P-Nats even series
The Frederick Keys held the Potomac Nationals’ offense in check for seven innings, and stood six outs away from the Carolina League championship series. But Potomac rallied for six runs in the eighth and came from behind for a 6-1 win that sent the Northern Division Series to a deciding Game Five Monday in Frederick.
Ryohei Tanaka kept the Nationals at bay for six innings; he allowed just two hits and departed with Frederick in front 1-0. Justin Moore retired the Nationals in the seventh, but hit a wall in the eighth.
Eury Perez bounced a single on the infield to start the inning before Francisco Soriano walked. Jeff Kobernus squared to bunt, and was hit by a pitch on the right wrist to load the bases. With the infield drawn in, Destin Hood bounced a single through the middle into centerfield to give the Nationals the lead. Jose Lozada then singled two home, and a Zach Walters triple to right field made it 6-1.
Adam Olbrychowski kept the Nationals in the game with an outstanding start. He went five and a third innings, allowed just one run on six hits and struck out five. The Keys only run came in the fourth, when Brian Ward singled home Mike Flacco.
Neil Holland, Joe Testa and Cameron Selik kept it a 1-0 ball game before the offense went to work in the eighth.
Hector Nelo came on in the ninth. He allowed a one-out double to Ward but retired Glynn Davis and Bobby Stevens to wrap up the win.
Game Five is set for 7 P.M. in Frederick on Monday night.
P-Nats fall to Keys, trail 2-1 in playoff series
The Frederick Keys held the Potomac Nationals to just three hits on Saturday night in Woodbridge in a 5-1 victory that pushed them one win away from the Mills Cup Championship Series. Scott Copeland was in command for seven outstanding innings, the middle of the Keys’ order shone, and Potomac was held without a hit after the fourth inning in the Game 3 loss.
For the first time in the series, Frederick took the first lead of the ballgame. Fittingly, Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado were right in the middle of the opening rally. With one out, Schoop singled off Nationals’ starter Evan Bronson. Machado then doubled him home with a laser down the right field line to put the Keys ahead 1-0.
Potomac, held to two infield singles in the first three innings, tied the game with a ball hit decidedly out of the infield. Destin Hood hit an impressive home run to right field that knotted the score at one.
That would be the Nationals’ last hit.
The Keys – led by Schoop, Machado and Aaron Baker – kept on coming. In the fifth, Schoop doubled with one out. Machado brought him home with a sharp single to right field, and would score on a Baker double to deep left-center.
Bobby Stevens led off the sixth with a single. After Dale Mollenhauer grounded out, Schoop walked. Machado hit a hard line drive to third base that was dropped by Jose Lozada. It deflected off his glove and into the corner by the left field bullpen, and allowed Bobby Stevens to score from second. Baker then hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Schoop, make it 5-1 and close out the scoring.
Copeland retired 11 of the last 12 Nationals batters he faced; his lone miscue was a pitch that hit Steven Souza in the seventh.
Ryan Berry pitched a perfect eighth and ninth to push the Keys to the brink of the Championship Series against the Kinston Indians. Kinston defeated Myrtle Beach 9-2 to close out the Southern Division Series.
The Nationals turn to Adam Olbrychowski in Sunday’s elimination game. Ryohei Tanaka takes the mound for the Keys at 1:05 P.M.
P-Nats even playoff series
The Potomac Nationals used a pair of early two-out rallies in Game 2 on Friday night to stake Sammy Solis to a lead. The lefthander and a trio of bullpen arms had no intention of relinquishing it, and the Nationals cruised to an 8-0 win that leveled the Northern Division Series at one game apiece.
In the first inning, Keys starter Rick Zagone got the first two outs without incident. But Destin Hood then worked a spectacular 12-pitch walk to extend the inning for Brian Peacock. Peacock then blasted a home run to straightaway center field that put Potomac ahead 2-0.
After Solis struck out a pair in the first inning, the Nationals went to work again in the second – and again, they did so with two outs. Jose Lozada drew a walk and Eury Perez singled down the right field line. Francisco Soriano then belted a 2-2 breaking ball over the wall in left field that staked Potomac to a 5-0 advantage.
Solis allowed just one hit in each of the next four innings, and struck out five more for a total of seven punchouts. But a tight strike zone ran his pitch count to 91, and after a two-out walk of Jonathan Schoop put runners at the corners in the fifth, Solis was lifted for Neil Holland. Holland struck out Manny Machado to end the threat.
Holland pitched two and a third scoreless innings; Joe Testa and Cameron Selik followed and preserved the shutout.
Potomac tacked ons single runs in the fourth, seventh and ninth innings – and all of them were scored by Perez. After reaching on a fielder’s choice in the fourth, Perez advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on an error by Keys catcher Brian Ward, and scored on yet another wild Ryan O’Shea offering. In the seventh, Destin Hood plated Perez with a two-out single. Soriano’s double brought Perez home in the ninth.
Game 3 is set for 6:35 P.M. at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge. Evan Bronson takes the mound for the Nationals against the veteran righthander Ryohei Tanaka.
P-Nats lose rain-shortened Game One
With the Frederick Keys batting in the bottom of the sixth inning and leading 5-1, play was suspended at Harry Grove Stadium. With torrential rain falling and more predicted through the night, the game was called and the Keys had a rain-shortened victory to open the Northern Division Series.
Potomac surged to an early lead on Steven Souza’s solo home run in the second inning. Paul Demny, the Nationals starter, was steady in the first two innings and worked around trouble in the third, inducing a double play to escape a double and a walk.
In the bottom of the fourth, Demny appeared to make another pitch that would get him out of a jam. With one out, Jacob Julius hit a hard one-hopper to second base, but the ball was bobbled by Jeff Kobernus. The split second prevented the Nationals from turning the double play – and that proved costly. Miguel Abreu blasted a three-run homer to left field that gave the Keys a lead they would not relinquish. Brian Ward then followed with a back-to-back homer that put Frederick ahead 4-1.
Keys starter Jake Pettit was fantastic and earned his third win against Potomac in 2011. Other than the homer to Souza, Pettit allowed just two other hits, struck out four and retired Potomac twice in order.
Abreu struck again in the sixth and final inning. With one out, Demny allowed a single to Jacob Julius and Demny was sent to the clubhouse. Rob Wort came on, and Julius stole second base. Abreu then singled to left to score Julius and put Frederick in front, 5-1. Wort then struck out Ward, but walked Bobby Stevens and Dale Mollenhauer to load the bases.
With two outs and a 2-1 count to Jonathan Schoop, the rain became too heavy to continue, and play was called. A driving rain continued through the night and forced the game to be finalized.
Game Two is scheduled for Thursday in Frederick. Potomac will send Sammy Solis to the mound against lefthander Rick Zagone at 7:05 P.M.
P-Nats clinch second half
The Potomac Nationals used a six-run eighth inning to defeat the Kinston Indians 8-4 and secure a tie for the second half title in the Carolina League’s Northern Division in Monday’s regular season finale. The Nationals wrapped up the second half with a 39-31 record and will face the Frederick Keys in the Divisional Playoffs beginning Wednesday at Harry Grove Stadium.
Season finales will often feature some bizarre sights, and the Labor Day contest at Pfitzner Stadium was no different. Relief pitcher Cody Allen drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning with his first professional hit and scored later in the inning to put Kinston ahead 4-2.
But a key error by Jose Flores – making his first appearance since returning from the disabled list – in the eighth inning led to six unearned Potomac runs that put the game away. After a leadoff double by Cutter Dykstra, Flores walked Francisco Soriano. Jeff Kobernus then sacrificed back to the mound; Flores bobbled, Kobernus was safe and the Nationals were in business. Destin Hood then hit a bullet to third that was caught by Adam Abraham, who doubled off Dykstra at third. Without the error, the inning would have been over.
But five straight hits, including three two-out doubles, plated six runs for Potomac and set the table for the series-salvaging win.
Kinston took a brief lead in the first inning. Bo Greenwell and Abraham singled with one out, and Jeremie Tice scored Greenwell with a sacrifice fly to right.
The Nats took the lead back in their half of the first. Brian Peaock’s single scored Jeff Kobernus, who had singled and stolen his 53rd base. Peacock then stole second base, and Roberto Perez’s throw sailed into center field to score Hood and put Potomac ahead.
Casey Frawley was removed from the game in the second inning. Abraham – the designated hitter – was moved to third, Tyler Cannon took over at second, and the Indians forfeited their D.H. spot.
Allen came on in relief of Mike Rayl in the fourth inning and overpowered Potomac on the mound. In three runs he allowed just one hit – and then did some damage with the bat. In the sixth, Tice doubled with one and moved to third on Cannon’s single.
Allen then came to the plate with two on and one out. Tice scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, and Allen’s single to center past a drawn-in infield pushed Kinston ahead. They held the lead until the fateful eighth.
Hector Nelo got the final three outs of the game to close down the regular season in front of 2,209 hearty fans at Pfitzner Stadium, who withstood sporadic drizzle throughout the ballgame.
On Wednesday, the P-Nats begin their quest to repeat as Mills Cup Champions in Frederick. Game One at Harry Grove Stadium begins at 7:05 P.M. The pregame show for the broadcast can be heard beginning at 6:20.
P-Nats complete sweep of ‘Cats
The Potomac Nationals lead the Carolina League in stolen bases, and it showed on Friday night as they swiped nine bags en route to a 7-3 win over the Hillcats at City Stadium.
The Nationals scored in the first inning. Jeff Kobernus had an infield single. He then stole second and third. When he stole third, catcher Shawn McGill’s throw went into left field, and Kobernus trotted home to give the Nationals the early lead.
Potomac scored more conventionally in the second inning. Zach Walters doubled out to left field, and Sandy Leon followed behind him a with a single to put the Nationals up 2-0.
The Hillcats struck back in the bottom of the second. Joe Leonard singled to lead off the inning. Keenan Wiley struck out, but Shawn McGill singled. Ryan Query knocked a single to right field to score Leonard and cut the lead to 2-1.
The Hillcats took their first lead since Tuesday in the fourth inning. With two outs, McGill hit a grounder to third. Jose Lozada threw the ball across the infield high, which pulled Steven Souza off the base. Query followed with a live drive down the right field line that rolled all the way to the corner. McGill came around to score on the hit, and Query slid into third with a triple. With L.V. Ware at the plate, Query was able to score on a wild pitch by Nationals starter Sammy Solis, and the Hillcats led 3-2.
Things went downhill for the Hillcats from there. The Nationals retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Jeff Kobernus walked, stole two bases, and scored on a wild pitch by Hillcats starter Corey Brewer to tie the game. Justin Bloxom also scored in the inning on an RBI single by Zach Walters, and the Nationals went ahead 4-3.
Reliever Jeremy Haynes gave up two unearned runs in the seventh inning, after he made an errant throw early in the inning. Two runs came across to score, and the Nationals led 6-3. They added one more in the eighth, and despite the Hillcats threatening in the ninth, held on to the 7-3 win.
The Hillcats gave up nine stolen bases in the game, and 21 in the series. It was the first time all season that Lynchburg had been swept in a four-game series.
Brewer (1-2) took the loss, and Solis (6-2) earned the win for the Nationals. The Hillcats dropped to 28-37 in the second half, while the Nationals improved to 38-28.
The final series of the season starts Saturday night as the Winston-Salem Dash come to Lynchburg. Gary Moran (1-1) will pitch for the Hillcats, while the Dash will send out Cameron Bayne (12-7). The first pitch is at 6:05 pm and the gates will open at 5.
The Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg will go on the air at 5:40 pm. Tune in to 105.5 KD Country or go to lynchburg-hillcats.com to listen live to all the action.
P-Nats roll in Lynchburg
The Potomac Nationals continued their winning ways on Thursday in Lynchburg. Led by an outstanding start by Paul Demny, the P-Nats surged to an early lead and never looked back, taking their third straight game over the Hillcats. With the win and Frederick’s loss in Kinston, the Nationals move within half a game of the Keys for the second half title in the Northern Division.
Destin Hood drove in Cutter Dykstra in the top of the first inning to stake the Nationals to a lead they would never relinquish. Dykstra singled to open the game, and in the same stadium where his father stole 103 bases in 1983, swiped a pair of bases to move to third base with one out before Hood knocked him in.
Demny encountered his only difficulty in the first. A pair of softly hit infield singles opened the inning against the righthander. But a made-to-order double play helped Demny escape unscathed. From there, he locked in and dominated. Over the next six innings, he allowed just three more hits, all of which were ground balls and only one of which left the infield. Demny struck out six and walked one to earn his tenth win.
Zach Walters continued his offensive surge with a double to lead off the second inning. Walters, who had three hits on the evening, scored the first of his two runs when Sean Nicol singled to left with two outs. Eury Perez then laced a single to center to push Potomac in front 3-0.
Potomac added single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, Brian Peacock singled and stole second base. He scored on Sandy Leon’s RBI single to right field. Leon struck again with a sacrifice fly in the eighth that scored Walters and made it 5-0.
On the night, Potomac stole a season high six bases to run their 2011 total to 199.
The Nationals were one out away from their fifth shutout of the season. But Shawn McGill hit a towering home run to left field to give Lynchburg its only run of the game with two outs in the ninth.
Potomac looks for a four-game sweep on Friday with Sammy Solis on the mound against Caleb Brewer at 7:05. The P-Nats return to Woodbridge on Saturday for the final regular season series of the year, a four-game set with the Kinston Indians. On Saturday the Nationals will raffle off a new car to a lucky fan and fire off the last Fireworks extravaganza of the year. Monday is Fan Appreciation Day, and the P-Nats will have exciting prizes and giveaways for all those in attendance. To get your tickets and to reserve your playoff package now, call the ticket office at 703-590-2311 or visit the club online at
P-Nats rally past ‘Cats
Despite Barrett Kleinknecht hitting a home run for the third time in the homestand, the Hillcats could not overcome four unearned runs in the eighth inning and fell 6-3 to the Potomac Nationals Wednesday night.
The Nationals got a spark with two outs in the third inning to score the first run. After starter David Hale pitched the first two and two-thirds innings without giving up a hit, he gave up three in a row, including an RBI single by Destin Hood, and Potomac took a 1-0 lead.
Barrett Kleinknecht continued his hot homestand in the third. With two outs, he hit a solo home run to left-center, tying the game at one. It was his third home run in four nights.
Starter David Hale pitched very well for the Hillcats. Hale pitched six innings, giving up just one run and striking out a career-high nine batters.
The pivotal play in the game came in the top of the eighth. With two outs and runners on second and third, Sean Nicol hit a grounder to Andrelton Simmons at short. Simmons made a short throw to first and Joey Terdoslavich was unable to handle the hop. Four runs went on to score in the inning, putting the Nationals ahead 5-1.
The Nationals added one more in the top of the ninth, and despite Joey Terdoslavich hitting a two-run home run, the Hillcats fell 6-3.
The win clinched a playoff birth for the Nationals, and in turn, eliminated the Hillcats from the playoff hunt.
Nationals starter Adam Olbrychowski (5-7) earned the win. Eliecer Cardenas (4-3) took the loss despite not giving up an earned run. Cameron Selik recorded the last out of the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
The Hillcats and Nationals continue their series Thursday night at City Stadium. Matt Crim (2-7) will pitch for the Hillcats and Paul Demny (9-10) will pitch for Potomac. First pitch will be at 7:05 pm and the gates will open at 6.
The Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg will go on the air at 6:40 pm. Tune in to 105.5 KD Country or go to lynchburg-hillcats.com to listen live to all the action.
P-Nats hammer Rocks’ pen in 11-3 win
The Potomac Nationals erupted for eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings against Jon Keck and Ryan Dennick on Wednesday night in Woodbridge, and scored an 11-3 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks. For the second straight night, Potomac scored 11 runs and overcame an early deficit to lock up the series victory. The Nationals have now won 13 of the last 15 against the Blue Rocks, and have outscored them by a mind-boggling 98-42 over that span.
The Rocks surged in front with a trio of bloop base hits in the top of the first inning against Nationals’ starter Evan Bronson. The last of them came off the bat of Tim Ferguson and plated a pair of runs to push the Blue Rocks ahead 2-0.
Potomac (61-66, 32-36) got a run in the second inning when Sandy Leon hit an impressive home run to straightaway centerfield. Leon’s sixth blast of the season cut the Rocks lead in half, but Wilmington would grab the run back in the fourth. Joey Lewis smashed a home run to left field to push the Rocks ahead by a pair at 3-1.
Blue Rocks spot starter Allen Caldwell held the lead until the fourth inning, when three doubles pulled Potomac level. Steven Souza’s two-bagger followed Destin Hood’s leadoff double to get the P-Nats within one, and Leon’s single to left tied the game at three.
After Lewis’s homer, the two pitching staffs went in opposite directions. Bronson retired ten straight hitters to complete his outing and earn a fifth win. Caldwell, meanwhile, worked around two hits in the fifth and gave way to the bullpen in the sixth. From that point on, things unraveled for Wilmington (59-67, 23-34).
Jon Keck allowed a leadoff single to Souza and walked Brian Peacock before Leon laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both men in scoring position. Zach Walters then stepped to the plate. Before his single to left, a Deck wild pitch scored Souza and gave Potomac a lead they would not relinquish. Jose Lozada then tripled to left field to score Peacock, and Francisco Soriano closed the scoring in the inning with a single to left, and Potomac led 7-3.
Things did not get better for Ryan Dennick in the seventh. After he struck out Souza to open the inning, Brian Peacock hit a grounder to third base. Deivy Batista let the ball skirt through his legs and into left field, and Peacock then walked. Walters delivered again with a double to left that made it 8-3 Nationals. Lozada then roped his second straight triple to score a pair; Perez closed the scoring with a single to right that closed the scoring and sent the Nationals to an 11-3 advantage.
Marcos Frias pitched the eighth, and Cameron Selik the ninth as Potomac closed out the victory and secured their second straight series win.
With the victory, Potomac trimmed its magic number to seven to qualify for the Carolina League Northern Division’s second playoff spot.
The Nationals will go for the sweep on Thursday evening with Adam Olbrychowski on the mound against Tim Melville at 7:05 P.M.
P-Nats shake Blue Rocks
The Potomac Nationals offense put on a show Tuesday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, and defeated their Northern Division opponent 11-1.
Much like the 5.9 earthquake shook all of the East Coast earlier in the afternoon, Potomac’s offense shook Wilmington’s starting pitcher,Tyler Sample, in the early innings of the ball game.
It was the Rocks, however, who notched the first run in thetop of the first on an RBI single by John Whittleman. Unfortunately for Wilmington, that was the only run theyscored the entire game.
The P-Nats responded quickly with two runs of the own in thebottom half of the first. JeffKobernus led the offense off with a one-out single to left and later stolesecond to put him into scoring position with two outs. A costly error by Wilmington’s firstbaseman on Steven Souza’s ground ball scored Kobernus from second, which tiedthe game at one. Sandy Leonknocked Souza in a few pitches later on a single up the middle.
The very next inning, the scoring continued for theNationals and the errors continued for the Blue Rocks. After a leadoff walk by Jose Lozada anda single by Sean Nicol, Eury Perez laid down a sacrifice bunt that Sample wasunable to field properly and was charged with an error. Two batters later, Kobernus smashed asingle up the middle and scored two runs.
After a double steal by Perez and Kobernus, the Rocksdefense failed their pitcher again. Destin Hood grounded a ball to the third baseman, Whittleman who bobbledthe ball, which allowed Perez to score and Hood to reach first safely. Hood then advanced to second on anerrant throw by the first baseman and men were left on second and third. Steven Souza knocked in the fourth andfinal run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. After two innings, Potomac’s offense had six runs and theRocks defense had four errors.
Three more P-Nats runs came across in the fourth inningthanks to two bases loaded walks and an RBI single by Sandy Leon. Another two insurance runs were platedin the eighth on a two-run double by Francisco Soriano which finalized thescore at 11-1.
Soriano, Kobernus, Souza and Leon all had two RBIs on thenight and Kobernus led the offense with a four-for-six performance with threeruns. Kobernus also swiped twobags on the night which increased his league-leading total to 48.
Potomac’s starting pitcher, Sammy Solis, had a solid secondstart after being activated from the DL with four innings of work, four hits,one earned run, and six strikeouts. It was reliever Neil Holland (3-0) who was credited for the win, though,for his three innings of scoreless relief. Rocks starter Sample received the loss (7-12).
The three-game series between the two clubs resumes tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.
P-Nats win wacky one in Kinston
With two outs and Sandy Leon at second base in the top of the 11th inning on Tuesday night in Kinston, Francisco hit a harmless popup behind the pitchers’ mound. The Indians’ entire infield converged on the ball but let it fall to the grass, allowing Leon to score the eventual winning run in a Nationals 6-3 win at Grainger Stadium. It wwas just their third win in nine tries at the venerable ballpark. The good fortune helped erase what would have been another discouraging defeat at the home of the Indians, in which the P-Nats will play their final game ever on Wednesday night.
Potomac was two outs from victory in the ninth. With a 3-1 lead, Hector Nelo allowed consecutive singles to Tyler Cannon and Casey Frawley. Jeremie Tice then pinch hit for Justin Toole and delivered with a single to left field that pulled the Indians within a run. With runners at second and third and one out, Roberto Perez hit a ball to shortstop. It scored Frawley, but Zach Walters threw out Tice at third for the second out. Nelo got Argenis Martinez to ground out to send the game to extra innings.
The Nationals, who entered the game one for their previous 30 with runners in scoring position, broke through with four hits in clutch spots. Only two of them were conventional. Eury Perez got the Nats on the board with a two-out single in the fifth, after Jose Lozada doubled. Francisco Soriano then reached on an error by Clayton Cook to put runners at the corners. Jeff Kobernus then laid down the first of his two RBI safety squeeze bunts to make it 2-0 Potomac.
A pair of walks by Nats starter Erik Davis proved costly and led to the only damage done against him. Jordan Casas scored Perez to pull the Tribe within a run.
Kobernus’s second safety squeeze in the seventh scored Eury Perez and made it 3-1 Nats.
After Soriano’s popup fell safely in the 11th, Kobernus continued the Nationals’ good fortune. He hit a blooper just inside the right field line off the glove of Martinez that scored Soriano. Destin Hood then hit a double to the wall in left to score Kobernus and push Potomac ahead 6-3.
Josh Smoker pitched a pair of scoreless innings to earn his fifth win and level the three-game series. The clubs play the rubber match Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Evan Bronson takes the mound for Potomac.
P-Nats K 18 times in loss to Kinston
The Potomac Nationals’ trouble making contact with runners in scoring position continued on Monday night in Kinston, as the Nationals went 0-for 11 with men at second or third in a 2-0 loss to the Indians. Potomac was struck out 18 times, including seven punchouts in clutch situations. Kinston, meantime, had just four chances with runners in scoring position, but the Indians got a pair of consecutive two-out singles in the third inning to score the game’s only runs.
Potomac had a bevy of chances early against Kinston starter Mike Rayl. The Nationals had a runner at second or third base with fewer than two outs in each of the first three innings – and failed to score.
In the first, Potomac got a one-out double from Jose Lozada. But a pair of strikeouts got Rayl out of trouble. Rayl, who tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, got more punchouts to escape another jam in the second. After Steven Souza walked to open the inning, Sandy Leon singled to right field. Cutter Dykstra then hit a ball right back to Rayl, who bobbled and could only make the throw to first. But Sean Nicol and Eury Perez fanned to end the threat.
The third inning was a frustrating microcosm of the last three games for Potomac. Potomac – who was 1-for-19 with me in scoring position in the final two games against Myrtle Beach – loaded the bases with no outs. Brian Peacock struck out for the inning’s first out. Then, ahead with a 2-0 count, Souza popped out in foul ground to first base. Francisco Soriano inexplicably tried to tag up from third base and was out by ten feet to end the inning.
From that point on, the Nationals got individual hits in every inning except the fourth and ninth. Their best chance came in the eighth, when they chased Toru Murata – who relieved Rayl and struck out five Nationals – with a one-out single by Brian Peacock. Souza then doubled to right field to put two more in scoring position. Preston Guilmet, the Indians closer, came on to face Sandy Leon. Leon hit a sharp line drive to right field that was caught by Doug Pickens to end the inning.
Nationals starter Adam Olbrychowski walked his third batter with one out in the third inning, and a wild pitch moved Argenis Martinez to second. Justin Toole grounded out to third for the second out, but consecutive RBI singles by Jordan Casas and Adam Abraham did all the damage the Indians would need.
Guilmet retired the Nats in order in the ninth for his 31st save.
Potomac and Kinston resume the series Tuesday evening at Grainger Stadium. Erik Davis will make his third start for the Nationals at 6:30 P.M.
