The Potomac Nationals (21-27 Overall, 12-12 Home) received a quality start from RHP Phillips Valdez, who made his Carolina League debut, on Friday night at Pfitzner Stadium which set the tone for a 3-1 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (27-20 Overall, 8-11 Road) in the series Game Four finale.
The Nationals split their set with the Northern Division’s first place club with their 21st win of the 2015 campaign.
Valdez was fantastic through 6.0 stanzas in which the Dominican-born righty allowed just one earned run on three hits, one walk, and two hit batters while striking out three batters.
Valdez, after throwing 93 pitches, was stuck with a no-decision as the game was tied 1-1 through 7 1/2 innings.
Wilmington struck first with their only run of the game in the 3rd when 2B Ramon Torres tripled to the gap in right-center field and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly off the stick of 3B Mauricio Ramos out to left field.
The P-Nats returned fire right away in the home half of the 3rd using a leadoff double gashed to the left field wall by 3B Khayyan Norfork, a single lashed into left field by RF Estarlin Martinez, and a run-scoring sac fly from CF Narciso Mesa lifted to center field to even the score at 1-1.
The losing pitcher of record, Blue Rocks starting hurler, LHP Eric Skoglund (3-2), was extremely efficient in throwing 87 offerings in 8.0 frames but he was tagged for three earned runs on 10 hits and one walk. Skoglund fanned a trio and his only walk was intentionally given to Nationals C Spencer Kieboom.
Amid the 1-1 stalemate, in the 7th, the P-Nats called upon RHP Derek Self (1-0), who would go on to capture his first win of the season after dealing 2.0-plus innings out of the bullpen. Self held the Blue Rocks scoreless, allowed one base hit, a 9th inning single served to center field by Wilmington 1B Frank Schwindel, walked no one, and fanned a duo.
In the last of the 8th, Martinez blasted a double to the left field wall and barely slid in safe to the second base bag, ahead of the throw from Blue Rocks LF Logan Moon, who had already garnered an outfield assist in the contest in the 7th cutting down Norfork trying to extend a single into a double at second base 7-4. Mesa sacrificed Martinez into scoring position to third base with a bunt. Nationals 2B Christopher Bostick then stepped up and cranked an RBI double to the barrier in left-center driving home the go-ahead run. Potomac SS Stephen Perez added a run-scoring single nailed into center field delivering Bostick to put the Nationals on top 3-1 and the home club’s lead would stay for good.
After Self allowed the single to Schwindel, who led off the 9th, Nationals LHP Nick Lee (5 SV) entered and managed to slam the door shut on his fifth save, although he flirted with flames. Lee struck out Moon looking before CF Dominique Taylor popped up to Mesa in shallow center field on the first pitch he saw from Lee. A pinch hitter for Willmington, Robert Pehl went on to crush a single into left field pushing Schwindel to third base. This put the tying run at first base and placed the leading run in the batter’s box. Blue Rocks RF Dex Kjerstad worked a full count and wound up striking out swinging on a Lee fastball on the outer-third of the plate to ink the Nationals’ “blackjack” win total.
The Nationals’ current eight-game homestand rolls on Saturday as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs) invade The Pfitz for Game One of a four-game set.
In the series opener Saturday night, the Nationals send RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 2.75) to the bump to square off with Myrtle Beach RHP Paul Blackburn (3-2, 4.64) in a 6:35pm first pitch.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage of the game beginning with the “P-Nats Lead-Off Show” at 6:20pm before the live play-by-play at 6:35pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is accessible at www.potomacnationals.com or with the TuneIn Radio App.
Tomorrow night, the Potomac Nationals will feature a 2014 Mills Cup Championship celebration canvas photo giveaway to the first 1,000 fans through the gates at The Pfitz presented by Hylton Performing Arts Center. It is also Saturday Night Live Night in which P-Nats players and coaching staff will wear specialized “Spartans Cheerleader” jerseys which will be auctioned off along the Pfitzner Stadium concourse while SNL-themed activities will underscore the night. Kids will run the bases post-game courtesy of Glory Days Grill and a fireworks extravaganza will light up the Woodbridge night sky. The first “Scout Night” in 2015 will take place as scout kids will camp out on the diamond under the stars to watch a kids movie and collect a scout badge.
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