The Potomac Nationals (5-5, 3-3) fell to the Carolina Mudcats (5-5, 3-3) in a one-sided Sundayaffair at Pfitzner Stadium by the final score of 12-2.
The Nationals mustered just two hits for the entire standoff and are back to the .500 mark in 2014.
Carolina pounded out 10 base hits and utilized two home runs to eclipse the Nationals ending the home club’s three-game winning streak.
The current series is now at 2-1 in favor of the P-Nats.
Nationals LHP Nick Lee (0-2) only allowed one hit in 1.2 innings but surrendered five earned runs on five walks and was hit with the loss.
Despite striking out the side in the opening frame, Lee did not make it out of the 2nd inning.
In the 2nd, Carolina RF Anthony Gallas socked a double to left center field and 2B Torsten Boss was hit by a pitch before 3B Jacob Roberts knocked a 6-4 fielder’s choice groundout and advanced to second base on a wild pitch from Lee. 1B Charlie Valerio drew a walk to load the bases and then LF Todd Hankins struck out swinging. With two outs, the Mudcats would go on to score six runs as CF Logan Vick and SS Erik Gonzalez worked back-to-back RBI walks. Potomac RHP Ian Dickson entered the contest and gave up a grand slam home run to C Jeremy Lucas to put the Mudcats up 6-0. Lee was charged with three of those earned runs and Dickson took the run scored by Lucas.
Dickson would go on to allow four more runs as Carolina plated a pair in the 3rd inning courtesy of an RBI single into center field off the bat of Roberts and a Hankins run-scoring double.
One more run in the fourth frame gave the Mudcats a 9-0 advantage when Gallas cranked an opposite field solo homer that hit the second tier of signage.
The lone pair of runs for the P-Nats came in the 5th via a two-run dinger for C Cole Leonida, his first round tripper of the season.
Leonida yanked an offering from the winning pitcher, RHP D.J. Brown (1-0) over the wall in the left field corner.
Brown was not the scheduled starter but rather was thrusted onto the pitcher’s mound when RHP Dylan Baker was injured on his way out to the hill to begin the bottom of the 1st inning.
Baker crippled to the ground after stepping awkwardly and left the field on crutches forcing Brown into the de facto starting pitching role.
Brown tossed 5.0 innings and allowed just the two earned runs on Leonida’s bomb on a total of two hits while walking one and fanning two.
Mudcats RHP Rob Nixon spun 3.0 perfect innings out of the bullpen and LHP Elvis Araujo polished off the Nationals in the bottom of the 9th in one-two-three fashion.
Potomac 1B Kevin Keyes struck out swinging to end Game Three of this four-game set.
The P-Nats cart out RHP Brian Rauh (0-1, 5.87) to face off with Carolina LHP Shawn Morimando (1-0, 1.64) on Monday night for the Game Four series finale which will begin with a 7:05pm first pitch.
Gates to The Pfitz will be open at 6:00pm tomorrow for Dollar Monday presented by: The Washington Post.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and general admission seats are just $1 at the Potomac Nationals Ticket Office on the day of the game.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network, which is accessible at www.potomacnationals.com, will feature the live broadcast of the Game Four series finale beginning with the P-Nats Leadoff Show at 6:50pm on Monday night.
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Chris Graham
