Woodbridge, VA – Chances were few and far between for the struggling Blue Rocks offense on Saturday night, as the Blue Crew was blanked by the host Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium, 5-0. Starter Blake Wood (0-1), the No. 4 overall prospect in the Royals system according to Baseball America, was tagged with four runs on eight hits over four innings. The Nationals have grabbed a 2-1 lead on the four-game set, which wraps up on Sunday afternoon. Potomac pitching held Wilmington (6-10) to just five hits and two walks on the night.

The P-Nats jumped on Wood in the second inning with back-to-back extra-base hits. Edgardo Baez ripped a one-out double over first base and Leonard Davis, in his first 2008 plate appearance following a call-up from extended spring training, followed with a two-run homer to deep center field for a 2-0 deficit.

The Nationals got to the hard-throwing righty again in the third inning. Jemel Spearman led off with a single to center, swiped second base, and moved to third on a comeback liner out off the bat of Seth Bynum. Bynum’s blow caromed off the leg of Wood, and rolled to first base for an out. Wood appeared to sustain no injury and stayed in the game, allowing a sacrifice fly to the next batter Matt Rogelstad for a 3-0 score. With two outs and nobody on base, Frank Diaz, Marvin Lowrance and Baez combined for three straight two-out singles and another run, making it a 4-0 Wilmington deficit.

The Blue Rocks best chance came in the fifth inning. However, with one out and the bases loaded, Chris McConnell bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame. Reliever Aaron Hartsock was touched for an unearned run in the bottom half of that inning. Rogelstad reached on a two-base error by David Wood at first base, and scored three batters later on a Baez RBI single to right for the 5-0 score that would go final.

The four-game series ends on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. Right-hander Matt Kniginyzky (0-0, 2.19) hurls for the Blue Rocks against prospect righty Jhonny Nunez (0-1, 4.30). Nunez is rated as the 25th-best prospect in the Nationals system by Baseball America.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
Through three games on their seven-game road trip, the Blue Rocks bullpen has gone 11.1 innings without allowing an earned run.

The last time an opponent hit a home run against Blake Wood was coincidentally enough the Potomac Nationals on September 3, 2007 at Wilmington’s Frawley Stadium.

Chris McConnell has hit into a team-high five groundball double plays this season.

Josh Johnson singled to right field in the fifth inning. He has reached base on hit and/or walk in each of his 10 games played this season.

Jeff Howell singled to right field in the fifth as well, stretching his hitting streak to eight games. Howell is connecting at a .448 (13-29) clip over the streak.

Kurt Mertins notched a 2-for-4 night at the dish, extending his hitting streak to seven games. The 21-year-old is hitting .423 (11-26) during that span.

The Blue Rocks have lost four of their last five road games.

Saturday’s shutout marks the first for the Blue Rocks since their 2-0 loss on Opening Day against Myrtle Beach in 13 innings.

Just before the game, infielder Jeff Bianchi was placed on the disabled list with a pulled hamstring, and Miguel Vega was activated off the DL. Vega pinch hit for Brett Bigler in the eighth inning and flied out to center field.