The Potomac Nationals (8-10) got a stellar outing from RHP Kyle Johnston (W, 1-3) and earned a split in their four-game series against the Winston-Salem Dash (8-10) on Sunday afternoon, slugging 11 hits in a 7-1 victory.
Johnston, Potomac’s Opening Day starter, bounced back from a difficult outing in Lynchburg last Tuesday with 5.2 innings of four-hit, one-run ball. The righty struck out three and didn’t walk a batter as he collected his first win of the season.
The P-Nats couldn’t solve Dash LHP John Parke (L, 1-1) through the first two frames, but jumped ahead in the third on a leadoff single from 3B Anderson Franco and subsequent RBI triple from LF Gage Canning. The next two batters were retired with the infield in, but 2B Cole Freeman came through with a two-out RBI single to put Potomac on top 2-0.
Johnston handled his first lead of the season well, facing the minimum in the fourth and fifth innings, and was rewarded by his offense with a four-run fifth to break the game open. SS Osvaldo Abreu drove in the first run with an RBI single, and 1B Aldrem Corredor brought home a pair with a two-out, two-run single to extend the Potomac lead to 5-0. RF Nick Banks capped off the rally with an RBI double two batters later that bounced Parke from the ballgame.
Johnston allowed his first and only run on an RBI single to Dash DH Nick Madrigal in the sixth, but LHP Hayden Howard got the final out of the inning and Potomac answered back in the bottom half with singles from CF Armond Upshaw and Freeman to bring the score to 7-1.
Howard fanned two in 1.1 scoreless innings, and RHP Andrew Lee got the final six outs to seal the Potomac victory.
The P-Nats enjoy their first scheduled off day of the season on Monday before returning to work on Tuesday for a three-game home series against the Salem Red Sox. First pitch at Northwest Federal Field in Woodbridge is scheduled for 7:05, and fans can listen to the Potomac broadcast beginning at 6:50 on the TuneIn Radio App or potomacnationals.com.
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Chris Graham
