The Potomac Nationals, thanks in part to the return of Anthony Rendon, downed the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 5-1. Rendon, the sixth overall pick of the 2011 draft, went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in his first game since an ankle injury with Potomac.
The Nationals opened up the scoring int he second inning against Myrtle Beach starter Randol Rojas. Jason Martinson walked, stole second and reached third on an error. He scored his 97th run of 2012 on Stephen King ground out to give Potomac a 1-0 lead.
Potomac tacked two more in the fourth inning. After Ricky Hague singled, Anthony Rendon laced a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third. A Kevin Keyes RBI groundout scored Hague while a King sac fly scored Rendon to increase the advantage to 3-0 for the Nationals.
Hague and Rendon reached to start the sixth inning. Both scored on an opposite field off the wall triple by Martinson to extend the Potomac lead to 5-1.
Rojas (8-4) was done after seven innings and took the loss for the second straight time against the P-Nats.
Alex Meyer got the start for Potomac and yielded just a sixth inning run on a groundout in his fourth Carolina League start. Meyer (2-0) earned the win by striking out five batters, walking one and giving up just two hits over six innings.
The Pelicans threatened in the eighth inning loading the bases with Rob Wort on the mound. But Vinny DiFazio struck out and Chris Grayson grounded out to end the threat and keep the score 5-1. Wort tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure his seventh save of the season.
In his first game since a left ankle fracture suffered in game two of the season, Rendon went 2-for-3 with a double, walk and two runs scored. The 22-year old from Texas played all nine innings at third base recording two assists.
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Chris Graham
