring three in the fifth off Martinez and Yunior Novoa. Colina singled, Salvador Sanchez delivered RBI doubles and Retherford drove a first pitch through the left side for an RBI single.

Dubee, who began his career with the Philadelphia Phillies before being traded to the Chicago White Sox last summer, had easily his best start of the season.

Both Nationals hits against him were singles and the only time a runner reached second against him was in the second, when Frank Diaz singled and stole second, and in the sixth, when Dubee walked batters back-to-back with two out.

"I was able to locate my fastball," Dubee said. "It was nice. It's the first time this year I was able to really throw the ball where I wanted to consistently."

■ Dan Collins can be reached at 727-7323 or at dcollins@wsjournal.com
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POT. ab r h bi W-S ab r h bi

Mrtnz 2b 3 0 0 0 Orlndo cf 5 0 0 0

Rglstd dh 4 0 1 1 Colina 2b 4 2 2 0

Mrrero 1b 5 0 0 0 Snchz dh 4 1 1 1

Diaz cf 4 1 2 0 Allen 1b 4 1 1 2

Davis 3b 3 2 2 2 Cruz lf 3 2 1 1

Ivany c 3 1 0 0 Rthfrd 3b 4 1 3 2

Lwrance lf 4 0 1 0 Ricks c 4 0 0 0

Baez rf 4 0 1 1 Gomes rf 4 0 2 0

Bynum ss 4 5 1 1 Lang ss 4 0 1 0

Totals 34 2 8 5 Totals 36 7 11 6

Potomac 000 000 221 -- 5


Win.-Salem 200 130 01x -- 7

E--Davis, Marrero. DP--Potomac 1, Winston-Salem 1. LOB--Potomac 7, Winston-Salem 6. 2B--Bynum, Colina, Gomes, Cruz. HR -- Davis, Allen, Retherford. SB--Diaz, Martinez.

Potomac IP H R ER BB SO

Detwiler 2/3 3 2 2 1 1

Martinez 31/3 4 3 2 0 1

Novoa 2 2 1 1 0 1

Wilkie 1 0 0 0 0 1

Spradlin 1 2 1 1 0 1

Winston-Salem IP H R ER BB SO

Dubee W,2-0 6 2 0 0 2 2

Chirino 1/3 2 2 2 2 0

Davis 12/3 2 2 0 0 1

Rote S,2 1 2 1 1 0 1

PB--Ricks. WP--Novoa. HBP--by Davis (Martinez). T--2:35. A--3,767.