Oscar Tejeda hit a three run homer in the first inning and the Potomac Nationals led the rest of the way in a 6-1 victory over the Salem Red Sox at LewisGale Field. Matt Spann was outstanding for Potomac, allowing just six hits in seven scoreless innings. Spann did not walk a batter and struck out six. Simon Mercedes was saddled with the loss. In his first outing off the DL, Mercedes allowed eight hits and three runs in five innings.
After Tejeda’s three-run first inning homer, the game held 3-0 until the sixth. Estarlin Martinez led off with a double off new Sox pitcher William Cuevas. After a pop-out, Craig Manuel drove in Martinez to give the P-Nats a 4-0 edge.
Potomac broke the game open in the sixth. Mike McQuillan and Martinez knocked back to back singled off Cuevas. Justin Miller then doubled in McQuillan to give the Nationals a 5-0 edge. A batter later, Manuel singled in Martinez to give Potomac its sixth and final run. Miller was thrown out at the plate trying to score, one of two P-Nats runners cut down at the plate by Sox outfielders.
Salem did scratch a run across in the eighth. Mike Miller singled with two outs off Kylin Turnbull. Jantzen Witte then tripled to left field, on a ball that McQuillan lost in the lights, to put the Sox on the board.
The loss drops the Sox to six games under .500 on the season for the third time, their low watermark of the year. Game two of the series tomorrow features Cody Kukuk for the Sox and Brian Rauh for the Nationals. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05.
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