Nationals Salvage Weekend Split with Sunday Win
Published on May 4, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 4, 2014) - Winston-Salem failed to claim its first home series win of the season, falling 11-3 to the Potomac Nationals at BB&T Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
Potomac (16-10) jumped in front with back-to-back home runs against starter J.B Wendelken (3-2) on the first two pitches of the second inning. Shawn Pleffner's controversial homer down the left field line started the scoring, and Khayyan Norfork followed with a blast to the berm in left.
Potomac added to its total in the third. Brandon Miller doubled to left field and advanced to third base on a single by Pleffner. Norfork's sacrifice fly made it a 3-0 game. Adrian Sanchez followed by lofting a fly ball near the right field line, evading a sliding catch attempt by Jason Coats. The ball rolled into the bullpen, out of Coats' sight as Sanchez raced around the bases. The right fielder picked up the baseball and fired it home, nabbing Sanchez at the plate as he attempted an inside-the-park home run. At this point, the P-Nats had a 4-0 edge.
The Dash (10-17) struck for two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Jacob May scored on a double by Joey DeMichele, who then came home on Courtney Hawkins' single through the hole between third and short. For Hawkins, it was his Carolina League-leading 28th RBI of the season, cutting the Winston-Salem deficit to 4-2.
Potomac added a run in the top of the fourth. An error by third baseman Nick Basto on Pedro Severino's pop-up set the stage for Randolph Oduber, who singled to right field, advancing Severino to third base. The Potomac catcher scored on Stephen Perez's infield hit, giving the Nationals a 5-2 advantage.
Severino's solo home run in the sixth inning against Wendelken made it a 6-2 game. Wendelken allowed a season-high three home runs in the contest, part of six runs and 11 hits allowed in six innings.
Potomac blew the game open in the eighth inning against reliever Euclides Leyer. After Perez drew a bases loaded walk to increase the score to 7-2, Oscar Tejeda crushed a grand slam to left field, providing the P-Nats with an 11-2 margin.
The Dash rallied for one run in the ninth. Justin Jirschele recorded his first RBI of the season, driving in Michael Johnson with a single to bring the final score to 11-3.
Gilberto Mendez (1-0) pitched two perfect innings in relief to earn the victory for Potomac. It's only the fifth Dash loss to the Nationals at BB&T Ballpark in the last 24 meetings dating back to the start of the 2012 season.
In four home series in 2014, Winston-Salem has ended up with a split in two of them, while dropping the other two.
The Dash will begin a three-game set against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at BB&T Ballpark Monday night. Winston-Salem has yet to name a starting pitcher for that contest, while Myrtle Beach will send lefty Andrew Faulkner (1-0, 1.88 ERA) to the hill. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. For tickets, visit wsdash.com or call (336) 714-2287.
Carolina League Stories from May 4, 2014
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