Storen allows one run, strikes out five in another Potomac rehab outing

Nationals reliever Drew Storen continued his rehab assignment with Single-A Potomac by pitching two innings, allowing a solo homer and striking out five batters Thursday night. Storen allowed three hits in getting the six outs, spanning the seventh and eighth frames in an 8-3 loss at Wilmington. He faced nine batters, induced a ground out and threw one wild pitch in his fourth assignment for the P-Nats. Storen is recovering from having a bone chip removed from his right elbow that has caused him to miss the first 73 games of the season. It would seem Storen could join the Nationals in Miami on Friday. Rehabbing outfielder Xavier Nady went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and an RBI in his fifth appearance as he attempts to return from right wrist tendinitis. In the Potomac front office, fast-rising Josh Olerud has been promoted to vice president and general manager of the P-Nats. Low Single-A Hagerstown fell to Greensboro 4-3 in 10 innings, but Steven Souza Jr., hit his 16th homer of the season. Souza is now riding an eight-game hit streak. Right-hander Alex Meyer will begin the second half with a start for the Suns Saturday at Lexington. Meyer has gone 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA in his last 10 starts, striking out 60 hitters. Meyer got two outs in the eighth inning of the USA's 17-5 win over the World stars in the Futures Game at Kansas City on Sunday. Trevor Holder did not fare as well as he would have liked in his first start for Double-A Harrisburg, allowing seven runs in the second inning. Richmond won the game 12-3. Ryan Tatusko came in and pitched 5 1/3 innings, surrendering just one run and recording six strikeouts. Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs right-hander Josh Wilkie is training and staying ready in Venezuela while on the restricted list. His 50-game ban ends on or around July 23. Wilkie was 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in his last nine appearances dating to May 29, but had only one bad inning (four runs in 2/3 inning at Toledo May 20) during that span.