Nationals Farm Authority

Garrett Mock had an impressive 2007 debut combining with three relievers on a six-hit 2-0 (box score) shutout of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Tuesday night. Mock made his first start of 2007 after knee surgery ended his 2006 season. After escaping a shaky second inning where he had runners on second and third with nobody out and then the bases loaded with one out, he settled down allowing only three hits, one walk, and one hit batter over six innings while striking out five. More importantly, Mock allowed only two flyball outs, inducing eleven ground outs.

Mock kept the Pelican off-balance with a nice mix of fastballs and curves. His fastball appeared to a nice sinking action to it leading to the abundance of groundouts. His curveball did not seem to have the bite to it early, but after the second inning it got a bite to it that baffled the Pelicans. He 35 pitches in the first two innings but settled down and was much more economical from the third inning on.

Relievers Josh Perrault, David Trahan, and Eduardo Baeza finished off Myrtle Beach with three innings of three-hit ball aided by two great defensive plays. Center fielder Francisco Plasencia made a diving stab to catch a 7th inning flyball. And in the 8th, right fielder Edgardo Baez, second baseman Ofilio Castro, and third baseman Matt Rogelstad combined on a bang-bang 9-4-5 putout on Pelicans second baseman Diory Hernandez who tried to stretch a one-out double into a triple.

The P-Nats only managed three hits off of hard luck starter Dustin Evans who struck out a career high nine Nationals in a career high seven innings pitched. Unfortunately for Evans, Potomac made their hits count. Marvin Lowrance drew a one-out walk in the fourth, the only walk Evans would allow, and went to second base on a passed ball as left fielder Dee Brown struck out. First baseman Steve Mortimer then served a double to left scoring Lowrance with the first run of the game. For Mortimer, that was his 28th RBI of the season tying him for the Carolina League lead. The Nationals added an insurance run in the fifth when shortstop Ian Desmond homered to center field.

W: G. Mock (1-0, 0.00); L: D. Evans (1-3, 5.27); SV: E. Baeza (2) HR: POT: I. Desmond (6)