CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Nationals Overcome by Red Sox 10-6 in Sunday Showdown

Published on May 3, 2015 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Woodbridge, VA-On Sunday afternoon, the Potomac Nationals (10-14 Overall, 6-7 Road) were downed by the Salem Red Sox (12-10 Overall, 7-5 Home) inside the walls of Salem Memorial Ballpark on LewisGale Field in Game Three of a four-game road series losing by the final score of 10-6.

Potomac has now fell in eight of their last nine games but the club remains only 3.0 games back of the Northern Division leading Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles).

The Nationals left 11 runners on base in their first four-run loss of the 2015 season which marked the team's third consecutive defeat.

The Red Sox stashed 13 hits while the Nationals collected 10 base knocks in the clash.

The P-Nats are now (1-5) on their current two-city bus trip and have dropped three consecutive series.

Salem RHP Ty Buttrey (1-0) made his first career Carolina League start and despite walking six batters, earned the win after tossing 5.0 innings in which he also surrendered six hits and struck out three.

Nationals hurler, RHP John Simms (0-2) was the losing pitcher of record after allowing five earned runs in the 2nd inning. Simms made it through just 2.0 frames in the contest and allowed six hits and three walks while fanning just one.

The five runs for the Red Sox off Simms came in courtesy of a bases-loaded, three-run double from SS Tzu-Wei Lin shot into deep center field before LF Aneury Tavarez cranked an RBI triple over the head of Nationals CF Narciso Mesa and Salem C Jake Romanski grounded a run-scoring single into center field.

Potomac plated a trio of runs in the 3rd inning when 1B Jimmy Yezzo worked a leadoff walk, C Craig Manuel punched a single into left field, and SS Stephen Perez ripped a one-base knock into left-center field. On the Perez one-base hit, Red Sox CF Forrestt Allday overthrew the cut-off man and the ball traveled all the way into the Potomac Nationals' first base side dugout to bring home Yezzo and Manuel. Perez was summoned home on an RBI infield single to the deep hole at shortstop by 3B Khayyan Norfork to cut the Red Sox lead to 5-3.

Salem fired back with two runs off Potomac RHP Kevin Perez in the last of the 3rd via a two-run single laced into left field by Red Sox 1B Sam Travis, who turned in a three-hit, three-RBI game, giving the home club a 7-3 edge.

The Red Sox tacked on two more insurance runs against Perez in the 5th giving Salem a 9-3 advantage when Lin singled into right field to deliver Allday, who walked, then Travis sent Lin homeward on Travis' RBI double to right field.

RHP Kevin Perez, in total, gave up four earned runs on five base hits amid two walks, four strikeouts, one wild pitch, and one hit batter.

Potomac punched back with two runs off Red Sox RHP German Taveras (1 SV) in the 6th. Mesa socked an opposite-field single, Perez gashed a double into the alley in right-center, and LF Isaac Ballou lined a two-run single into right field which cut the Salem lead to 9-5.

Salem answered right away with one unearned run off Potomac RHP Tyler Mapes in the home half of the 6th when SS Stephen Perez committed a throwing error allowing Salem 3B Jordan Betts to reach first base in advance of an RBI double off the lumber of RF Franklin Guzman which catalyzed a 10-5 score.

Mapes allowed just the one run on two hits in 3.1 relief innings.

Nationals DH Drew Ward went 0-for-0 in the contest with four walks and a 9th inning RBI sacrifice fly versus Taveras while Potomac made a comeback attempt.

In the 9th, Ballou doubled to the wall in right field and with one out, a wild pitch sent Ballou to third base. Ward lofted the sac fly before Norfork reached on a fielding error charged to Betts at third base. Nationals 2B Christopher Bostick walked to put two men aboard. Yezzo then fanned looking on an off-speed pitch at the knees to give the 10-6 victory to the Red Sox.

Taveras was awarded his first save of 2015 in his first save chance after tossing the final 4.0 innings to complete the game. The righty bullpen arm served up three earned runs on four hits while also striking out one, walking a pair, unleashing one wild pitch, and plunking one man.

The Game Four finale in Salem, VA is scheduled for Monday night at 7:05pm as the Nationals will send RHP Wander Suero (3-1, 3.60) to the mound to duel with Salem LHP Trey Ball (1-2, 5.57).

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage of the game beginning with the "P-Nats Lead-Off Show" at 6:50pm before the live play-by-play at 7:05pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is accessible at www.potomacnationals.com or with the TuneIn Radio App.

The Potomac Nationals play at G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Carolina League 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. The P-Nats are the defending Carolina League Champions after winning the 2014 Mills Cup Championship Series. Potomac Nationals 2015 season tickets and mini plans are now on sale. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2015 season and beyond are available. Corporate outing reservations for the 2015 season to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz may be placed now as the P-Nats offer discounted group 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!

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Carolina League Stories from May 3, 2015


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