Sox walk-off over Potomac in 10 innings

For the second straight night, the Potomac Nationals (59-68, 26-31) fell in a one-run matchup to the Salem Red Sox (70-58, 30-29).

1B Conrad Gregor notched a one-out walk-off single against LHP Jordan Mills(L, 2-2) in the bottom of the 10^th inning in the Salem 4-3 victory. After a win in nine of the past 11 one-run contests, Potomac is now tied for the league-lead in one-run losses with 26.

Like the series opener on Tuesday night, Potomac got on the board first with a two-run inning. LHP Logan Boyd (ND) had massive control problems throughout his four-inning start, as he walked a career high seven. After Potomac left the bases loaded courtesy of three walks in the second inning, Boyd walked two of the first four batters that he faced in the top of the third. With two men on and two outs, C Taylor Gushue put the P-Nats on top 2-0 with a two-run double. Boyd then issued his sixth walk in two innings, but escaped without any further damage.

RHP Austen Williams (ND) cruised through the better part of his first four innings of work, as only two men reached against him prior to the fifth inning. In the fifth, CF Tate Matheny led off with a double. Two batters later, C Jhon Nunez made it a one-run game with an RBI infield single. With 2B Nick Lovullo batting, Williams spun a pitch into the dirt, as Nunez moved to second base on a wild pitch, which paired with a throwing error by Gushue, put the tying run at third base. Lovullo then snapped an 0-20 drought with a game-tying RBI single to centerfield. One batter later, LF Mike Meyers gave Salem its lone lead until the final batter of the night with an RBI triple to the base of the centerfield wall. Williams stranded Meyers at third base, but the P-Nats trailed 3-2 after five innings.

Just a half inning after surrendering the lead, Potomac tied the game. In his second inning of relief, RHP Pat Goetze issued a leadoff walk to LF Dale Carey. After a failed sacrifice bunt by SS Edwin Lora, RF Daniel Johnson tallied his second double of the night. With men at second and third and only one out, Sundberg tied the game with a sacrifice fly into foul territory wide of the left field line. Potomac left Johnson at second base, one of 12 men left on in the game for the P-Nats.

In the seventh, Potomac had its best chance to retake the lead. With two outs, Goetze surrendered a double to 3B David Masters. DH Rhett Wiseman followed with a single to right field, but RF Chris Madera threw out Masters at the plate, which ended the inning. Potomac then left the go-ahead man at second base in the eighth inning, and once again in the 10^th. The P-Nats went just 2-9 with RISP in the loss.

After six innings from Williams and a perfect seventh inning from RHP Jorge Pantoja, Mills entered for the P-Nats to begin the bottom of the eighth. The left-handed reliever worked around a walk in the eighth inning and a two-out double in the ninth. In the 10^th, Meyers led off with a double off the right field wall, while SS Jeremy Rivera struck out after he failed to put a bunt into fair territory. With the winning run on second base and one out, Gregor lined a single to right field, and Johnson’s throw never made it all the way to the plate, as Meyers easily scored the game-winning run.

Off of another tough loss to Salem, the P-Nats are three games behind the Red Sox for a playoff spot and two games back of the Frederick Keys for third place in the Northern Division.

In an attempt to avoid the sweep on Thursday night, LHP Taylor Guilbeau (4-4, 5.03) is set to start for Potomac. Guilbeau was charged with seven earned runs in his last start, which matched his season high, in a loss to the Winston-Salem Dash. For the Red Sox, LHP Kyle Hart (2-2, 2.20) will make his first career appearance against Potomac. Hart has not given up more than three runs in any of his first six Carolina League starts.

First pitch on Thursday is set for 7:05pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.