Despite the first home run of the season for CF Victor Robles and two more hits for 2B Max Schrock, the Potomac Nationals (41-37, 7-3) managed just five total hits in a 12-1 loss to the visiting Wilmington Blue Rocks (32-49, 5-7).
Wilmington, in the first meeting with Potomac since April 30th, loaded the bases with no outs against LHP Matthew Crownover (L, 0-3) in the first inning. 3B Wander Franco made it 1-0 with a sacrifice fly, but Crownover escaped any further damage. Robles then led off the bottom of the first inning with a second-pitch home run off of RHP Corey Ray (W, 5-2). It appeared as though neither pitcher would make it through the first inning, but while both did, Ray’s night ended up much better than Crownover’s.
Crownover set down eight in a row after he loaded the bases in the first inning, but back-to-back two-out singles paired with a wild pitch in the third inning made it 2-1 Wilmington. Franco’s RBI single proved to be the winning hit. Crownover then worked a perfect fourth inning, but failed to make it through the fifth frame. The lefty pitched to four hitters in the fifth but did not record an out. C Luis Villegas walked, CF Cody Jones singled and SS Brian Bien reached on a sacrifice bunt paired with a throwing error by 3B Bryan Mejia. LF Alfredo Escalera followed with a single, which ended Crownover’s night. Franco greeted RHP Mario Sanchez out of the bullpen with an RBI groundout, but the Potomac reliever escaped any further damage. The P-Nats trailed 5-1 after 4.5 innings.
Following Schrock’s single in the third inning, his second hit of the night, Ray retired 16 straight Potomac hitters. No Potomac hitter reached until Robles doubled with two outs in the eighth inning. Robles’ double ended Ray’s evening.
With Ray in cruise control, the Blue Rocks busted the game open with a seven-run eighth inning. Wilmington sent eight men to the plate, as 2B Austin Bailey, Villegas, and Bien each had an RBI single. With two outs, Franco hit a grand slam off of Sanchez over the wall in right-centerfield. Franco finished the night with a season-high seven RBIs. Sanchez was charged with seven earned runs on eight hits over four innings, while Crownover allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over four innings in the start. RHP Wirkin Estevez worked a scoreless ninth inning for Potomac, while LHP Kyle Kubat recorded the final four outs for the Blue Rocks.
In the loss, 1B Jose Marmolejos had his league best 29th double, while Schrock had his sixth multi-hit game in seven starts for the P-Nats. Potomac went 0-9 with RISP and left five men on base. The seven-run eighth inning was the highest scoring inning for an opponent against the P-Nats this season, while the 11-run defeat was the second highest of the season for Potomac.
In an effort to level the series, Potomac will turn to RHP Whit Mayberry (0-0, 3.00). Mayberry allowed two runs on four hits in his first start for Potomac, a no-decision against Myrtle Beach last week. For the Blue Rocks, LHP Colin Rodgers (2-4, 4.08) will make his fourth start of the season vs. Potomac. Rodgers is 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA in his first three starts vs. the P-Nats. First pitch at Pfitzner Stadium is set for 7:05pm.
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Chris Graham
