Potomac Nationals (15-21-Overall, 8-11-Road) RHP Dakota Bacus pitched six scoreless innings and the offense banged out five runs on 11 hits behind him to coast to a 5-2 victory in Game Two of the series with the Frederick Keys (19-18-Overall, 12-4-Home) at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on Saturday night.
After an hour and seventeen minute delay prior to the start of Game Two of the three game series between the P-Nats and the Keys LHP Mitch Horacek (2-4, 3.57), facing the Nationals for the second time in as many starts, delivered the first pitch to the P-Nats lead-off man CF Narciso Mesa, who promptly singled. 2B Christopher Bostick followed with an infield bunt single and SS Stephen Perez banged a two-run double into the gap for a 2-0 Potomac lead three batters into the game.
Potomac added an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning against Horacek when RF John Wooten began the frame with a two-bagger. Two batters later with one out DH Brandon Miller hit a hot chopper to 3B Drew Dosch. Dosch made a backhanded stop and from foul territory threw wild to first base allowing Wooten to score from third and Miller to move up to second base and push the lead to 3-0 Potomac.
Horacek lasted only five innings, relinquishing six hits and three runs (two earned) on two walks and he struck out six. The righty took his fourth loss of the season and second consecutive loss at the hands of the Nationals.
Bacus (2-0, 2.33) allowed at least one base runner in each of the first four frames but did not give up a run on four hits in six innings of work. He walked two and tied his season high with seven strikeouts, ending each of the first four stanzas with a punchout to quell potential Keys rallies.
The Moline, IL native delivered 85 pitches and 53 of them were strikes to earn his second consecutive victory while setting a new season high with six innings on the mound.
Potomac added a run in the top of the sixth against the first bullpen arm for Frederick RHP Dylan Rheault. It began with an infield Wooten single followed by a 3B Khayyan Norfork double that put runners on the corners. Miller picked up RBI number 11 on the season with a single scoring Wooten for a 4-0 lead.
In to relieve Bacus was RHP Tyler Mapes in the seventh, and Mapes, who has pitched well in his previous four outings for Potomac, ran into trouble immediately. Four consecutive singles to begin the inning for Frederick led to a run; the RBI coming from CF Johnny Ruettiger’s single to cut the lead to 4-1 Potomac.
Mapes was lifted for RHP Cody Davis who induced a pop up, a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to 4-2 Potomac and a fly out to left field to end the inning and limit the damage.
RHP Austen Urban came in and pitched a scoreless eighth but in the ninth gave up a moon shot home run to 1B Jimmy Yezzo, his first of the year, for a 5-2 lead.
LHP Nick Lee (SV 2) came in after Davis gave up a single in the eighth and induced a double play ball followed by a lineout to end the inning. In the ninth Lee set down the first two hitters with a fly out and a strikeout, then allowed a two-out walk before striking out LF Tucker Nathans to end the ballgame, clinching the 5-2 win and evening the series at a win apiece.
Tomorrow marks the second straight rubber match Potomac will play after losing 1-0 in the series finale to Wilmington. The Nationals look to improve on their series record of 2-5-3 in 2015.
The finale in Frederick has a scheduled first pitch of 2:00 pm and Potomac will send the RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-0, 0.00), who looks to extend his 11.0 innings scoreless streak. The Keys will counter with RHP David Hess (2-2, 5.05).
Listen live to the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network beginning at 1:45 pm with “The P-Nats Lead-off Show” via the TunIn Radio App or atwww.potomacnationals.com.
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Chris Graham
