Potomac blanks Frederick, 6-0

The Potomac Nationals (71-59, 34-29) made it three consecutive wins, as they shut out the Frederick Keys (62-71, 27-37) 6-0 on Wednesday night. After two tight matchups between the two squads, Potomac led throughout the game in route to the victory. RHP Joan Baez (W, 9-9) spun his best start of the season, as he allowed just five hits over seven-scoreless innings.

2B Bryan Mejia gave Potomac an early lead, as he led off the home half of the first inning with a home run, his sixth home run of the season. Two innings later, LHP Alex Wells (L, 7-8) gave up a two-out solo home run to C Tres Barrera, as Potomac led 2-0 after three innings.

Baez was brilliant in his third start of the season vs. Frederick. For just the third time in 25 starts in 2018, the right-handed starter didn’t issue a walk. Baez induced three ground ball double plays, and struck out five in the victory.

The P-Nats put the game away in the sixth inning, as they plated a pair of runs against Wells and LHP Travis Seabrooke. 1B Aldrem Corredor led off the inning with a single, while Wells wrapped up his outing as he retired SS Andruw Monasterio. Seabrooke entered and immediately saw 3B Jomar Reyes commit his team high 26th error on the season, which allowed 3B David Masters to reach base. After CF Nick Banks struck out, RF Rhett Wiseman drew a walk, which loaded the bases. With the bases full and two outs, LF Telmito Agustin gave Potomac a 4-0 lead with a two-run single.

Potomac tacked on a run in both the seventh and the eighth frames, as Monasterio’s RBI triple gave the P-Nats a 5-0 lead in the seventh, while a two-out RBI single from Mejia made it 6-0 in favor of Potomac in the eighth.

Out of the Potomac bullpen, LHP Taylor Guilbeau worked two perfect innings and closed out the Potomac victory.

With an opportunity for a four-game series sweep, Potomac will send LHP Matthew Crownover (5-8, 4.46) to the mound. Crownover will take the rubber for the first time since he notched the first no-hitter in Potomac Nationals history on Saturday, August 25th. For the Keys, RHP Michael Baumann (7-5, 4.20) is scheduled to start. Baumann has tallied a loss in each of his last three outings, which includes a seven run over three inning performance vs. Potomac on 8/7.

First pitch at Northwest Federal Field on Thursday is set for 7:05pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com, at http://bit.ly/P-NatsBroadcast, or on the TuneIn Radio App.