Potomac within one win of Carolina title

Bill Rhinehart and Jose Lozada slammed home runs and Jimmy Barthmaier escaped two jams to lift Potomac to a 10-2 dismantling of Winston-Salem in Game Three of the Carolina League Championship Series at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge. The Nationals lead the series 2-1 with Game Four Friday night at 7:03pm. The P-Nats need one victory to secure their second Mills Cup title in the past three seasons. Rhinehart smacked his round tripper in the 1st inning and added a two-run double. Lozada scored three times. Barthmaier, who underwent Tommy John surgery 15 months ago, escaped a pair of bases loaded jams. In the third frame, the Dash loaded the bases with one out. Barthmaier was able to induce the Dash cleanup hitter into a soft liner back to the mound and he then threw to Tyler Moore at first to complete the double play to kill the rally. Barthmaier (2-0) went six innings, scattering eight hits, allowing just two runs on three walks and three strikeouts. Then in the sixth, he managed to pitch around a bases loaded no out situation. The P-Nats scored three times in the bottom of the sixth and never looked back. "He battled his tail off," says pitching coach Paul Menhart. "Barth didn't have his best command, but made huge pitches to minimize those two bases loaded threats." Right-hander Marcos Frias gets the call to the bump Friday night to attempt the series clincher. Game Five would be Saturday at 6:35pm if necessary.