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Potomac falters late, falls 5-3

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p-natsDespite another brilliant outing from RHP Erick Fedde (ND), the Potomac Nationals (47-40, 13-6) fell victim to four late runs by the Winston-Salem Dash (37-53, 9-11) in a 5-3 loss Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark. Fedde allowed just one unearned run over six innings and has a 0.82 ERA over his last seven outings.

Behind Fedde, Potomac took the lead in the top of the third inning. RHP Thad Lowry (ND) allowed a double toCF Victor Robles, but the 19-year-old was tagged out in between third base and home plate on a ground ball hit by 2B Max Schrock. Schrock advanced to second base in the rundown and scored on a misplayed groundball to 3B Gerson Montilla hit by SS Osvaldo Abreu. Potomac led 1-0 after three innings.

The Dash tied the game with their only run of the night against Fedde in the fourth frame. LF Nick Basto doubled with one out and took third base on a passed ball charged to C Raudy Read. DH Marcus Davis tied the game with an infield single off of the glove of 1B Jose Marmolejos. Fedde allowed just one more man to reach after Davis’ single, but the Potomac bullpen could not hold a lead. Fedde retired the final seven hitters that he faced and struck out five in the no-decision.

The P-Nats scored in each of Lowry’s final two innings, as the righty allowed a run in the sixth on doubles by Marmolejos, his league high 32nd, and RF Drew Vettleson. Potomac added a run in the seventh, as Lowry loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk. LHP Ryan Riga (W, 1-0) came in from the Winston-Salem bullpen and gave up a sacrifice fly to Marmolejos, which made it 3-1 Potomac, but Read popped out and ended the inning.

Fedde departed after six innings, as RHP Wirkin Estevez started the seventh frame with consecutive walks to 1B Telvin Nash and 2B Toby Thomas. A sacrifice bunt by C Brett Austin put the tying men in scoring position, and with two strikes, SS Cleuluis Rondon tied the game with a single. RHP Tommy Peterson (L, 0-1) came in for Estevez with one out in the inning and stranded Rondon at second base, as the game was tied at three after seven innings.

Potomac got a two-out double from DH Austin Davidson in the top of the eighth inning, but he was left at second base. After Peterson got the leadoff man in the bottom of the eighth, he hit Basto in the left arm on a 1-2 pitch. Following a strikeout of Davis, Peterson appeared to end the inning with a strikeout of Nash, but the pitch got passed Read, as a wild pitch put men on first and second with two outs. Thomas then grounded out to Abreu, but the shortstop’s throw to second base pulled Schrock off the bag. An error by Abreu loaded the bases with two outs. With two strikes, Austin put the Dash ahead for good with a single to centerfield. Austin’s single made it 5-3 Winston-Salem, the eventual final.

In the loss, Schrock extended his hit streak to a 2016 Potomac season high 16 games. Marmolejos lengthened his on-base streak to 12 games, while Robles set a new season high with a hit in his fourth consecutive start.

In the rubber match Friday night, the P-Nats look to LHP Matthew Crownover (0-3, 5.40). Crownover started against the Dash on June 29th and allowed two earned runs over 5.1 innings in a no-decision. For the Dash, RHP Kelvis Valerio (3-3, 4.25) will make his fourth appearance and second start of the season vs. Potomac. Valerio is 0-1 with a 4.36 ERA vs. the P-Nats in 2016. First pitch is set for 7:00pm Wednesday night at BB&T Ballpark.

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