The Potomac Nationals (44-37, 6-6) were blanked by the Wilmington Blue Rocks (39-43, 6-8) in a shortened series Game Two that was completed in seven innings at Frawley Stadium on Wednesday evening in 4-0 fashion. The contest that was delayed twice due to thunderstorms that packed lightning, thunder, and a good amount of rainfall. With the shutout victory, Wilmington claimed the series win.
The P-Nats are now stuck in a three-game losing streak and were shut out for the third time in 2014.
The clash lasted took one hour and 50 minutes to be called official and the total rain delay time was two hours and 47 minutes. The first stoppage in play occurred going into the bottom of the 1st inning and the final pause in the action ensued going into the 8th inning.
Before the first delay, Wilmington LHP Sean Manaea tossed one scoreless inning and allowed one base hit and one walk while striking out one batter.
Nationals RHP Brian Rauh was on the starting lineup card but did not appear after the initial stoppage in play.
P-Nats RHP Ian Dickson (1-6), who took the loss, piggybacked Rauh after play resumed and dealt 5.0 innings allowing three earned runs on four hits including one home run while striking out three. Dickson did not walk a batter during his outing.
The initial run of the game was scored by Wilmington in the 2nd stanza when Blue Rocks C Cam Gallagher swept an RBI single through the deep hole at shortstop to plate the triple of LF Cody Stubbs.
The Blue Rocks summoned home two more runs in the 5th frame courtesy of a solo home run ripped into the Nationals’ bullpen by Gallagher to put the home club on top 3-0. The homer was Gallagher’s second longball of the 2014 campaign.
Manaea did not return after the first thunderstorm delay and was relieved by RHP Johnny Walter.
Walter (4-1), the winning pitcher, was terrific in the bullpen nod on short notice. The righty struck out the side in the 2nd and earned 6 Ks in 4.1 scoreless innings. Walter allowed just one base knock.
Wilmington plated their final run in the 6th off RHP Richie Mirowski on a run-scoring single smacked to left field by Stubbs that brought in SS Raul Mondesi, who ripped a one-base knock to get aboard. Mirowski pitched 2.0 innings and surrendered those two hits, two walks, and that one earned run.
The Nationals mustered just two base hits, a double popped up the left field line by 1B Shawn Pleffner and a swinging bunt from C Pedro Severino.
Blue Rocks RHP Yender Caramo (SV 3) earned his third save of the season with 1.2 scoreless innings in which he did not allow a hit and struck out one.
In the series finale set for Thursday evening, the Nationals will throw RHP Dakota Bacus (3-3, 3.58) at Wilmington RHP Glenn Sparkman (3-2, 1.76).
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming Thursday night with the P-Nats Lead-Off Show at 6:50pm leading up to the live play-by-play at 7:05pm. Broadcast coverage of Potomac Nationals Baseball is accessible by heading to www.potomacnationals.com.
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Chris Graham
