Nationals belt Carter in 9-1 romp over Dash

A rain shower didn't come soon enough or last long enough to rescue the Winston-Salem Dash last night.

The result was a prolonged, rain-delayed 9-1 loss to the Potomac Nationals at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

And it turned out to be a rare nonproductive night for Anthony Carter of the Dash, the Carolina League's leader in wins with 11 this season. Carter was 6-1 at home before last night.

Carter struggled early, appeared to settle down in the fifth inning and was trailing just 2-1 before the Nationals' bats and the rain arrived in a sixth inning that proved disastrous.

"It was just one of those outings (Carter) didn't have his best stuff," Manager Joe McEwing of the Dash said. "We weren't able to get by with it. We got behind early, Carter left a few pitches up and they took advantage of them."

The Nationals broke open a tight game just before a brief but heavy rain shower brought a 47-minute delay.

The Dash trailed just 2-1, but the Nationals poured it on in the top of the sixth with back-to-back home runs off Carter.

Tim Pahuta drew a leadoff walk, and Devin Ivany followed with a first-pitch, two-run homer to left field. Nelson extended the Nationals' lead to 5-1 with a solo shot to right field just before the game was halted.

Once play resumed, Ryan Rote made his first appearance of the season for the Dash by replacing Carter.

The Nationals tacked on three more runs in the sixth, on a walk, bunt single, error by catcher Logan Johnson and run-producing infield grounder by Valdez.

Rote, who pitched in Winston-Salem last season, was added to the roster Tuesday after being sent down from Class AA Birmingham. The Dash sent pitcher Dan Albritton to low-A Kannapolis.

Left-hander Tom Milone wound up with the victory, working five innings before being pulled after the rain delay.

Milone, who improved to 10-4 and has wins in his last six decisions, entered last night's game ranked fourth among Carolina League pitchers with a 3.13 earned-run average and dropped it a tick further last night.

He allowed just three hits, one walk and no earned runs in five innings.

The Dash -- hitting a league-low .221 in August -- had just four hits.

"We're pressing a little bit at the plate," McEwing said. "But you've got to tip your hat to their pitching. (Milone) mixed his pitches well, made pitches when he had to and pitched a fine game."

The Dash took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Brent Morel drew a leadoff walk, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a two-out double by Sergio Morales.

The Nationals recovered in the third and took a 2-1 lead. Michael Martinez drew a leadoff walk and Danny Espinosa followed with a slap double to left. Both scored on a single up the middle.

The Dash missed an opportunity to at least tie the score in the fourth, with runners on first and third with one out, but the shortstop, Espinosa, came up with a timely defensive gem against speedster Justin Greene for an inning-ending double play.

The Dash, winners of the first-half pennant in the Carolina League's Southern Division, had its second-half lead trimmed to one game over the Kinston Indians. The Nationals remained a half game behind the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Northern Division.

The teams will meet for the final time in the regular season tonight at 7. Left-hander Justin Edwards (4-2) is scheduled to start for the Dash against Brad Peacock (2-1).

■ Tommy Bowman can be reached at 727-7320 or at tbowman@wsjournal.com.

POT. ab r h bi W-S ab r h bi

Mrtnz 2b/ss 4 2 0 0 Kuhn lf 4 0 0 0

Espinosa ss 4 2 2 0 Paiml ss 4 0 0 0

Veloz 2b 1 0 0 0 Johnson c 4 0 0 0

Valdez dh 4 1 2 3 Morel 3b 2 1 2 0

Burgess rf 4 0 1 0 Loman 1b 4 0 1 0

Peack ph/rf 0 0 0 0 Greene cf 3 0 0 0

Pahuta 1b 4 1 0 0 Morales rf 3 0 1 1

Ivany c 5 1 4 3 Gerst dh 3 0 0 0

Nelson 3b 5 1 1 1 Lang 2b 3 0 0 0

Seuss lf 3 0 0 0