A return back home and a series vs. the lowest scoring offense in the Carolina League proved to be the remedy for the Potomac Nationals (27-33), as they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-0 victory over the Down East Wood Ducks (21-38) Thursday night. RHP Luis Reyes (W, 5-5) equaled his career high with 10 strikeouts over a career high eight innings. The right-handed starter faced just one over the minimum and did not walk a batter in the victory.
After 2.5 scoreless innings, Potomac got the offensive onslaught started with a two-run third frame. The P-Nats scored two runs with two outs against LHP Wes Benjamin (L, 3-6), as 2B Austin Davidson and C Taylor Gushue provided consecutive RBI singles. Benjamin gave up five earned runs on nine hits over 4.1 innings.
Reyes cruised through almost the entirety of his outing. The Potomac starter struck out two men in the first inning, struck out the side in the second frame, and retired the first 10 men that he faced. His start consisted of seven 1-2-3 innings.
Down East’s only offensive threat came in the fourth inning. SS Josh Morgan hit a one-out double, but came up lame rounding first base, as Arturo Lara replaced him at second base. RF Preston Scott followed with a single to centerfield, but after CF Jack Sundberg overthrew second base, Reyes threw out Scott at the second base bag for the second out of the inning. Reyes then retired the final 13 men that he faced in order.
Potomac knocked Benjamin out of the game in the fifth inning, as four straight hitters reached with one out. After Davidson doubled, Gushue walked. 3B Kelvin Gutierrez tallied the first of his two doubles on the night, which plated Davidson. 1B Ian Sagdal followed with a two-run double, which forced the Wood Ducks to go to the bullpen. Sagdal’s third of four hits on the night made it 5-0 Potomac.
The P-Nats added a run in the sixth inning against RHP Scott Williams, and officially put the game away with four runs in the seventh inning against RHP Tyler Davis. Sagdal drove home Gutierrez with an RBI single, while LF Matt Page and DH Edwin Lora each then reached base. After RF Rhett Wiseman flied out, Masters hit a three-run, two-out home run down the left field line. Masters’ second home run of the season made it 10-0, the eventual final.
After eight-shutout innings from Reyes on just 92 pitches, the P-Nats went to the bullpen. RHP Tyler Skulina saw 2B Brallan Perez reach on an error with one out, but the Down East second baseman forgot how many outs there were, and got doubled up at first base on CF Matt Lipka’s pop out to 2B Bryan Mejia. Mejia ended the game with an unassisted double play at first base. The rout ran the Wood Ducks’ losing streak to seven games, while Potomac improved to 5-2 vs. Down East.
Fresh off of the shutout victory, the P-Nats will turn to LHP Grant Borne (1-1, 1.09) in game two of the series on Friday night. Borne made his first start of the season against the Lynchburg Hillcats last time out, when he allowed one earned run over six innings. Opposite Borne, RHP Richelson Pena (3-2, 3.62) will make his third start of the season vs. Potomac. Pena is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA (4/9.2) vs. the P-Nats in 2017 and has totaled 18 innings in his last two starts.
First pitch on Friday night is set for 7:05. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com or on the TuneIn Radio App.
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