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P-Nats surrender season-high 15 runs in 15-3 loss to Frederick

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p-natsAfter a doubleheader sweep Thursday night, the Potomac Nationals (29-23 Overall, 15-13 Road) ran into an offense of the Frederick Keys (26-28 Overall, 10-17) that had been quiet for so long that it burst out in a big way. Frederick took a lead with a two-run home run in the first inning, Potomac plated three in the second, before the Keys scored 13 straight runs from the second through the eighth inning in route to a 15-3 final.

In his 10th start of the season, RHP Wirkin Estevez (L, 0-4) surrendered a two-run home run to 1B Cam Kneeland in the first inning, Kneeland’s fourth home run of the season. Potomac trailed 2-0 after one inning, but plated three runs in the second inning vs. RHP Franderlin Romero (W, 2-0). C Raudy Read, 3B Drew Ward, and 2B Bryan Mejia hit consecutive singles to start the frame, as Mejia’s base hit plated Read and made it 2-1. After LF Alec Keller walked, 1B David Masters grounded into a run-scoring double play, which tied the game. A wild pitch by Romero plated Mejia and put Potomac ahead 3-2, the P-Nats’ only lead of the game.

Estevez pitched just two innings, as he gave up five unearned runs in the second inning. C Jonah Heim led off the inning with a single before Estevez retired the next two hitters. He appeared to be out of the inning, as LF Jay Gonzalez hit a ground ball to Potomac SS Osvaldo Abreu. Abreu could not field it cleanly, as Gonzalez reached on the error. After 2B Steve Wilkerson singled and loaded the bases, Estevez walked Kneeland, which tied the game. DH Aderlin Rodriguez followed with a grand slam, which capped the five-run inning and put the Keys ahead 7-2.

In relief of Estevez, LHP Justin Thomas gave up five runs, three earned, over three innings. The Keys plated two in the fourth inning on a pair of hits and an error, then scored three runs in the fifth on an error, an RBI single by Gonzalez, and a two-RBI double by Wilkerson. Frederick led 12-3 after five innings.

The third pitcher of the game for the P-Nats, RHP Dakota Bacus allowed the final three runs of the game, as the Keys plated three runs in the eighth inning on RBI doubles by Rodriguez and CF Josh Hart. In all, Potomac allowed a season high 15 runs, which was also the most scored in a single game by the Keys in 2016. In the loss, Read had three hits for Potomac, while Mejia had two hits and Potomac’s lone RBI. Six of Frederick’s nine starters had multiple hits, while six different players had at least one RBI for the Keys.

Unable to pull off the sweep and paired with Lynchburg’s extra innings victory in Wilmington, Potomac sits five games out of the division race with three weeks left in the first half. The P-Nats will head to Myrtle Beach for the first time this season, as a four game series begins Saturday night. RHP Matthew Crownover (0-0, 0.00) is set to make his Potomac debut. The sixth round pick in 2015 out of Clemson went 5-1 with a 1.17 ERA with Hagerstown and was promoted on June 1st. The Pelicans will turn to RHP Zach Hedges (4-4, 2.35) in the series opener. Hedges allowed one run over six innings in a victory at Pfitzner Stadium on April 27th. First pitch is set for 7:05pm in Myrtle Beach.

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the “P-Nats LeadOff Show” at 6:50pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is available at www.potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.

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