Nine-run fourth pushes Potomac Nationals

The Potomac Nationals put up a nine spot in the fourth inning in a 10-1 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats. Just one of the nine runs scored were earned thanks to three Hillcats errors in the inning.

The Hillcats scored the first run in the contest against Potomac starter Matt Grace int the second.  With two outs and none on, Braeden Schlehuber and Michael Spina hit back-to-back doubles in the second inning to give Lynchburg a 1-0 lead.

Potomac responded sending 13 batters up in a nine-run top of the fourth inning against Lynchburg starter Cody Martin. Adrian Sanchez led off the inning by reaching on an error.  Jason Martinson was hit by a pitch and Steven Souza Jr. walked to load the bases with one out.  That brought up Michael Taylor who laced a two-run single to give the Nationals their first lead of the game 2-1.  With two outs, the Hillcats decided to issue an intentional walk to JP Ramirez to load the bases and paid dearly for it.

Erick Fernandez hit a two-run single to left field and a throwing error allowed a third run to score to increase the Nationals advantage to 5-1.  Francisco Soriano followed that up with a single scoring Fernandez to extend the lead to 6-1.  Sanchez reached on another error setting the stage for Jason Martinson who blasted a three-run shot to straight away left field.  The bomb opened the lead to 9-1 for the Nationals. Martinson has nine homers and 31 RBI in just 31 games with Potomac.

In total, the Nationals got nine runs in the inning with just one of them being earned due to three Lynchburg errors. The Nationals belted just five hits but were able to score nine in the frame thanks to the errors, two walks and a hit by pitch.

Martin (10-7) couldn’t get out of the fourth inning taking his second loss this week to Potomac.  He gave up nine runs with just one earned, seven hits, walked two and struck out four.

Grace (6-10) earned his second win this week against the Hillcats.  He was masterful scattering eight hits over seven one-run innings.  Only one runner got to third against him after he gave up a run in the second.

The Nationals added another score in the ninth inning on a Stephen King double and held on for a 10-1 win over Lynchburg.

It was just the second win in eight tries at City Stadium this year for Potomac.  With the win, Potomac is in a three-way tie for first place in the Northern Division with Lynchburg and Wilmington.

The three RBI from Martinson give him 94 which leads MiLB.  Taylor ended up with four hits for Potomac: his second four-plus hit game in the last four days. Every National who played reached base with nine of the ten recording hits.