Potomac (28-33-Overall, 15-14-Home) rode a three-run fifth inning to a 4-1 win in the series opener against the Frederick Keys (29-32-Overall, 11-22-Road) at Pfitzner Stadium on Friday night.
RHP Lucas Giolito (2-4, 4.08) made his seventh start of the season for Potomac and pitched 6.1 innings, allowing one run on eight hits, he walked one and struck out five, earning his second win of the season for the Red, White and Blue. Giolito threw 92 total pitches with 60 for strikes against the Keys.
LHP Mitch Horacek (4-6, 3.98) made his 13th start of the season for Frederick and lasted just 4.2 innings, coughing up three runs (earned) on five hits, he walked a season-high four batters and he struck out three in the loss. Horacek is now 0-3 against the Potomac Nationals in 2015.
Giolito pitched through two lead-off hits in each of the first two frames before finally relinquishing a run in the top of the third. With one out LF Johnny Ruettiger singled. CF Josh Hart then reached on an infield single that pushed Ruettiger to second base. The All-Star SS Jeff Kemp knocked in Ruettiger with an RBI single for a 1-0 Keys lead.
Horacek allowed only two hits and he walked three in his four scoreless innings and the 1-0 lead held for Frederick until the bottom of the fifth. LF Estarlin Martinez doubled, for one his three hits, to begin the inning. 2B Christopher Bostick laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Martinez to third. CF Narciso Mesa walked and on a steal attempt the Keys C Chance Sisco threw the ball wide of the second base bag and Martinez broke for home in what amounted to a double steal and a tie ballgame at 1-1 after Martinez scored. A wild pitch moved Mesa to third and 1B John Wooten, who has hit safely in eight straight contests, continued his hot-hitting with an RBI single that gave Potomac a 2-1 lead. Wooten stole second and advanced to third on a C Spencer Kieboom lineout and SS Stephen Perez, who hits Fredrick pitching at a .364 clip, tripled home Mesa for a 3-1 Potomac lead.
The three-bagger by Perez was the knockout blow to Horacek and into the game came RHP Dylan Rheault and he retired the RF Brandon Miller on a foul out to end the frame.
Potomac added an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth when 3B Khayyan Norfork singled and moved to second on a throwing error by the pitcher Rheault himself. With one out Martinez reached on an infield single that moved Norfork to third base. Bostick hit into what could have been a double play but he beat out the back end to earn an RBI single on a fielder’s choice ball to push the lead to 4-1 Potomac.
That ended the scoring for the ballgame as LHP Nick Lee came in and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings adding a strikeout and RHP Manny Rodriguez (SV 1) pitched a scoreless ninth stranding two runners on the paths and striking out two.
Rheault gave up one unearned run in his 2.1 innings on the mound coughing up three hits and he struck out one in his outing. RHP Williams Louico gave up one hit and struck out one batter in his scoreless one inning.
Wilmington loss to Salem 4-2 so Potomac gained a game in the division hunt and will wake up 6.0 games back tomorrow morning.
The pitching matchup in Game Two features RHP John Simms (3-4, 3.80) for Potomac against RHP Mikey O’Brian (0-0, 0.00) for Frederick.
First pitch tomorrow night is set for 6:35 pm and you can listen live on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network starting at 6:20 with the P-Nats Lead-Off Show.
Fans can enjoy Bark in the Park by Pedigree, Fireworks presented by WTOP, Kids Run the Bases courtesy of Glory Days Grill and the first 2,000 fans will receive a Steven Souza “The Catch” Figurine presented by Burke and Herbert Bank.
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