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P-Nats use early offense in 4-2 win

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p-natsWith a single run in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings, the Potomac Nationals (61-48, 27-14) held on for a 4-2 win Thursday night over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (40-69, 13-27). RHP Dakota Bacus (W, 2-2) did not allow a run until the sixth inning, while Potomac scored in four straight frames off of LHP Foster Griffin (L, 2-8). Neither bullpen allowed a run.

Griffin, who entered with a 6.92 ERA, allowed a first pitch leadoff home run to C Raudy Read in the second inning. SS Osvaldo Abreu made it 2-0 with a two-out RBI double in the third frame, while Griffin pitched himself into trouble in the fourth. With two outs, LF Matt Page tripled to right field, CF Dale Carey walked, while Griffin hit DH Austin Davidson with a pitch. With the bases loaded, 1B David Masters walked on four pitches, as Potomac took a 3-0 lead. Abreu then led off the sixth with a double, got to third base on a single by2B Max Schrock, and scored on a double play groundout by Read, as Potomac took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning.

For the second straight start, Bacus made it through five innings without allowing a run. Thursday night, he pitched into the sixth, though gave up a pair of runs and did not make it through the inning. SS Carlos Diaz and DH Samir Duenez began the frame with consecutive singles, while 3B Mike Hill made it 4-1 with an RBI groundout. C Luis Villegas followed with an RBI single, his third hit of the night, though the Blue Rocks left the bases loaded. Wilmington went just 1-12 with RISP and left 12 men on base in the loss. In relief of Bacus, RHP Mario Sanchez needed just one pitch to escape the bases loaded jam, as he got 2B Brian Bien to pop out to Abreu.

Sanchez worked through scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth innings, though Wilmington threatened in both. The Blue Rocks used a two-out single and walk in the seventh to put the tying runs on base, but Hill flied out to Carey in centerfield. LF Anderson Miller tripled with one out in the eighth, but the Blue Rocks left him at third base. Wilmington left four men at third base in the loss. In the ninth, RHP Gilberto Mendez (SV, 8) gave up a leadoff single to CF Cody Jones and issued a two-out walk to RF Brandon Downes, but struck out Hill to earn the save, as the Blue Rocks left the tying runs on base.

With a victory in the series opener, the P-Nats will turn to RHP Erick Fedde (5-4, 3.08) Friday night. Fedde has not allowed more than one earned run in any of his last 10 outings and has a 0.71 ERA over that span. For Wilmington, RHP Zach Lovvorn (2-12, 3.64) is set to take the hill. Lovvorn is 0-2 with a 2.94 ERA in three starts vs. Potomac this season. First pitch Friday night is set for 7:05pm.

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