In search of a series sweep and a season-high seven-game winning streak, the Potomac Nationals (24-20, 61-50) fell to the Frederick Keys (20-27, 55-61) in 12 innings by a final score of 4-3.
Thursday’s game lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes, just shy of the season-high 3:55.
Both teams entered extra innings tied at two, with Frederick striking first in the series finale. 3B Collin Woody connected on a two-run home run (9) off of LHP Ben Braymer (ND) in the top of the second. After four shutout innings from Frederick starter Zac Lowther (ND) The P-Nats finally crossed a run.
3B David Masters started off the fifth with a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly from CF Jack Sundberg.
The P-Nats tied the game in the top of the seventh off of Lowther on a two-out single from 2B Bryan Mejia. Masters led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from LF Edwin Lora, and scored on the base hit from Mejia.
From there, it was a battle of the bullpens between the two teams. LHP Hayden Howard and RHP Jacob Condra-Bogan combined for three scoreless innings, while LHP Tyler Erwin fired 2.1 innings of shutout baseball.
RHP Steven Fuentes entered in the ninth and allowed just one unearned run over three innings. In the top of the 11th, SS Chris Clare, the free runner to start off the inning, gave Frederick a 3-2 lead on an RBI single from LF Randolph Gassaway.
Potomac responded in the bottom of the frame, tying the game off of RHP Steven Klimek (W, 4-2). DH Rhett Wiseman entered as a pinch runner and scored on an RBI single from LF Telmito Agustin, who also entered the game in extra innings.
The Keys took the lead for good in the top of the 12th off of RHP Jeremy McKinney (L, 3-3). With DH Daniel Fajardo standing on second, CF Cole Billingsley gave Frederick a 4-3 advantage on an RBI single. Klimek returned for the bottom of the 12th, working around a two-out single from SS Luis Garcia to retire the side and secure the victory.
With the loss, The P-Nats fall to 3-3 on the season in extra innings and snap a nine-game winning streak at home.
After taking five games on the six-game homestand, The P-Nats hit the road for a three-game series in Winston-Salem. In the series opener against the Dash, RHP Kyle Johnston (3-1, 3.12) will take the ball for Potomac. Johnston is coming off of a seven-inning complete game victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on August 4th. Winston-Salem has not yet announced a starting pitcher for Friday’s game.
First pitch at BB&T Ballpark on Friday is set for 7:00pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:45pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com, at http://bit.ly/P-NatsBroadcast, or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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Chris Graham
