Potomac, Frederick split doubleheader

After rain washed out the series opener between the Potomac Nationals (10-8) and Frederick Keys (9-10) on Tuesday night, the two squads split a doubleheader Wednesday evening at Pfitzner Stadium. Frederick used a four-run sixth inning in the 5-2 game one victory, while DH Austin Davidson hit two home runs and drove in five in Potomac’s 11-3 game two win.

In the opener of the twin bill, both sides got great starting pitching through the first five innings. Potomac RHP Luis Reyes (L, 1-3) allowed just one run on three hits over the first five innings, but was charged with four earned runs in the sixth frame. For the Keys, LHP Brian Gonzalez (W, 1-2) allowed just two runs on four hits over five innings.

The Keys got on the board first against Reyes, as the bottom of the order did damage in the third inning. CF Stuart Levy doubled with one out, moved to third base on a single by RF Josh Hart, and scored on an RBI groundout from 2B Steve Wilkerson. Potomac leveled the score in the next half inning, as 2B David Masters led off with a single, and he later scored on C Taylor Gushue’s bases loaded walk. Potomac left the bases loaded in the third inning, something the squad did on three different occasions in the loss.

Frederick broke things open with a four-run sixth inning against Reyes. After just three hits over five innings, the Keys tallied three base hits in the top of the sixth. CF Austin Hays made it 3-1 with a two-run home run, LF Randolph Gassaway made it 4-1 with an RBI double, and Gassaway later scored on a wild pitch.

Gonzalez pitched to one batter in the sixth inning, as he walked Gutierrez before he departed for RHP Christian Turnipseed. Turnipseed issued consecutive walks to Gushue and SS Edwin Lora, before a sacrifice fly made it 5-2. After CF Dale Carey drew a walk, Frederick went back to the bullpen, as LHP Mitch Horacek retired Masters and then struck out LF Jack Sundberg. The P-Nats loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh inning, but RHP Jay Flaa (SV, 1) retired Gushue, Lora, and Wiseman in order, as he secured Frederick’s win. In the loss, Potomac went 0-11 with RISP and left 11 men on base.

The second half of the doubleheader was a rout pretty much from the get go for the P-Nats. Potomac tagged RHP Franderlin Romero (L, 0-2) for two runs in the first inning and another five in the second frame. Sundberg led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, and Davidson’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot, made it 2-0 Potomac. In the bottom of the second inning, Davidson drew a two-out walk, which loaded the bases, and 1B Ian Sagdal followed with a grand slam, his fourth home run of the season. Romero allowed seven earned runs over just three innings.

On the mound for Potomac, LHP Hector Silvestre (W, 3-0) came within two outs of the first complete game shutout in the Carolina League in 2017. Silvestre, who allowed three runs over 6.2 innings, allowed only three hits over the first six innings, but then surrendered three hits in the final frame. After Davidson hit his second home run of the game, a three-run blast, in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Keys got a leadoff single in the seventh frame from Gassaway. Silvestre retired 3B Jomar Reyes, before C Yermin Mercedes broke up the shutout attempt with an RBI double. Silvestre then got 1B Alex Murphy to fly out, but gave up an RBI single to DH Stuart Levy. Levy ended the Potomac starter’s night, as RHP Ronald Pena came out of the bullpen. Pena walked 2B Drew Turbin, and then gave up an RBI double to Wilkerson, before he closed out the Potomac win with a strikeout.

Potomac set a 2017 single game high with four home runs in the back half of the doubleheader, while Davidson matched his own 2017 P-Nats single game high with five RBIs. Davidson also had the first multi-home run game of the season for Potomac.

After the doubleheader split, the P-Nats sit in second place in the Northern Division, one game behind the Salem Red Sox. In the finale against the Keys, RHP Jefry Rodriguez (1-1, 5.63) is set to make the start for Potomac. Last time out, Rodriguez earned his first win of the season, as he allowed only two earned runs over six innings against Lynchburg. First pitch at Pfitzner Stadium is set for 7:05pm. The Potomac broadcast gets underway with the “P-Nats Leadoff Show” at 6:50pm. The broadcast can be heard on potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.