After nearly two months in between meetings between the two teams, the Potomac Nationals (39-49, 6-12) managed just four hits in a 6-0 shutout loss to the Salem Red Sox (52-37, 12-8) Wednesday night. RHP Shaun Anderson (W, 3-2) tossed a career high seven innings and struck out six in his best professional start, while LHP Hector Silvestre (L, 7-4) failed to get through five innings for the first time in his last eight starts.
The Red Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The first three batters of the inning singled, which loaded the bases for DH Jose Sermo. The Salem designated hitter put in a bid for a grand slam, but came feet shy on a fly out to centerfield. The sacrifice fly plated LF Tyler Spoon and made it 1-0 Salem. After a walk loaded the bases, Silvestre got 2B Nick Lovullo to line into a double play at third base that ended the inning.
After Silvestre worked a scoreless third frame, the Red Sox jumped back on the lefty in the fourth inning. CF Tate Matheny led off the frame with a walk, and after Sermo doubled with one out, 3B Jordan Betts made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Lovullo followed with an RBI single, as Salem led 3-0 after four innings.
Potomac tallied just four hits in the game, all against Anderson. 1B Ian Sagdal singled in the second inning, SS Edwin Lora doubled in the third frame, 2B Austin Davidson led off the fourth with a double, and Lora had a two-out single in the fifth. The P-Nats went 0-6 with RISP and left six men on base.
RHP Tyler Skulina entered the game for Silvestre to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. The right-handed reliever gave up a single to each of the first two batters, while a pair of wild pitches plated a run. After Spoon drew a walk, Matheny made it 5-0 Salem with an RBI double. In the sixth, Spoon made it 6-0 with a two-out RBI single, which closed the scoring. Salem got the leadoff man on in five straight innings from the second through the sixth, and four of those men came around to score.
After seven dominant innings from Anderson, RHP Marc Brakeman found a way to get through the final two frames despite throwing nearly as many balls as strikes. Brakeman went to a three-ball count to five of the six hitters that he faced, but struck out four over two perfect innings.
The loss puts Potomac a second half high five games behind Salem for a playoff spot. After three straight losses, the P-Nats will turn to RHP Luis Reyes (5-9, 4.67) for the second game of the four-game series. Reyes has picked up the loss in each of his last three starts, but has surrendered more than three earned runs just once over that span. For the Red Sox, RHP Roniel Raudes (2-6, 4.76) will look for a third straight solid start. Raudes has given up just two earned runs in each of his last two starts, yet has picked up the loss both times.
First pitch is set for 7:05pm Thursday night. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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Chris Graham
