Sports stats



CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Bats Come Alive as P-Nats Drub Salem 11-4

June 14, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Salem, VA - After seeing a celebration by their opponents Monday night, the Potomac Nationals (31-32 Overall, 18-16 Road) broke out the bats and scored double-digit runs for the first time since May 15th, as they knocked off the Salem Red Sox (41-24 Overall, 21-12 Home) 11-4 Tuesday night. Despite two different one-run deficits, Potomac picked up its first win of 2016 when trailing after six innings. Down by one after six innings, the P-Nats scored four runs in the seventh, two runs in the eighth, and two runs in the ninth in route to the victory.

In his third start with Potomac, LHP Matthew Crownover (ND) had his best start. Though the lefty went just four innings, Crownover allowed only two runs and did not give up a home run for the first time in his three outings. He did however give up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning, as Potomac went into an early 2-0 hole. SS Mauricio Dubon walked with one out in the first and LF Mike Meyers followed with a single. 1B Nick Longhi then tallied his team best 42nd RBI with a single that plated Dubon, and a sacrifice fly by 3B Jordan Betts put the Red Sox on top 2-0. After the shaky first inning, Crownover faced just two over the minimum over the next three frames.

For the Red Sox, RHP Travis Lakins (ND) was good through four innings before things got away from him in the fifth with little help from the defense. SS David Masters had a one out single before Lakins walked CF Andrew Stevenson, the first of four walks for the Potomac centerfielder. DH Osvaldo Abreu chopped a ball to third base but Betts could not handle it. What could have been an inning-ending double play resulted in a bases loaded situation for Potomac. With the bases full, 1B Jose Marmolejos found a gap in between CF Joseph Monge and RF Jayce Ray, as Marmolejos' team best 21st double cleared the bases and put Potomac ahead 3-2. After the next two batters reached, Salem went to the bullpen, and RHP Yankory Pimentel (L, 5-2) got RF Drew Vettleson to ground into a bases loaded, inning-ending double play.

The Red Sox quickly jumped back into the lead, as RHP Wirkin Estevez (W, 1-4) came in for his second bullpen appearance of the season. The first four men reached against Estevez in the fifth, as an RBI single by Dubon tied the game, and Betts' second sacrifice fly of the night put the Red Sox on top 4-3. Estevez retired the final three hitters of the fifth in order and faced just four hitters in a scoreless sixth inning.

Salem's lead lasted until the seventh frame, as Potomac sent nine men to the plate vs. the combination of Pimentel and RHP Mario Alcantara. Stevenson led off the inning with a triple, Abreu tied the game with an RBI double, Marmolejos singled, 3B Drew Ward put the P-Nats up 5-4 with an RBI groundout, C Raudy Read singled, and Vettleson had an RBI single, all vs. Pimentel. With three runs home and down 6-4, Alcantara entered the game and LF Alec Keller reached on a run-scoring error by Betts, the third baseman's second defensive misplay of the game. Potomac led 7-4 at the stretch.

The P-Nats put the game away with a pair of runs in each of the final two frames, as RHP Gilberto Mendez (SV, 1) provided three shutout innings of relief for Potomac. Stevenson led off the eighth inning with his third walk of the night and then stole second base. After Abreu walked, the pair pulled off a double steal, and the throw from C Ben Moore to third base went into left field, an error that allowed Stevenson to score. Two batters later, Ward snapped an 0-17 slide with an RBI single, which made it 9-4 Potomac. In the ninth, with RHP German Tavares on the hill, Stevenson drew his fourth walk of the night with two outs. Abreu followed with his third home run of the season, a line drive shot over the left field wall. Abreu's home run capped the scoring, as Mendez stranded runners at second and third base in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In the win, eight of Potomac's nine starters had at least one hit. Stevenson set a new 2016 Potomac single game high with four walks, while both he and Abreu scored a 2016 single game high four runs. The top three in the P-Nats' order combined to score nine runs, while the top four in the order had eight total RBIs. Stevenson had his third three-steal night of the year, the only Potomac player with three steals in a single game. Potomac went 9-21 with RISP in the victory.

With the series even at a game apiece, Potomac will turn to RHP Boone Whiting (6-2, 3.26) Wednesday night in the series finale. Whiting, who was named the most recent Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, enters off of his best start of the season, as the righty allowed only two hits over 6.2 innings of shutout baseball vs. Frederick on June 10th. Opposite Whiting, LHP Daniel McGrath (1-2, 4.88) will make just his sixth start of the season. The Australian spent nearly six weeks on the disabled list from mid-April to the end of May. First pitch of the finale is at 7:05pm.

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the "P-Nats Leadoff Show" at 6:50pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is available at www.potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.

The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed five Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, and 2014) and nine CL Northern Division Championships. Potomac Nationals 2016 season tickets, mini plans, and single game tickets are now on sale. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2016 season and beyond are available. Corporate outing reservations for the 2016 season to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz may be placed now as the P-Nats offer discounted group ticket rates and all-inclusive picnics. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the Potomac Nationals Ticket Office at 703-590-2311 for more information!

Check out the Potomac Nationals Statistics



Carolina League Stories from June 14, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central