Persistent Mudcats erase early deficit to top P-Nats

The Potomac Nationals (3-7, 33-44) scored three runs in the first inning of Saturday’s game against the Carolina Mudcats (6-4, 45-34), but were unable to maintain their early lead as they fell 7-5 for their third consecutive loss.

C Jakson Reetz had another strong game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run. The homer was Reetz’s fifth long ball of the season, and fourth in the second half since representing the P-Nats in the All-Star Classic.

The P-Nats jumped out to their early lead against RHP Christian Taugner (W, 3-5), who allowed an RBI single to DH Aldrem Corredor before serving up a two-run homer to 1B KJ Harrison. Corredor’s RBI was his 54th, pulling him ahead of Carolina DH Mario Feliciano for the league lead.

RHP Andrew Lee struggled with his command in his shortest outing of the year, walking five in only 1.2 innings. He allowed a first inning run on a wild pitch, and saw the lead shrink to 3-2 in the second on an RBI single from CF Clayton Andrews.

Lee was relieved by LHP Hayden Howard (L, 2-2) to finish the second, but the Potomac reliever ran into trouble in the third. SS Trever Morrison tied the game 3-3 with an RBI double, and 1B Ryan Aguilar gave the Mudcats a 5-3 lead with a two-out, two-run single.

Reetz’s solo homer cut the deficit to 5-4 in the fourth, but the Mudcats stretched the lead back to two runs as Andrews collected an RBI single for his third hit off LHP Aaron Fletcher in the fifth.

In the seventh inning, SS Osvaldo Abreu greeted reliever RHP JP Hintzen with a double and scored on an RBI single from 2B Cole Freeman to make the score 6-5. The Mudcats would answer again, however, with a solo home run from 3B Pat McInerney off RHP Jhonatan German in the bottom of the inning to give RHP Rodrigo Benoit (S, 12) some breathing room. The Carolina closer faced just three men in a scoreless ninth to finish the game.

The P-Nats look to salvage the final game of their series with the Mudcats on Sunday afternoon as RHP Malvin Peña faces off against RHP Matt Smith. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm, with the Potomac broadcast starting at 1:45 with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.