Potomac Nationals top sloppy Blue Rocks

Game two of the 2016 campaign got off to a quicker start than the opener, as Mother Nature held off throughout the night and gave the Potomac Nationals (2-0 Overall, 2-0 Road) an opportunity to remain atop the Northern Division standings.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (0-2 Overall, 0-2 Home) made two errors on a bunt by 2B Bryan Mejia in the top of the eighth inning that allowed both he and 3B Drew Ward to score, and turn a 2-2 game into a 4-2 game, an eventual 5-2 final.

After more than a year since his last pitch in full season baseball, RHP Wirkin Estevez (ND) got off to a good start but threw only 50 pitches and left with an apparent injury midway through the third inning. Estevez, who missed all of 2015 after Tommy John surgery, allowed four hits and one run over 2.2 innings and the Potomac bullpen was tasked with the rest of the game.

The P-Nats struck first for the second consecutive game, as Friday night, they tagged Wilmington starter RHP Pedro Fernandez for a run in the second inning. Ward, who had a pair of hits for the second straight night, singled with one out in the frame. After Mejia drew a walk, LF Alec Keller grounded into a fielder’s choice and beat out a potential double play at first base. That allowed DH David Masters to get his first at-bat of the season, and Master’s made it 1-0 with an RBI single to right field.

Wilmington did not trail for long, as LF Alfredo Escalera led off the home half of the second inning with a walk and eventually scored on an RBI single by DH Austin Bailey. Out of the bullpen for Potomac, RHP Mario Sanchez filled in nicely for Estevez, as the Venezuelan allowed only two hits over 3.1 shutout innings. Sanchez struck out three and did not walk a batter in his 2016 debut.

Fernandez departed after 4.1 innings of one-run ball for the Blue Rocks, though RHP Josh Staumont (0-1) struggled in relief. Staumont allowed three runs, just one earned, over 2.2 innings. 1B Jose Marmolejos led off the sixth inning with a single and scored on a four-pitch bases loaded walk four batters later. Keller drew the walk and picked up the RBI, which put Potomac on top 2-1.

Despite another lead, the P-Nats could not maintain it, as just an inning and a half later, Wilmington tied the game at two on an error by SS Osvaldo Abreu. Out of the pen to start the inning, LHP RC Orlan (1-0) put men on first and second with one out. RF Elier Hernandez hit what could have been an inning-ending double play, but instead, the ball got past Abreu, which brought 2B Corey Toups home from second base and tied the game.

The Blue Rocks never led in the matchup, and the tie lasted less than half an inning, as the defense for the home team imploded on one play. Staumont walked Ward to begin the inning, and then threw Mejia’s sacrifice bunt attempt into right field. The error on the pitcher allowed Ward to score from first, while the throw to the plate by Hernandez in right field made its way to the backstop and allowed Mejia to score. In all, two errors on a bunt led to two Potomac runs and the eventual victory.

The P-Nats added on an insurance run in the ninth inning against RHP Matt Alvarez, and RHP Ryan Brinley (SV, 1) worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning and picked up Potomac’s first save of the season.

Both teams struggled to hit with men in scoring position, as the P-Nats went 3-14 with RISP and left 12 men on base, while Wilmington left 11 men on base and went just 1-10 with RISP. Ward and Masters each had a pair of hits, while the bottom half of the Potomac order had all three RBIs for the Nationals. The P-Nats’ pitching staff followed up a 15-strikeout performance in the opener with 12 strikeouts Friday night in the win.

Saturday night is game three of the series at Frawley Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05pm, as highly touted Washington Nationals prospectRHP Erick Fedde (0-0, 0.00) is set for his season debut. Wilmington will send 25^th round pick LHP Matt Tenuta (0-0, 0.00) to the hill as they try to avoid an 0-3 start. The P-Nats’ broadcast can be heard beginning at 6:50 with the “P-Nats Lead-Off Show” on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network, accessible at www.potomacnationals.com or with the TuneIn Radio App.