Potomac (55-62-Overall, 29-29-Home, 22-25-Second Half) took an early lead and rolled to a 4-0 shutout victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (53-63-Overall, 20-41-Road, 15-31-Second Half) at Pfitzner Stadium on Friday night.
RHP Austen Williams (4-3, 2.09) got Potomac in the win column in the series opener against the Wilmington Blue Rocks for their third win in a row. He hurled six innings, logging a quality start, and allowed three hits, a walk and he struck out three. Williams, earned his organization leading 12th win of the season combing both his work with Hagerstown and Potomac.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when CF Rafael Bautista walked against RHP Pedro Fernandez, the starter for Wilmington. After walking Bautista swiped second and third base before coming home on 1B Grant DeBruin’s first of three RBI singles.
In the fifth Potomac added to their lead with two runs in the frame. Again Bautista started the rally, with a one out double. Bautista swiped third base and finished with a single season game high of four stolen bases in the win. LF Alec Kellerbrought Bautista home with a fly ball to centerfield for a 2-0 lead. DH John Wooten extended his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games with a two out double followed by DeBruin’s second straight run scoring single for a 3-0 lead. Fernandez didn’t survive the fifth, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs (all earned) without issuing a walk and striking out one in the loss.
Potomac added their final tally in the bottom of the eighth against RHP Matt Alvarez. It was Wooten who singled and stole second base and DeBruin struck again, with an RBI single, his third of the game, to make it a 4-0 lead.
RHP Ashton Goudeau hurled a scoreless 2.1 innings in between Fernandez and Alvarez, allowing one hit and he struck out three.
RHP Derek Self came in for relief of Williams in the seventh innings and continued to hang zeros, pitching two innings and giving up three hits and picking up one strikeout.
RHP Brian Dupra logged an inning, giving up one hit and striking out batter to close out the 4-0, shutout victory for Potomac, the 12th of the season for The Red, White and Blue.
Tomorrow’s Game Two features RHP Brian Rauh (2-1, 2.21) for Potomac against RHP Alec Mills of the Blue Rocks (6-6, 2.73).
First pitch is set for 6:35 pm at Pfitzner Stadium with gates opening at 5:00 pm. The “P-Nats Lead-Off Show” will kick off the broadcast at 6:20 am and you can listen live via the TuneIn Radio App or at www.potomacnationals.com.
Tomorrow night at The Pfitz features Military Appreciation Night courtesy of Honor Brewery, Farmers Insurance and Reality Realty, including Camo T-Shirts to be given away to the first 1,000 fans to enter the ballpark. Kids can also run the bases at the conclusion of the ballgame provided Glory Days Grill and it’s a fireworks night sponsored by WTOP.
Share
Chris Graham
