The Fredericksburg Nationals won in walkoff fashion 7-6 Thursday night at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. Brady House was the hero, delivering a single through the right side to score Yoander Rivero and Jacob Young and win the game in the ninth.
The Nats trailed 4-0 after four before a solo home run in the fifth by TJ White helped to ignite a rally. The long ball was the first of the year for the switch-hitting 18-year-old. Young helped keep the rally going with a key triple in the sixth as part of a two-run inning. The squad added two more in the seventh and entered the ninth trailing 6-5.
Rivero started the rally by drawing a 3-2 walk with one out. Young also drew a full count walk to put the winning run aboard. Viandel Pena kept the parade going by drawing a third straight free pass from relief man Trevor Tietz (0-1) to set the table for House’s heroics.
The young phenom from Winder, Ga., had previously been held in check by a Mudcat staff that was led by starter Ryne Moore. Other than a hit by pitch in the first, House failed to reach base prior to his walkoff line drive to right field. Moore allowed five runs (three earned) in six-plus innings of work.
Jose Ferrer (1-0) earned the win on the mound for the FredNats. He was untouchable out of the bullpen, carving scoreless eighth and ninth innings to keep the Nats alive. He struck out two while facing the minimum.
The Nats will look to move to 3-1 in the series tomorrow at 7:05. RHP Rodney Theophile (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start of the season after going four scoreless with eight strikeouts April 8th in Delmarva. RHP Brannon Jordan (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will start for the Mudcats.
The Fredericksburg Nationals are a minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals in the Carolina League. Stay up to date with the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@fxbgnats).
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Chris Graham
