The opening series to the second half could not have gone any better for the Potomac Nationals (37-34, 3-0), as they picked up a series sweep over the first half Northern Division champion Lynchburg Hillcats (45-28, 0-3)Sunday afternoon with a 7-1 wire-to-wire win. The P-Nats scored seven runs over the first four innings, as RHP Luis Reyes (W 4-7) had his best start of the season. Reyes allowed just one run over six innings in route to the victory.
With LHP Mitch Brown (L, 2-6) on the hill, Potomac scored in each of the first four innings. 1B Jose Marmolejos had an RBI single three batters into the game and then scored on an RBI bunt single by RF Drew Vettleson later in the inning. Potomac led 2-0 after half an inning.
The P-Nats continued the offensive onslaught in the second, as Brown hit 3B David Masters with a pitch to open the inning. CF Andrew Stevenson followed with an RBI triple, and Stevenson scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly by SS Osvaldo Abreu. Abreu’s 27th RBI of the season made it 4-0 Potomac in the second.
Potomac scored on an RBI double by C Matt Reistetter in the third inning, and scored two more on a two-run single by Marmolejos in the fourth. The P-Nats led 7-0 after 3.5 innings. Brown allowed seven runs, all earned, on eight hits over four innings. The lefty has now allowed 15 earned runs in 12.2 innings over his three starts vs. Potomac.
Reyes cruised through much of his outing, as the righty faced just one over the minimum over the first three innings. With one out in the fourth, DH Anthony Santander singled. A double by 1B Bobby Bradley put men on second and third base, while a sacrifice fly by SS Yu-Cheng Chang plated Lynchburg’s only run. Reyes struck out two and walked just two over six innings. It was the first time in five starts that the righty gave up fewer than four earned runs.
Out of the bullpen, LHP Justin Thomas (SV, 1) picked up a three-inning save. Thomas retired nine of the 10 men that he faced, as only a single by LF David Armendariz spoiled a perfect outing. For the Hillcats, RHP Justin Garcia and RHP Jordan Milbrath combined for five one-hit shutout innings.
With the sweep, Potomac sits at a league best 3-0 and the only undefeated team in the Carolina League in the second half. In the victory, Marmolejos had three RBIs while Stevenson scored three runs. Marmolejos’ first inning single ran his hit streak to nine games. Potomac held the league’s top offense to just seven runs over the three-game sweep.
Looking for their fifth consecutive win, the P-Nats return home to face off with the Winston-Salem Dash. Monday night,RHP Erick Fedde (3-3, 4.78) is set to take the ball for Potomac. The righty has allowed just one total earned run over his last three starts and is 2-0 in his two outings vs. the Dash. For Winston-Salem, RHP Kelvis Valerio (1-2, 3.31) will make just his second start of the season, his 19th appearance. The righty has pitched twice out of the bullpen vs. Potomac in 2016. First pitch is set for 7:05pm at Pfitzner Stadium.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the “P-Nats Leadoff Show” at 6:50pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is available at www.potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.
Share
Chris Graham
