Adam Olbrychowski allowed just one run over a career-high eight innings and led the Potomac Nationals to a 6-1 series-opening victory in Myrtle Beach on Friday night. The Nationals used a three-run second inning to set the tone early and rode an efficient Olbrychowski to a victory that snapped a three-game slide.
With one out in the second, Steven Souza sparked a rally with his 55th walk – which set a new career high. Zach Walters then doubled to right field to put two men in scoring positon. After Brian Peacock (who was promoted to AA Harrisburg after the ballgame) struck out, Cutter Dykstra hit a slow ground ball to short. Pelicans shortstop Leury Garcia triple clutch and threw late to first, and Dykstra’s single put the Nats on the board. Eury Perez then hit another grounder Garcia’s way, and another errant throw plated the first of two unearned runs and moved Potomac (51-58) ahead 2-0. Francisco Soriano made it 3-0 with a line drive to center field.
After allowing a leadoff double and a walk in the bottom of the second, Olbrychowski then settled in and dominated, retiring the next ten Pelicans (59-50). That streak ended with one out in the fifth when he walked Jared Hoying. David Paisano’s two-out double scored the Pelicans’ only run of the night and trimmed Potomac’s lead to two.
Kasey Kiker relieved Myrtle starter Kennil Gomez in the sixth and immediately ran into trouble. Three straight singles by Justin Bloxom, Steven Souza and Walters set the table for a two-run inning. Peacock and Dykstra plated the runs with consecutive sacrifice flies.
In the seventh, Soriano led off with a single and stole second base. Consecutive wild pitchers by Kiker with one out scored Soriano, pushed Potomac in front 6-1 and closed the scoring.
Mitchell Clegg pitched a perfect ninth to close out the win.
The ballclubs continue the series Saturday night at 7:05; Erik Davis makes his first start for Potomac.
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Chris Graham
