In their first trip to TicketReturn.com Field in 2016, the Potomac Nationals (29-24 Overall, 17-12 Road) fell victim to the long ball, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (29-26 Overall, 14-14 Home) tallied two early home runs in route to a 6-2 victory over the P-Nats.
In his Potomac debut, LHP Matthew Crownover (L, 0-1) struggled to retire the leadoff hitter throughout the night. Myrtle Beach leadoff men went 4-5 with a walk vs. the lefty over his 5.2 inning outing. 3B Jason Vosler led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run, as his second home run of the season put Myrtle Beach up 1-0, a lead the Pelicans did not relinquish.
The second inning featured another leadoff extra base hit, the second of five extra base hits against Crownover. LF Charcer Burks led off the frame with a double and moved to third base on a fielder’s choice groundout by CF Rashad Crawford. Burks then scored on a sacrifice fly by 2B Ian Happ, and 1B Yasiel Balaguert followed with a two-run home run, his team best eighth home run of the season. Balaguert’s home run made it 4-0 Myrtle Beach and proved to be the difference in the game.
In his second start vs. Potomac, RHP Zach Hedges (W, 5-4) was nearly flawless through his first six innings. Through six, the righty gave up six hits, all singles, and did not walk a batter. After Myrtle Beach made it 5-0 on an RBI single by Crawford in the sixth, the P-Nats plated their only runs of the night vs. Hedges in the seventh.DH Khayyan Norfork led off the inning with a single and scored on an RBI double by RF Narciso Mesa. Two batters later, SS Osvaldo Abreu drove home Norfork with a single, which knocked Hedges out of the game. LHP Tommy Thorpe came in and issued a walk, but got a sensational grab from Crawford in centerfield to rob3B Drew Ward of an extra-base hit.
Thorpe then struggled in the eighth, as he loaded the bases with one out. After he struck out LF Alec Keller to begin the inning, the lefty threw a ball away on a grounder by 2B Bryan Mejia, gave up a single to Norfork, and walked C Matt Reistetter. With the bases loaded, Myrtle Beach went to RHP James Farris (SV, 8). With the tying run at the plate, Farris entered in a save situation and struck out Mesa. Farris then got CF Andrew Stevenson to fly out to left field to end the inning. In the ninth, Farris retired the side in order to secure the Pelicans’ win.
In the loss, RHP Gilberto Mendez made his 2016 Potomac debut out of the bullpen. Mendez allowed one run over 2.1 innings. Crownover allowed 10 hits and five runs over 5.2 innings, but walked only one and struck out five in his debut. Stevenson, Ward, and Norfork each had two hits in the game, as eight of Potomac’s nine starters recorded at least one hit.
Sunday night, the P-Nats will look to level the series with the Pelicans. RHP Luis Reyes (3-4, 3.81) is set to start for Potomac. Reyes has not pitched against Myrtle Beach in 2016 and has pitched at least five innings in each of his last eight starts. On the mound for Myrtle Beach will be RHP Trevor Clifton (3-3, 2.35). Clifton has not pitched against Potomac and will enter Sunday night’s matchup with the fourth best ERA among qualified pitchers in the Carolina League. First pitch is set for 6:05pm at TicketReturn.com Field.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the “P-Nats Leadoff Show” at5:50pm. 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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