In his first start in Advanced-A, Alex Meyer was stellar tossing six scoreless innings for the Potomac Nationals as they beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 8-3 at Pfitzner Stadium. Potomac has climbed back to .500 in the second half standings at 14-14.
Meyer, a participant for the USA in the 2012 MLB Futures game, was sharp from the start striking two batters in his first inning. He ended with seven strikeouts while scattering three hits for his first victory with the P-Nats.
The Nationals got on the scoreboard right away with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Steven Souza’s first at bat with Potomac in 2012 was an RBI single to right field that plated Michael Taylor for a 1-0 lead.
Potomac used the long ball to boost their lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Xavier Nady led off with a single and moved up to second after David Freitas walked. Ricky Hague followed with a three-run home run off the video board in left-center field, his fifth big fly of the year.
In his first game in two weeks with Potomac, MLB rehabber Chad Tracy singled home Taylor in the bottom of the fifth to extend the P-Nats lead to 5-0. The hit was Tracy’s first with the Nationals in four games.
Two more home runs in the sixth inning for the Nationals chased starter Randy Henry from the game. Jason Martinson hit a towering two-run homer that broke a light on the video board in left-center and Michael Taylor hit a solo home run two batters later to make it 8-0 P-Nats.
Henry (5-5) was removed from the game after Taylor’s home run lasting five and one-third innings. He took the loss allowing a season-high in runs (8), hits (10), and home runs (3).
Myrtle Beach was able to avoid the shutout with their first run coming in the eighth inning. Hanser Alberto hit a sacrifice fly that scored Santiago Chirino to bring the score to 8-1.
Teodoro Martinez added a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning as consolation for the Pelicans that brought the score to 8-3.
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Chris Graham
