FredNats get six innings from Polanco, two home runs from Ross to win 4-1

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals (15-13) stifled the Lynchburg Hillcats (16-13) for the second straight day, relying on a Jackson Ross multi-home run game to win 4-1 on an Education Day at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. The FredNats have taken both the first two games of the series, allowing just six combined hits and one run.

Bryan Polanco, Fredericksburg’s Opening Day starter, turned in a vintage performance on a day when he took the mound at 11:05 a.m. with droves of local students in attendance. The FredNat righty spun a perfect first three innings, facing the minimum while missing barrels with his cutter and sinker combination. Then, in the third inning, his offense supplied him with a lead. Nick Peoples rolled a double down the left field line and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kelvin Diaz.

Polanco did give up a run of his own in the fourth inning, but once again got picked up by his bats. Jackson Ross, the FredNat leader in home runs entering the day, stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth to face Lynchburg’s starter Jervis Alfaro for the second time. On the first pitch of the inning, a high fastball, Ross swiveled around and skied a solo shot down the left field line, keeping it fair inside the pole to give the FredNats a 2-1 lead.

From there, Polanco continued to cruise. He retired the side in order in the fifth and wiggled his way around a two-out double in the sixth to tie a career-high six innings pitched, matching a July start against the Hillcats from last year. He allowed just two hits and one run with three strikeouts. Over his last three starts, he’s allowed just five hits in 14.0 IP.

Immediately with Polanco out of the game, Ross struck again. Alfaro came back out for the sixth and again had to face Ross as the leadoff batter. Alfaro gave the FredNat first baseman another high fastball and paid the price. Ross punished the pitch high and deep to left center, depositing it into the FredNat bullpen 387 feet from home plate. The blast gave Ross the first multi-homer game for a FredNat hitter of the season and put him atop the Carolina League with six on the year.

The FredNats added another run in the seventh inning and watched as their bullpen tossed another three scoreless innings, lengthening their streak to 11 in a row and securing a two-hitter on the mound.

Polanco (2-2) earned the win with the longest start by a FredNat this season, as Alfaro (2-1) got the loss. Adam Bloebaum, with a scoreless inning, got his second save of the year.

The FredNats are back in action with a 2-0 series lead on Thursday night, with Xander Meckley (1-2, 5.21) pitching in a 6:35 start.