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Frederick Keys outlast Potomac in 4-3 finale

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p-natsAfter nearly six weeks over .500 and in the second spot in the Northern Division standings, the Potomac Nationals (30-31 Overall, 13-16 Home) dropped in both of those marks with a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Frederick Keys (32-31 Overall, 20-12 Road) Sunday afternoon. Even with at least one base runner in each of the first eight innings, the P-Nats managed to score in only one frame.

With two quick outs in the first inning, it appeared as though RHP Luis Reyes (L, 3-6) was set to bounce back from his prior outing, one in which he went just 1.2 innings vs. Myrtle Beach. But with two outs in the top of the first inning, DH Wynston Sawyer hit his sixth home run of the year. The solo home run made it 1-0 Frederick. Reyes settled down and retired the side in order in the next two frames, but after he induced a double play in the fourth, the righty allowed a solo home run to RF Conor Bierfeldt, the outfielder’s second home run of the series. The Keys led 2-0 after 3.5 innings, but sloppy defense and gusty winds brought Potomac back into the game.

In his second start in less than two weeks vs. Potomac, LHP Trevor Belicek (ND) did not allow an earned run over his four-inning outing. He did allow three unearned runs on six hits in the start, as the Keys defense made two crucial errors, part of a three-run fourth inning for the P-Nats. With one out in the frame, 2B Bryan Mejia reached on a fly ball to left field, which LF Cam Kneeland dropped. After Mejia stole third base, 1B David Masters grounded out to 3B Jomar Reyes, which plated Mejia, and Masters was safe at first after Reyes couldn’t handle the ground ball. RF Dale Carey followed with a single that put the tying man into scoring position, but CF Andrew Stevenson struck out. SS Osvaldo Abreu followed with a fly ball to left field that appeared to be routine off the bat. But with winds gusting north of 20 MPH at Pfitzner Stadium, Kneeland was unable to stay with the ball, as it landed at his feet. Ruled a double, Abreu picked up two RBIs and put Potomac ahead 3-2.

The lead lasted into the sixth inning, as Reyes remained on the hill in search of his fourth quality start of the season. The righty walked Sawyer with one out and gave up a single to Bierfeldt. With men on the corners, Jomar Reyes plated two with an RBI double to centerfield, as Stevenson’s dive came up short and he ball bounced behind him. The two-run double put Frederick on top 4-3, the eventual final.

Potomac threated in the seventh and eighth frames, but left the tying man in scoring position in both innings. Against RHP Tanner Chleborad (W, 1-2), the P-Nats had men on first and second with one out in the seventh. LHP Tanner Scott entered the game and struck out DH Drew Vettleson before LF Alec Keller grounded one back to the pitcher’s mound. In the eighth inning, Scott issued back-to-back one-out walks to Masters and Carey before a groundout by Stevenson put men at second and third. Frederick went to RHP Michael Zouzalik (SV, 7) for the four out save, and the righty punctuated the eighth inning with a strikeout of Abreu. Zouzalik then pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out the Frederick win, the Keys’ fourth in the five game series.

After six innings and four runs from Reyes, RHP Gilberto Mendez did not allow a hit over two frames, while RHP Ryan Brinley allowed one hit and struck one man out in a scoreless ninth. Potomac went 2-14 with RISP and left 11 men on base in the loss. It was the second loss in the series for the P-Nats when they outhit the Keys, just the third such victory of the season for Frederick. With the loss, Potomac fell into third place in the Northern Division for the first time in 2016. Also with the loss, Potomac was officially eliminated from the playoff race in the first half, and with Lynchburg’s win Sunday afternoon, the Hillcats clinched the division crown.

Officially out of the playoff race, the P-Nats will make their first visit of the season to Salem to take on the Southern Division leading Red Sox. At 40-23, the Red Sox have a magic number to clinch the division of just two. The series opener Mondaynight will feature a matchup between RHP Dakota Bacus (0-2, 4.82) for Potomac and LHP Matt Kent (5-3, 3.57) for the Red Sox. First pitch of the series opener from LewisGale Field Monday night is set for 7:05pm.

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