Adrian Sanchez delivered a pinch-hit, game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Potomac Nationals walked off with the victory over the Frederick Keys 6-5 in the rubber match at Pfitzner Stadium. The P-Nats have three walk-off wins at home against the Keys this season.
Sanchez came in to pinch hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning replacing rehabber Chad Tracy. With Kevin Keyes at second base and Blake Kelso at first, Sanchez lined a single off Jason Gurka (1-2) into centerfield. Keyes was sent around third and the throw from Trent Mummey went up the first base line allowing Keyes to score the winning run.
The game reached the bottom of the ninth after the Keys scored the tying run against Rob Wort (2-4) with two outs in the top of the ninth. Ty Kelly’s fourth hit of the night scored Jeremy Nowak to tie the game at 5-5.
Tracy made his third rehab appearance for the Potomac Nationals tonight as the designated hitter. He was 0-for-4 with three groundouts and a strikeout and was pinch hit for by Sanchez in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Keys took the lead in the second inning with an unearned run against Robbie Ray. Aaron Baker singled to leadoff the inning and was able to get to second base after a fielding error by Michael Taylor. Baker moved to third base on a Justin Dalles single and scored on a double play hit into by Michael Flacco to put Frederick up 1-0.
Frederick added another unearned run in the third inning. Garabez Rosa reached on an error by shortstop Jason Martinson and scored on a two-out double by Kelly to push the advantage to 2-0. Kelly has now hit safely in 16 straight games.
J.P. Ramirez got Potomac on the scoreboard in the home half of the third inning. Stephen King doubled to start the inning and came in to score on a one-out single by Ramirez to bring Potomac within 2-1.
Kelly was at it again for Frederick in the fifth inning knocking his second RBI double of the night to plate Mummey and give Frederick their two run lead back at 3-1.
That lead did not last long as the Nationals tied the game the next half inning with one swing of the bat. King was hit by pitch with one out and Keyes followed with a towering two-run home run to right field to tie the contest at 3-3. Keyes has nine home runs to lead the P-Nats.
King gave the Nationals their first lead of the night in the bottom of the sixth. Potomac loaded the bases after a single by Ricky Hague and back-to-back walks by David Freitas and Jason Martinson. With two outs, King delivered a two-run single to right field that gave the P-Nats the lead at 5-3.
With his third hit of the night, Kelly made sure the Kings wouldn’t go quietly. He singled home Mummy for his third RBI of the night to make a 5-4 game.
Robbie Ray pitched six strong innings for the Nationals and got the no decision. Ray gave up three runs, only one of them earned on nine hits. Copeland started off the night strong but faded late in his outing. He surrendered five runs on five hits in five and a third innings.
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