Milone learns the art of the cut fastball

The suggestion came to Tom Milone from Paul Menhart.

Milone was throwing a bullpen session when Menhart, the Potomac Nationals pitching coach, approached and spoke with him about developing a cut fastball.

Potomac's left-handed starting pitcher listened. Menhart worked with him on gripping the pitch and Milone soon felt comfortable enough to debut it July 17 against Kinston.

"It's looking like a fastball and it dives in at the last second," Milone said. "Hitters think it's a fastball and, for a righty, it dives in on their hands, then it dives away.

"What I'm looking for it to do is miss the barrel [of the bat]. In the three games I've been throwing it, it's worked pretty well as long as I keep it down in the zone."

It certainly was effective on Kinston's hitters. The pitch helped Milone allow just one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings for his first Pfitzner Stadium victory.

"It felt great," Milone said. "I was locating my pitches where I wanted them to. I was throw-ing a lot of strikes, letting the hitters get themselves out rather than me trying to strike people out. The cutter was working really well."

He has been throwing the pitch ever since. Milone began Potomac's current homestand by giving up one earned run and issuing one walk in seven innings of a 14-9 Nationals win over Myrtle Beach.

That victory gave Milone his sixth win against four losses. He continues to pile up strikeouts; his 69 K's trail only fellow starter Will Atwood.

And Milone, whom the Washington Nationals drafted in the 10th round of the 2008 draft, has achieved those totals along with a 3.62 ERA by throwing a team-high 107 innings.

He has also benefitted from the mood former major leaguer Chad Kreuter set as the University of Southern California's baseball coach during Milone's sophomore and junior years.

"He created a pro atmosphere, which helped a little bit," Milone said. "College isn't much different from minor league ball. It depends on the competition you play. The Pac-10 had pretty good competition. The coaches we had [are] what prepared me."

ROSTER MOVES

Third baseman Stephen King has gone to the seven-day disabled list with a hamstring injury. The move is retroactive to July 24.

Manager Trent Jewett had no timetable as to how long King would stay there.

"I'd imagine it would be pretty lengthy," Jewett said.

King is hitting .225 with six home runs and 31 RBI in 79 games.

Right-handed pitcher Brad Peacock has joined Potomac from Low-A Hagerstown where he went 5-8 with a 4.05 ERA. He was expected to be Potomac's starting pitcher on Wednesday night.

STAYING TOUGH FOR A WHILE

Cole Rohrbaugh, Myrtle Beach's starting pitcher on Tuesday night, entered with a 6.17 ERA in three starts against Potomac this year.

Rohrbaugh allowed only one hit -- Chris Marrero's solo home run -- through four innings before the Nationals chased him in the fifth.

He began the fifth by walking Marrero. Jesus Valdez doubled, Francisco Plasencia singled and Brian Pea-cock homered.

Rohrbaugh was charged five runs on four hits and received a no-decision.