Cate’s career night caps P-Nats sweep of Blue Rocks

The Potomac Nationals (6-8, 36-45) played a modified doubleheader against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (7-7, 51-32) on Wednesday night, and came away with a pair of wins to earn a series victory. After a 10-4 win in the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game, LHP Tim Cate pitched his first career complete game in a 2-1, seven inning victory.

The suspended game, tied 4-4 in the fourth at the time it was halted on Tuesday, saw the P-Nats score six unanswered runs in support of a stellar relief effort from LHP Aaron Fletcher (W, 2-1). The lefty fanned five batters over 3.1 perfect innings to earn his second win.

After Fletcher resumed the game with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth, Potomac scored an unearned run in the fifth on RF Telmito Agustin’s run-scoring fielder’s choice off LHP Robert Garcia (L, 1-2). They extended the lead further in the seventh on an RBI double from 1B KJ Harrison and subsequent wild pitch from LHP Josh Mitchell.

RHP Andrew Istler escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to keep the momentum in Potomac’s favor, and 3B Omar Meregildo put the game out of reach in the ninth with a three-run double down the left field line. RHP Jhonatan German easily got the final three outs to seal the win.

Game two was played cleanly, as Cate (W, 1-1) outdueled LHP Daniel Tillo (L, 4-7) in a pitchers’ duel. Both teams managed just three hits, and neither team collected a hit after the third inning. 1B Aldrem Corredor hit a two-run homer, his eighth of the year, off Tillo in the third to account for both of Potomac’s runs.

Cate allowed an RBI single to 2B Kyle Kasser in the third, but pitched hitless baseball the rest of the way. The lefty tied a career high with eight strikeouts, and tied a Potomac season high with his seven-inning gem.

The P-Nats return home to Northwest Federal Field on Thursday night to continue their stretch of games against the Blue Rocks. LHP Carson Teel faces off against RHP Jonathan Bowlan in the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm, with the Potomac broadcast starting at 6:20 with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.