For the first time in nearly a month, RHP Erick Fedde (W, 5-3) did not have his start affected by rain, as he dealt six innings of one-run baseball in a 5-1 victory for the Potomac Nationals (45-37, 11-3) over the Carolina Mudcats (35-51, 6-10). 2B Max Schrock extended his hit streak to 11 games with his ninth multi-hit night, and CF Victor Robles reached base four times and had two RBIs in the Potomac win.
With the Mudcats in town for the first time since mid-May, Potomac got off to an early lead and went wire-to-wire in the first game of the four game series. RHP Enderson Franco (L, 5-6) issued a leadoff four-pitch walk to Robles in the bottom of the first inning, and the Potomac centerfielder scored three batters later on an RBI triple by 1B Jose Marmolejos, Marmolejos’ league-leading 42nd extra base hit. The P-Nats then loaded the bases with one out in the second inning on two singles and a walk, and despite a 1-2 count, Franco hit Robles in the left arm, which plated LF Alec Keller and made it 2-0. It was the first of three HBP’s for Robles on the night.
Fedde, who tossed just one inning in his last start due to a rain delay, appeared dialed in from the get-go, as he retired the first six Carolina hitters that he faced, three via a strikeout. The right-handed starter allowed just three hits and walked only one. The lone run he allowed came in the fourth, as RF Braxton Davidson led off the frame with a solo home run. Fedde retired the final five hitters that he faced and the last three via the strikeout. The righty struck out eight over six innings.
Potomac added a run in the sixth inning, as Schrock’s two-out RBI single plated 3B Bryan Mejia. Mejia had three hits and scored twice in the win, while Schrock put the game to rest with another two-out RBI hit in the eighth.
The P-Nats turned the game over to the bullpen after the sixth inning, as RHP Tommy Peterson struck out two in a perfect seventh inning. LHP Justin Thomas (SV, 3) allowed just a two-out single in the ninth, as the Potomac pen retired nine of the 10 Carolina hitters that came to the plate over the final three innings.
Up 3-1 entering the eighth, Potomac plated a pair against LHP Michael O’Neal in their final trip to the plate. Mejia doubled with one out, while DH Austin Davidson, in his Potomac debut, drew a walk. After Mejia stole third base, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Robles, while Schrock plated Davidson with a two-out RBI double. The second baseman’s second hit of the night made it 5-1 Potomac, as Thomas tossed a scoreless ninth and secured Potomac’s fourth straight win.
With another victory in the books, the P-Nats will turn to LHP Matthew Crownover (0-3, 5.83) in search of their fifth straight win at home Saturday night. Crownover gave up four runs on six hits over four innings vs. Wilmington in Potomac’s lone loss thus far on the homestand. Carolina, which had a four-game win streak snapped Friday night, will look to RHP Matt Withrow (5-4, 3.44) in an effort to level the series. Despite starting the season with the Mudcats, the righty has not yet faced Potomac and comes in with three consecutive two-run outings, all no-decisions. First pitch is set for 6:35pm Saturday night at Pfitzner Stadium.
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