Home Wilmington edges Potomac Nationals, 2-1
Sports

Wilmington edges Potomac Nationals, 2-1

Contributors

potomac nationalsIn the finale of a three-game home series on Monday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (45-36 Overall, 17-24 Road, 7-4 Second-Half), the Potomac Nationals (40-41 Overall, 23-18 Home, 7-4 Second-Half) were edged 2-1 in 10 innings on a solo home run off the bat of Blue Rocks C Cam Gallagher swatted over all three tiers of signage in left field at Pfitzner Stadium.

The Nationals are now (15-13) in one-run contests in 2015 and have logged a (3-2) extra-inning record this season.

The Blue Rocks have played to a (4-4) win-loss ledger in bonus baseball situations in ’15.

Wilmington avoided a set sweep with their Game Three victory after starter, Blue Rocks RHP Jake Junis went 6.0 innings in a no-decision. Junis allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out one batter.

Nationals RHP Lucas Giolito, the number one overall prospect in baseball per MLBPipeline.com, like Junis, did not factor into a decision despite striking out 10 batters in 6.0 innings of relief work. Giolito surrendered one unearned run on three base knocks, including a pair of doubles to the Carolina League leader in two-baggers, Blue Rocks 1B Frank Schwindel. Giolito unleashed a wild pitch, hit a batter, and balked for the first time in his professional career.

Giolito tossed 86 total pitches and 60 offerings for strikes while submitting a trio of one-two-three innings in back of the one-inning rehabilitation start of Washington Nationals RHP Aaron Barrett.

Barrett fanned the side all swinging in the opening inning getting 2B Carlos Garcia, SS Jack Lopez, and 3B Mauricio Ramos.

The first run of the game scored for Wilmington in the 2nd stanza as Schwindel lined a double to the left field wall before Blue Rocks DH Robert Pehl reached on an error committed by Giolito. A dribbler was bobbled by the number one overall prospect in Washington’s farm system (Giolito) putting runners on the corners. With one out, Gallagher lofted an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Schwindel.

Potomac evened the score in the 4th frame after SS Stephen Perez cranked a leadoff double to the gap in left-center field. P-Nats C Spencer Kieboom raised a ball up to right field deep enough to get Perez over to third base on a tag-up. Perez was plated on a sac fly off to the left field warning track off the lumber of 3B Drew Ward.

In the top of the 8th, a 34-minute rain delay froze the action before play was re-started at 9:39pm.

Five innings of zeroes from the 5th to the 9th led up to Gallagher’s blast off the losing pitcher of record, RHP Derek Self (2-3), in the 10th inning.

Self dealt 2.0 scoreless innings en route to his third loss over the 8th and 9th before Gallagher led off the 10th with a tiebreaking solo bomb on a 1-0 pitch to give the visiting club a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Self’s line was: 2.1 innings, one earned run, two hits, one walk, three strikeouts, and one home run.

Nationals LHP Justin Thomas got the final two outs of the top of the 10th on balls in the air.

Wilmington RHP Austin Goudeau (4-1) earned his fourth victory victory with 4.0 innings of bullpen duty. Goudeau did not allow a run while surrendering two hits, walking no one, and fanning a duo.

The P-Nats are now an (8-9) club vs. the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals) in 2015.

Potomac prepares for the series opener of a three-game home series against the Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Indians) the Nationals ship RHP Reynaldo Lopez (4-4, 4.58) to the mound to face off against Lynchburg RHP Dace Kime (2-4, 4.41).

First pitch is slated for 7:05pm at Pfitzner Stadium on Tuesday.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.