Detwiler, Smoker Get Hammered

Two of the most prominent draft picks of the 2007 class got roughed up last night.  Ross Detwiler, the Nats 6th overall, first round pick, gave up 5 runs in 2/3 of an inning, yielding 4 hits and 2 walks.  The Potomac Nats  (A) went on to rally, but fell short, losing 8-6 to Kingston.  SS Seth Bynum was 4 for 5 for the Nats while Mike Martinez was 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs.  Martinez has a five game hitting streak going in which he has gone 11 for 23 (.478).  The Nationals have now lost three in a row.  Craig Stammen (1-1, 2.03 ERA) is on the mound for the Nats tonight.
Joshua Smoker, another first round pick for the Nationals in 2007, got racked in his first game of the year, giving up 4 runs in three innings with 6 hits.  Smoker did whiff 5 batters.  It was Smoker’s first action in 2008.  Smoker came in late last season, only pitching a total of 4 innings in Vermont.  Hagerstown Suns (Low A) went on to lose 10-7 to Delmarva.  For Hagerstown, Daniel Lyons was 3 for 5 and drove in 4 runs while 2007 draft pick Michael Burgess hit his South Atlantic leading 12th homer of the year, a 3 run dinger.   The Suns have not lost 3 of the first 4 games to Delmarva.
Columbus Clippers (AAA) pounded Buffalo 7-1 last night behind a super performance by Tyler Clippard.  Clippard is by far one of the hottest starters in the Nats system right now.  Last night Clippard tossed 6 shut out innings and scattered 4 hits and struck out 4.  Clippard improved his stats to 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA.  In his last three starts, Clippard has given up just 1run over 17.1 innings.  Offensively, Alex Escobar was 2 for 3 and doubled in a run.   Larry Broadway hit a three run homer fr the Clippers and Ranier Olmedo was 3 for 4. Columbus has on 3 in a row.
Harrisburg Senators (AA) defeated Reading 8-6 last night.  Michael Daniel was 2 for 5, his his 4th homer and lifted his average to .310.  Roger Bernadina was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.  Bernadina is hitting .326.  C Luke Montz remains red hot going 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.  Montz is now hitting an impressive .357.  Luis Jiminez was 2 for 4 and hit his 8th home run.  Beltran Perez got nailed for 9 hits and 6 runs over 4 innings, but the bullpen combination of LaVale Speighner, Tim Bittner, and Josh Perreault secured the win throwing 5 scoreless innings.  Perreault got the win and is 2-0.  Speighner lowered his ERA out of the bullpen to 0.71.
Minor Transactions:
Dan Leathermen joins Hagerstown from extended spring training.  Trevor Lawhorn was promoted from Hagerstown to Potomac.  P Joe Norrito was sent to Potomac and C Pat Nichols was promoted from Vermont to Hagerstown.  Frank Diaz was promoted from Potomac to Columbus.