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The Washington Nationals' second first-round pick of the '09 First-year Player Draft, Drew Storen of Stanford, and right-handed pitching prospect Josh Wilkie, an amateur free agent signed out of George Washington University in 2006, both tipped their caps to the crowd as they were introduced before the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Showcase on Saturday night in Surprise, Arizona's Surprise Stadium. Wilkie, who was named to the roster to replace the "injured" Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg, would never take the mound. Storen, the 22-year-old right-handed former Cardinal closer came on in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 7-6 game which saw Storen and Wilkie's AFL East squad jump out to a 7-0 lead off the 7th pick in the '09 Draft, Braves' lefty Mike Minor, only to slowly allow Minor's AFL West teammates to creep back into the game, scoring two in the bottom of the first and four in the home third while holding the East scoreless after the big opening frame. 

Storen, wearing the Nationals' road grey uniforms (#17) with the Phoenix Desert Dogs' cap, started San Diego Padres' infield prospect Lance Zawadzki with a 95 mph fastball for a called first strike, and six pitches later surrendered an infield single that got over the mound and was unplayable for A's infielder Jemile Weeks. Matt McBride, a catcher in Cleveland's system since being selected in the 2nd Round of the '06 Draft, was up next and he took a 96 mph fastball low and outside for ball one before unloading on the second-straight fastball from Storen and lifting it to left for a two-run blast and an 8-7 AFL West comeback...Storen retired the next three batters in order, but when the AFL East failed to score in the top of the ninth, he took the L. Storen's Line: (BS, 1), (L, 0-1), 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K's, 1 HR, 18.00 ERA, 19 pitches, 12 strikes, 

• Final Score: AFL West 8, AFL East 7 - MLB.com's Gameday.