When the Potomac Nationals (13-8 Overall, 3-7 Home) score the first run of the game, things work out well.
For the 12thtime in 12 games in which the P-Nats have scored the game’s first run, Potomac came out with the win. Friday night, the P-Nats took the lead on an RBI single by 3B David Masters in the second inning and never looked back. RHP Luis Reyes (W, 2-2) struck out a career high eight over 5.2 innings, as he had his best start of the season in Potomac’s 5-1 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (6-15 Overall, 3-5 Road).
Wilmington LHP Colin Rodgers (L, 1-2) allowed just two runs over 5.2 innings, but saw his offense fail behind him. The Blue Rocks tallied eight hits but went just 1-11 with RISP and left 13 men on base. Rodgers gave up a one-out double to LF Dale Carey in the second, which preceded Masters’ RBI single. In the third, SS Osvaldo Abreu reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and third base, and scored on C Raudy Read’s RBI single. Read has an RBI hit in five straight games and has at least one hit in a team best 15 games.
Reyes danced in and out of trouble through much of the night, as the Blue Rocks left at least one man on in five of the six innings that he pitched in. The righty departed in the sixth inning after he gave up an RBI double to LF Roman Collins with two outs in the frame. RHP Mario Sanchez came in from the pen and got DH Corey Toups to pop up to second base to end the inning.
The P-Nats broke the game open vs. RHP Derek Gordon in the seventh inning. CF Andrew Stevenson followed a walk drawn by RF Narciso Mesa with a single, and Abreu plated both with two-run base hit. The P-Nats led 4-1 after seven innings.
2B Bryan Mejia tripled off of RHP Evan Beal in the eighth and scored on a wild pitch, the final run of the game. LHP RC Orlan (SV, 2) pitched two scoreless innings out of the pen to close out Potomac’s seventh win in the past eight games. With a loss by the Lynchburg Hillcats Friday night, the P-Nats sit 2.5 games out of the Northern Division lead with a series vs. Lynchburg upcoming.
With an opportunity for the series win Saturday night, Potomac will send RHP Phillips Valdez (3-1, 5.40) to the hill to match up with RHP Zach Lovvorn (0-4, 4.50) in a rematch of an Opening Day matchup in Wilmington. First pitch at Pfitzner Stadium is set for 6:35pm and the “P-Nats Lead-Off Show” gets underway at 6:20 on PotomacNationals.com and via the TuneIn Radio App.
A fireworks show will follow Saturday night’s game at The Pfitz. Sunday’s series finale at 1:05pm is set to feature “Bark in the Park” day,Sunday Family Fun Day, and a beer tasting with Flying Dog Brewery.
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