The Potomac Nationals (28-34) scored six unanswered runs over the final five frames to defeat the Down East Wood Ducks (22-39) 8-1 on Saturday night at Pfitzner Stadium. The P-Nats have now recorded 15 hits in both wins in the series. 2B Austin Davidson and LF Jack Sundberg led The Red, White & Blue with three hits a piece while five of nine starters put together a multi-hit performance in the win.
The P-Nats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over RHP Jonathan Hernandez (L, 0-2) in the bottom of the first inning. Sundberg singled with one out and landed on second base after a wild pitch. Davidson drove the left-fielder in with his first RBI of the evening on a single back up the middle. With C Taylor Gushue batting, Davidson reached second base after a Hernandez throwing error on a pick off attempt at first base. The team-leader in runs batted in plated the second run of the game with a double to deep right field.
Down East scored it’s only run of the game in the top of the third inning against LHP Hector Silvestre (W, 6-2). 2B Brallan Perez singled with two outs and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position for RF Preston Scott. The leadoff man in the Wood Ducks lineup delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit in half after three innings.
Silvestre only went five innings and threw just 74 pitches in his 12th start of the season but his effort was enough to earn the win. The left-hander pitched well, allowing just one earned run on three hits. He struck out three Wood Ducks while on his way to his team-leading sixth win of the season. With the win over Down East, Silvestre improves to 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA against the Wood Ducks this season.
Potomac began it’s offensive onslaught in the bottom of the fourth inning. Three consecutive singles from SS Edwin Lora, RF Rhett Wiseman and 3B David Masters brought home the third run of the game for the P-Nats. The RBI single from Masters began a run of three straight frames with a run for The Red, White & Blue.
Sundberg picked up his second hit of the game to begin the bottom of the fifth and came home to score a batter later on a Davidson triple to the gap in right-center. The next batter, Gushue, grabbed another RBI with his sixth sacrifice fly of the season. With two runs batted in on Saturday night, the Potomac catcher now has 47 runs batted in on the season.
The Red, White & Blue blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs against RHP Jason Shortslef. Wiseman welcomed the new right-handed reliever to the game with a long solo home run on the third pitch Shortslef threw. The 2-0 delivery was deposited deep over the right-field fence for Wiseman’s sixth round tripper of the season. With two outs later in the inning, Sundberg struck again for his third hit of the game and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Davidson dropped a bloop single into center for his third run batted in of the game. Potomac opened up a 7-1 lead after six innings.
CF Victor Robles capped off the scoring for the P-Nats with an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning. The two-bagger gave Potomac a 15-hit game for the second time in the series. The total falls just two shy of the team’s season high set on April 10th against Frederick. Over the first three games of the series, the P-Nats have outscored the Wood Ducks 18-1.
Potomac looks to take the four-game series with a win on Sunday afternoon against Down East. The P-Nats look to RHP Wirkin Estevez (3-3, 4.17) who has pitched seven quality starts over his first 10 appearances of the season. The Wood Ducks send LHP Jeffrey Springs (1-5, 6.01) to the mound in opposition. Springs struck out 10 Nationals in his last outing against Potomac on May 3rd at Grainger Stadium.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 pm on Sunday at Pfitzner Stadium. Our coverage begins at 12:50 pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network. Fans can listen to the broadcast on potomacnationals.com or by using the TuneIn Radio or MiLB First Pitch apps.
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