Thanks to three solo home runs, the Potomac Nationals (26-29) wrapped up a series split with the Lynchburg Hillcats (30-23). Despite a loss in each of the first two games of the series, Potomac earned the split with a 3-0 victory Friday night and a 3-1 victory Saturday evening. LHP Grant Borne (ND) allowed just one run over six innings in his second start of the season, while Potomac tallied a solo home run in three separate frames.
In one of their quickest games of the season, the P-Nats held Lynchburg to just four hits. Borne allowed three, RHP Tyler Skulina (W, 1-0) did not allow a hit over two innings, while RHP Gilberto Mendez (SV, 6) surrendered a hit in a scoreless ninth frame.
The P-Nats got out front early against RHP Shao-Ching Chiang (L, 7-3), as 1B Ian Sagdal hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning. Sagdal’s sixth home run of the season bounced off of the top of the yellow padding on the outfield fence and skipped out of Pfitner Stadium.
Lynchburg managed its lone run in the fourth inning. SS Willi Castro reached on a wild pitch/strikeout to begin the frame, and after a stolen base and two retired batters, 3B Yonathan Mendoza tied the game with a two-out RBI single. That was all that the Hillcats managed, as they went 1-9 with RISP and left nine men on base.
With the game tied, Potomac scored in the seventh and eighth frames. RF Rhett Wiseman hit his fifth home run of the season, a blast over the right field wall, while DH Austin Davidson hit a two-out home run in the eighth inning off of RHP Justin Garcia.
The Hillcats loaded the bases on three straight walks from Skulina in the seventh inning, but came up empty. Skulina hit a man and walked a batter in the eighth, but escaped. Mendez allowed a two-out single to pinch hitter Connor Marabell in the ninth, but the Potomac closer got 2B Sam Haggerty to ground out to end the game.
Off of two straight victories, the P-Nats will head to face off with the Frederick Keys. The teams will play four games spread over the next three days, Sunday night, a doubleheader Monday night, and the series finale at 11:00am on Tuesday.
First pitch on Sunday night is set for 6:00pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 5:45pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
The P-Nats are back in town on Thursday and will play a seven-game homestand, with four games against the Down East Wood Ducks, and three games against the Buies Creek Astros. Thursday night is another night of Thursday Cheers as well as College Night.
Friday, the P-Nats will wear throwback 1982 Alexandria Dukes Carolina League Championship jerseys, which are presented by Compton & Duling. The jerseys will be auctioned off, with the proceeds to benefit the Boys & Girls Club. It is also another Flashback Friday, Cancer Survivor Night presented by Sentara, and a Reading Program Day.
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