The Nationals were swept by Carolina in Zebulon for the second time in as many trips this year as the Mudcats came back to beat Potomac 5-3. Potomac has lost all six games they’ve played in Five County Stadium and all 13 in the state of North Carolina.
The Mudcats started the scoring in the second inning with two runs off of Nationals starter LHP Matt Grace. Tyler Cannon had an RBI single and Tyler Holt batted a run in on a groundout to give the Mudcats a 2-0 lead.
From then on, Grace settled down giving up just those two runs in six innings. He didn’t factor into the decision.
Potomac climbed back into the game with a run in the fifth against Carolina hurler LHP Mike Rayl. Randolph Oduber had an RBI double to bring the P-Nats within 2-1. In the sixth, Potomac put runners at first and third with no outs. David Freitas rolled into a double play that scored another run and tied the game at 2-2.
Rayl went six strong innings giving up two runs just one earned run and did not get a decision.
Potomac took the lead in the seventh inning with a run against reliever Grant Sides. Michael Taylor led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Stephen King. Kevin Keyes drove Taylor in with a sac fly and Potomac led 3-2.
The Mudcats would strike twice against reliever Adam Carr in the bottom of the seventh to retake the lead. With one out, an error allowed Delvi Cid to reach. Holt then hit a ground rule double down the right field line to put runners at second and third with one out. Justin Toole hit an infield single to tie the game 3-3 scoring Cid. Holt scored on a single by Giovanni Urshela putting Carolina up 4-3.
A Carlos Moncrief solo homer to right in the eighth extended the lea to 5-3 for Carolina. The Nationals put a runner on in the ninth but couldn’t score against Mudcats closer Jose Flores.
Sides (1-0) earned his first win in the Carolina League. Carr (0-1) took the loss giving up three runs in two innings.
Potomac has never won in Five County Stadium with Carolina spending their first year in the Carolina League. They are 0-13 in the state of North Carolina with a record of 0-6 in Zebulon and 0-7 in Winston-Salem.
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