The Potomac Nationals (58-63, 28-26) jumped out to an early lead against the Winston-Salem Dash (26-27, 64-53) on Friday night, but allowed the final five runs of the game in a 5-2 loss.
Though it was in a losing effort, RHP Luis Reyes set a P-Nats season high with 10 strikeouts over 4.0 innings in a relief role. With a Salem win, the P-Nats trail the Red Sox by 3.5 games with 16 games remaining in the regular season.
CF Gage Canning struck first with a solo homer, his third of the season, in the first inning off RHP RHP Jonathan Stiever (W, 6-3). DH KJ Harrison hit his ninth of the year with a solo blast to left field in the second to put Potomac ahead 2-0.
The Dash would respond in their half of the second with a home run from LF Jameson Fisher off RHP Malvin Peña (L, 5-9). They would tie the game in the fourth, getting an RBI fielder’s choice in the fourth from 2B JJ Muno.
Peña began the fifth inning in a 2-2 tie, but a leadoff walk was followed by back-to-back-to-back doubles from CF Steele Walker, DH Tyler Frost, and 1B Andrew Vaughn to give the Dash a 5-2 lead. Peña would leave the game without recording an out in the fifth, but Reyes entered and began his dominant performance with a pair of strikeouts to escape further trouble.
Reyes established a high water mark for Potomac relievers with his 10 strikeouts, and tied an overall season high for any P-Nats pitcher. Though no late rally materialized, 1B Aldrem Corredor extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single in the eighth inning.
The P-Nats continue their series against the Dash on Saturday night as LHP Carson Teel faces off against an unannounced Dash starter. First pitch at BB&T Ballpark is set for 6:00 pm, with the P-Nats Leadoff Show starting at 5:45. Fans can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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Chris Graham
