For the second time in three games, the Potomac Nationals (29-25 Overall, 17-13 Road) allowed a season high 15 runs. After a 15-3 loss to the Frederick Keys Friday night, the largest loss margin of the season for the P-Nats, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-26 Overall, 15-14 Home) exceeded that margin, as Potomac fell 15-0 Sunday night.
The game got away from Potomac quickly, as Potomac pitchers walked eight batters and gave up 14 runs over the first four innings. RHP Luis Reyes (L, 3-5) retired the first man that he faced, but then issued three straight walks. A double steal mixed in between, paired with an error by 3B Drew Ward on a throw from C Raudy Read plated SS Gleyber Torres and made it 1-0. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by 3B Daniel Lockhart made it 2-0 Myrtle Beach.
The second inning nearly ended up as only a one-run frame, as 2B Ian Happ hit into a fielder’s choice groundout that could have been an inning-ending double play, but the turn from SS David Masters pulled 1B Jose Marmolejos off of the first base bag. Pelicans’ 1B Yasiel Balaguert took advantage, as he homered just pitches later, a three-run home run that made it 6-0 Myrtle Beach. C Gioskar Amaya followed Balaguert’s team best ninth home run of the season with his first, the first time an opponent has hit back-to-back home runs against the P-Nats in 2016. A two-out RBI single by RF Trey Martin knocked Reyes out of the game, as RHP Mario Sanchez struck out LF Shawon Dunston Jr. and ended the frame.
The Pelicans tagged Sanchez for a run on a two-out RBI single by Balaguert in the third, but Amaya hit into a bases loaded inning-ending double play. Myrtle Beach however then plated five runs against the righty in the fourth, all with two outs. CF Rashad Crawford had a two-RBI triple, and Happ followed two batters later with a three-run home run. Happ’s sixth home run of the season knocked Sanchez out, as LHP RC Orlan got the final out in the fourth. Orlan then gave up a run on a triple by 3B Daniel Lockhart and a sacrifice fly by Martin in the fifth. Martin’s second RBI of the game made it 15-0 Myrtle Beach, the eventual final.
On the hill for the Pelicans, RHP Trevor Clifton (W, 4-3) cruised through the better part of his six-shutout inning performance. Clifton allowed just four hits, all singles, walked one, and struck out six in the win. The righty allowed a single to Ward in the second inning, a single to Read in the fourth, and singles to DH Khayyan Norfork and Marmolejos in the sixth. Potomac went 0-4 with men in scoring position and left seven men on base in the loss.
Out of the pen, Myrtle Beach RHP Daniel Lewis struggled to command the strike zone, but allowed only one hit and walked one over two shutout frames. RHP Dillon Maples finished off the game for the Pelicans as he faced just three batters in the ninth inning. Ward reached on an error by Lockhart to start the ninth, LF Alec Keller hit into a double play, and RF Drew Vettleson grounded out to shortstop, which wrapped up the loss. Vettleson went 0-4 in his 2016 debut and Potomac did not have a man reach third base in the loss.
With three consecutive losses, the P-Nats will turn to their Opening Day starter in RHP Phillips Valdez (6-2, 3.54) Monday night to try to snap the skid. Opposite Valdez, RHP Erick Leal (7-2, 3.33) looks for his league best eighth win for the Pelicans. First pitch at TicketReturn.com Field is set for 7:05pm.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the “P-Nats Leadoff Show” at6:50pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is available atwww.potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.
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Chris Graham
