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Trio of Homers Power Potomac to 7-4 Victory

August 18, 2012 - Carolina League (CarL) Potomac Nationals

(SALEM, VA) - The Potomac Nationals used 15 hits including three homers to beat the Red Sox 7-4 in Salem. The P-Nats offense has collected 32 hits over the last two contests at LewisGale Field.

For the second straight night, Potomac got off to a lead in the top of the first. Against Salem starter Miguel Celestino, Francisco Soriano led off the contest with a single. He scored on a Matt Skole single to make it 1-0 Nationals. The next batter Kevin Keyes blasted a massive two-run homer down the left field line to increase the lead to 3-0. It was his team-leading 19th home run of the season.

Also like last night, the Red Sox were able to score in the bottom of the first. With one out and the bases loaded, Drew Hedman hit a sac fly against Matt Swynenberg to bring the Red Sox within 3-1.

The Nationals used the long ball to start the fourth inning. Steven Souza Jr. led off the inning with a home run just to the left of the 401 marker in dead center to make it 4-1 Nationals. It was the 20th homer of the year for Souza Jr. between Hagerstown and Potomac. The next batter Jason Martinson hit a titanic blast out to straight away left and the P-Nats led 5-1. It was the 101st run and 103rd RBI of the season for Martinson.

Celestino (7-8) ended his day after the fourth yielding eight hits and five earned runs. He gave up three homers for the second time this year.

A Keyes RBI single in the top of the fifth extended the lead to 6-1 for Potomac.

Swynenberg was cruising for the P-Nats as he had retired 14 of 15 batters before a two-out infield single by Shannon Wilkerson in the fifth. Zach Gentile and Michael Almanzar hit back-to-back RBI doubles to cut the Potomac lead to 6-3.

The Nationals added a run in the top of the sixth inning. Adrian Sanchez knocked a single off the left field wall that scored Blake Kelso to give the Nationals a 7-3 lead. Salem came back with a run against Aaron Barrett who relieved Swynenberg on a Almanzar two-out single to cut the advantage to 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh.

Rob Wort came on for a two-inning save in the eighth. He retired six of the seven batters he faced including striking out three in a row for his tenth save of the season.

Swynenberg (5-5) got his first win since May 31st by tossing five inning and giving up three runs. He struck out two batters beating the Red Sox for the second time in as many starts at LewisGale Field.

The P-Nats and Red Sox finish their series tomorrow at 4:05 PM at LewisGale Field. RHP Rob Gilliam (0-1, 5.75) of Potomac faces off with RHP Matt Barnes (5-4, 3.40) of Salem. Potomac returns to the Pfitz for their final home stand of the year starting on August 20th with a 7:05 PM game against Carolina. Th e Potomac Nationals are celebrating their 35th Anniversary of professional baseball and family fun, for all your ticket needs please visit www.potomacnationals.com.

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Carolina League Stories from August 18, 2012


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