With his second sparkling starting pitching performance of the homestand, RHP Joan Baez(W, 3-8) pitched the Potomac Nationals (59-66, 26-29) to a 2-1 win over the Winston-Salem Dash (50-77, 26-31). Baez, who also picked up a win over the Salem Red Sox on Tuesday night, has won consecutive starts at the Carolina League level for the first time.
All three runs in the game came in the first two innings, as Potomac scored a pair of runs in the first frame for the second straight game, while the Dash plated their lone run in the second. RHP Kelvis Valerio (L, 3-5) retired the first two hitters that he faced in LF Daniel Johnson and CF Jack Sundberg, but DH Austin Davidson singled, C Taylor Gushue drew a walk, and 2B Jake Noll plated two runs with a double. Noll’s first two Carolina League RBIs made it 2-0, which proved to be enough for the Potomac pitching staff.
Baez nearly saw the lead evaporate immediately in the top of the second inning, as the right-handed starter loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Baez caught C Daniel Gonzalez looking at a called third strike for the first out of the inning, saw SS Sam Dexter split the lead in half with a sacrifice fly, and got CF Joel Booker to pop out to Noll. After 1.5 innings, Potomac led 2-1, the eventual final.
Both sides had chances to add at least a run on multiple occasions, but the two teams finished a combined 2-11 with RISP and left 13 total men on base. Potomac left men at second and third base in the third inning and left two men on base in the eighth. The Dash stranded the tying run at third base in both the second and fifth innings, but managed just one baserunner over the final four frames. RHP Mariano Rivera III pitched two perfect innings, while LHP Jordan Mills (SV, 2) struck out two and allowed a hit over two shutout innings.
The victory pulled Potomac within one game of the Frederick Keys and 1.5 games of the Salem Red Sox for a playoff spot in the Northern Division. A critical three-game series between the P-Nats and the Red Sox is set to begin on Tuesday night at Haley Toyota Field in Salem, VA.
First pitch on Tuesday is set for 7:05pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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Chris Graham
