Late offensive explosion lifts P-Nats to win over Mudcats

The Potomac Nationals (4-7, 34-44) and Carolina Mudcats (6-5, 45-35) were locked in a pitchers’ duel entering the eighth inning of Sunday’s series finale, but LF Aldrem Corredor led a late offensive assault to give the P-Nats a 9-1 win.

Corredor went 4-for-5 with a homer and five runs batted in, extending his league-leading RBI total to 59. The win helped Potomac avoid a sweep in their four-game series, the final matchup between the two clubs in the regular season.

The game was scoreless through five, with Carolina RHP Matt Smith and Potomac RHP Malvin Peña trading quick innings. Peña turned in a quality start, allowing one run on four hits in 6.0 innings while throwing only 62 pitches.

In the sixth, CF Nick Banks doubled off RHP Matt Hardy to give Potomac their first legitimate threat of the game. Corredor followed with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.

Peña allowed a game-tying RBI single to C Mario Feliciano in the sixth, but stranded runners at the corners to keep the game 1-1 entering the seventh. LHP Carson Teel (W, 2-2) retired all six men he faced in relief to set the stage for the late assault.

In the eighth, 3B Omar Meregildo led off with a controversial triple against RHP Justin Topa (L, 0-2). Despite protestations that Meregildo overslid third base, the P-Nats got the go-ahead runner in scoring position to start the inning. 2B Bryan Mejia chopped a single through the drawn-in infield, putting Potomac ahead 2-1. Corredor’s second RBI single added another run, and 1B KJ Harrison made the score 4-1 with an RBI double.

In the ninth, Banks lined a two-run double to left field and Corredor put the game on ice with a long three-run homer to right field. With eight total runs in the final two innings, Potomac handed a 9-1 lead to RHP Frankie Bartow to quickly work a scoreless final frame and end the ballgame.

The P-Nats continue their road trip on Monday night as RHP Kyle Johnston faces off against LHP Kris Bubic in the opener of a three-game series in Wilmington against the Blue Rocks. 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.