A close game through the first 6.5 innings, the Potomac Nationals (19-19) scored eight runs over the final three frames in route to a 10-0 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (18-21). Potomac hit three home runs, which included a solo home run in the second inning, a solo blast in the third frame, and a three-run home run in the eighth. All 10 Potomac runs came with two outs. RHP Luis Reyes (W, 3-5) allowed just one hit over 6.1 shutout frames in his best start of the season for Potomac.
The P-Nats opened the scoring with a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. 2B Bryan Mejia hit his first home run in more than a month, which made it 1-0. LHP Colin Rodgers (L, 0-2) then allowed a solo home run to DH Austin Davidson, the Potomac designated hitter’s third of the season. All three of Davidson’s home runs this season have come against the Blue Rocks.
Reyes dominated throughout his start. The right-handed starter gave up a single to 2B D.J. Burt in the first inning and walked 1B Chris DeVito in the fourth frame, as he faced just two over the minimum over 6.1 innings. With only 70 pitches, Reyes departed for LHP Grant Borne (SV, 2) in the seventh. Though Borne gave up three hits and walked one, he finished off Potomac’s fourth shutout win of the season.
Ahead 2-0, the P-Nats broke the game open with five runs in the seventh inning against the combination of RHP Jacob Bodner and RHP Andres Machado. Despite having a man thrown out at the plate in the frame, Potomac loaded the bases with two outs, as Bodner walked C Taylor Gushue, which ended his outing. Machado entered, and gave up three RBI hits in a span of four pitches. 1B Ian Sagdal doubled Potomac’s lead to 4-0 with a two-run single, SS Edwin Lora made it 5-0 with an RBI single, while 3B Bryan Mejia plated two more with his first triple of the season. Potomac led 7-0 after seven frames.
In the eighth frame, LF Telmito Agustin reached on a fielding error by DeVito. After CF Victor Robles walked, Machado retired the next two hitters. With two men on and two outs, Gushue hit his 12th home run of the season. The line drive blast just inside the right field foul pole gave Gushue the most home runs in all of Minor League Baseball. His three RBI’s on the night moved him to 36 on the season, fifth throughout all of the Minors.
Back at .500, the P-Nats will turn to LHP Matthew Crownover (3-0, 1.33) with a chance to level the season series with Wilmington. Crownover allowed just one run in his last outing, a start against the Blue Rocks on 5/10. For the Blue Rocks. RHP A.J. Puckett (3-3, 4.25) will make his third start of the season vs. the P-Nats. Last time out, Puckett allowed six earned runs over a season low 2.1 innings against Potomac.
First pitch is set for 7:05pm on Wednesday night. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
Share
Contributors
