With a chance to tie up the five-game series at two games apiece, the Potomac Nationals (41-42, 4-12) dropped their third game in as many days to the Salem Red Sox (41-43, 9-7). The 9-4 victory secured a series victory for Salem in their final trip to Northwest Federal Field in 2018 season.
Salem struck first for the third time in this series, taking a 4-0 lead against Potomac RHP Joan Baez (L, 3-8) through three. A 1-0 game heading into the top of the third, Red Sox 3B Bobby Dalbec drilled his Carolina League-leading 19th home run of the season, a two-run shot that scored SS CJ Chatham one batter after he connected on an RBI single.
Baez would only last through the fourth, giving up four runs on three hits, although none of the runs would be earned. Potomac committed two errors in the first four innings, helping setup Salem’s early offensive opportunities.
RHP Jorge Pantoja was the first man out of the bullpen for The P-Nats. The right-hander did not fare much better than Baez, giving up five runs on five hits over his two innings of work. Dalbec drove in runs in both the fifth and sixth on extra-base hits against Pantoja, while DH Ryan Scott broke the game open with a three-run home run. After six, the Red Sox led 9-1.
After Pantoja, LHP Taylor Guibeau and RHP Jeremy McKinney combined to strikeout six over three scoreless innings.
The P-Nats offense faced Salem RHP Tanner Houck (W 3-10) on one of the best days of his young career. The 2017 1st round draft pick allowed just one run, an RBI single from 1B Aldrem Corredor in the fourth, on three hits over a career-high 7.0 innings on the mound.
Potomac’s offense came to life late in the game, attempting to pull off, potentially, the biggest comeback of the year. 1B Ian Sagdal picked up his second hit of the night with an RBI single in the eighth, cutting the lead to 9-2. Sagdal now has 19 multi-hit games in the 2018 season.
LF Nick Banks provided some ninth inning fireworks with a two-run home run, but RHP Harrison Cooney retired the P-Nats without allowing any further damage to seal the victory.
With the loss, Potomac falls under .500 on the season for the first time since April 7th (1-2).
In the series finale, LHP Ben Braymer (3-1, 1.85) will take the ball for Potomac. Braymer has picked up a quality start in each of his first four starts as a P-Nat. With the series victory already secured, RHP Darwinzon Hernandez (3-3, 5.19) makes the start for Salem. Hernandez has an 11.81 earned run average in three starts against Potomac this year.
First pitch at Northwest Federal Field on Saturday is set for 1:05pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 12:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com, at http://bit.ly/P-NatsBroadcast, or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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