HERNDON, VA--Donald Brown and Guilllermo Martinez sure know how to make a first impression.  Both players arrived just in time for Thursday night’s game against the Fairfax Nationals and they did not disappoint in the Senators 3-1 victory in Herndon. 

Brown collected two hits, including a scorching double off of the right field wall, and scored one of the three Senator runs on the evening.  Martinez connected on a magnificent home run over the left field wall and made several dazzling defensive plays while playing shortstop.  The players combined for four of the five Senator hits and each scored a run.

In the first inning, Barret Shaft walked and advanced to third on a crafty piece of hitting by Brown.  Brown took a high and tight fastball to left field to advance Shaft.  Shaft then scored when Justin Bunkis grounded out to the first baseman.  Shaft’s run gave the Senators a 1-0 lead.

The Nationals answered immediately when leadoff hitter Chad Rice sent Senator pitcher Hunter Hall’s third pitch of the game over the center field wall.  That was all Hall was going to allow for the night.  He constantly baffled Nationals hitters with an array of pitches and allowed only two more hits in seven dazzling innings of pitching

In the top of the fourth inning, the Senators struck again when Brown doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third when Bunkis grounded out to the pitcher.  Kevin Hansen then walked to set a very rare play.  Brown showed his baseball instincts when he swiped home as Hansen purposely got caught in a rundown between first and second.  Hansen stayed alive long enough to allow Brown to cross the plate before he was tagged out, giving the Senators a 2-1 lead. 

The Senators final run came when Martinez hit a towering shot well over the left field wall in the top of the fifth inning.  Martinez’s homerun was the final run on the night, but it was all that they needed as Hall and reliever John Adams combined to embarrass the Nationals hitters for the rest of the evening.  Hall picked up the victory for the Senators and Adams recorded the save as the Senators moved to 3-2 on the year.

The Senator take on the Reston Hawks in a rematch of Wednesday’s loss tomorrow night at Waters field.  The game is scheduled to start at 7 pm.