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Slugfest, take two, goes to Potomac, 12-6

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p-natsIn a second straight game that featured more than 30 hits between the two teams, the Potomac Nationals (66-51, 32-17) leveled the series with the Frederick Keys (58-60, 22-26) with a 12-6 victory. The game was either a one or two run game all the way up until Potomac’s six-run ninth inning. The Keys blew two leads one night after losing a lead on four different occasions, as Potomac had 17 hits one night after they rattled off 19 hits in a 13-inning loss.

Much like Friday night, Potomac jumped out to a 2-0 lead a handful of batters into the game. Friday night, four batters in, it was 2-0 Potomac. Saturday night, two batters into the game, 2B Max Schrock hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot that put Potomac ahead 2-0 against RHP Franderlin Romero (ND). The Keys quickly responded in the bottom of the first against RHP Austen Williams (W, 4-3), as three batters in, the game was tied. LF D.J. Stewart walked, while 1B Aderlin Rodriguez tied the game with a two-run home run, his 21st home run of the season.

Frederick took its first lead of the game in the third inning, as a double play hit by Stewart plated CF Josh Hart and made it 3-2 Frederick. Romero posted three straight scoreless innings after a rough first frame, but the right-handed starter could not make it through the fifth. CF Victor Robles, who scored on Schrock’s home run in the first inning, led off the fifth with a single. Schrock then walked, and both runners moved up on a fly out by SS Osvaldo Abreu. Romero intentionally walked C Raudy Read, which ended the Frederick starter’s night. LHP Trevor Belicek (L, 2-4) entered with the bases loaded and appeared to get out of the inning, but uncorked a wild pitch on a swinging third strike to LF Alec Keller, which plated Robles and tied the game.

Williams worked scoreless frames in the fourth and the fifth, but allowed a run in the sixth. The righty got the first two outs, but gave up a single to DH Austin Wynns, while C Yermin Mercedes put Frederick on top 4-3 with a two-out RBI double.

Potomac jumped right back on Belicek in the top of the seventh, as the first four men reached base. Schrock was hit by a pitch to start the inning but was caught stealing for just the second time in 2016. Abreu and Read hit consecutive singles, and Keller plated both men with a two-run double. Keller’s second double of the game put Potomac on top 5-4. Belicek departed for RHP Garrett Cortright, who hit DH Austin Davidson and gave up a two-out RBI single to 1B Matt Page, as the P-Nats took a 6-4 lead into the seventh inning stretch.

Williams came back out for the seventh inning in search of his fifth start of at least seven frames with the P-Nats this season, but the righty not record an out in the inning. Williams walked 2B Steve Wilkerson and gave up a single to Hart.LHP RC Orlan came on and gave up a sacrifice fly to SS Erick Salcedo, but got Stewart to ground into an inning-ending double play. The Keys hit into five double plays in the game, three that ended an inning.

Back out for the eighth inning, Orlan gave up singles to Rodriguez and RF Conor Bierfeldt to start the frame. After Wynns laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, Orlan intentionally walked Mercedes, which loaded the bases for 3B Jomar Reyes. Reyes, who homered Friday night, struck out with the tying run at third base, while Wilkerson went down looking at a called third strike, as Orlan stranded the bases loaded and kept Potomac ahead 6-5.

The P-Nats broke the game open in the ninth inning with a six-run frame. RHP Michael Zouzalik, who entered the night with a 2.63 ERA, faced six batters, allowed five hits, walked a man, and was charged with six earned runs, as Potomac sent 10 men to the plate. Read led off the inning with a double, his seventh hit of the series. Keller followed with a single, his third hit of the night. RF Drew Vettleson then hit his team high eighth home run, a three-run blast that made it 9-5 Potomac. Zouzalik then walked Davidson and gave up a double to Page. With two men in scoring position, Mejia plated two runs with a triple into the right field corner and scored as the relay throw from Wilkerson sailed into the crowd. RHP Ivan Hernandez entered after Mejia’s triple and got the three outs in the top of the ninth. For Potomac, LHP Justin Thomas gave up an unearned run in the ninth and secured Potomac’s victory 12-6.

All nine Potomac starters scored at least once, while eight of the nine starters picked up a hit. Seven different P-Nats had multiple hits, while Schrock and Keller led the way with three hits apiece. Potomac went 6-20 with RISP in the win and has 36 at-bats with RISP in the series thus far. With the win, Williams is now 4-0 in his past five starts. Potomac set a new 2016 single game high with six doubles, one night after setting a 2016 single game high with 19 hits.

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