Carson Teel spins gem in 4-2 Potomac win

Behind a dominant start from LHP Carson Teel (W, 4-2), the Potomac Nationals (44-51, 14-14) earned a series win with a 4-2 victory over the Frederick Keys (38-60, 9-20) on Friday night.

Teel worked the longest start of his career, as he tossed seven innings of one-run baseball over the last place Keys. The Potomac starter outdueled top 100 prospect LHP DL Hall (L, 3-4), who gave up three runs over five innings in the loss.

After an easy first frame for Teel, the Potomac offense quickly took the lead. 2B Osvaldo Abreu led off the Potomac offensive evening with a home run, as the P-Nats led 1-0. Hall settled in, as the left-handed starter retired 11 of the next 12 batters that he faced, though he ran into two-out trouble in the fourth inning.

Hall struck out the first two batters that he faced in the home half of the fourth inning, two of his eight strikeouts on the night. C Jakson Reetz followed with a single and scored one batter later on an RBI double from DH KJ Harrison. Potomac led 2-0 after four innings.

Frederick had scoring chances against Teel through much of the Potomac starter’s outing. The Keys left a man at second base in the opening frame, runners at second and third base in the third inning, and they failed to take advantage of a leadoff double in the fourth frame. The Keys plated their lone run against Teel in the fifth inning, as a leadoff walk led to an eventual sacrifice fly from RF Zach Jarrett. Teel struck out five and gave up just six hits over seven innings.

The P-Nats scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings respectively. Hall issued a one-out walk to LF Jack Sundberg in the fifth inning, and he later scored on a sacrifice fly from CF Cole Freeman. Hall departed for LHP Cameron Ming to begin the sixth inning, and 3B David Masters greeted the Frederick lefty with a solo home run, his 10th home run of the season. Potomac led 4-1 after six frames.

Neither team cracked the scoreboard in the seventh or eighth innings, but the Keys came close to a come from behind rally in the ninth against RHP Frankie Bartow (SV, 4). Three singles from the first four hitters of the frame plated a run and put the tying runs on base for CF Cole Billingsley. The Frederick leadoff hitter roped a line drive right at 1B Aldrem Corredor, who made the catch and easily doubled off 2B Sean Miller at first base. The double play ended the game and secured Potomac’s 4-2 win.

Off of the series win, the P-Nats are set for a four-game series vs. the Fayetteville Woodpeckers scheduled over the next three days. In a doubleheader on Saturday night, Potomac will send RHP Kyle Johnston (9-8, 4.19) and RHP Ryan Tapani (Debut) to the mound in games one and two respectively. For the Woodpeckers, RHP J.P. France (3-6, 4.48) and RHP Shawn Dubin (2-4, 4.31) are scheduled to get the nod in the twin bill.

First pitch at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium on Friday night is set for 5:00pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 4:45pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.