Ashby Dominates Again in 6-2 Carolina Victory in Potomac

WOODBRIDGE, VA - Aaron Ashby turned in another gem after totaling eight strikeouts over seven and 1/3 scoreless innings, Devin Hairston drove in two runs while going 2-for-5 and Clayton Andrews picked up his tenth save as Carolina earned a series tying 6-2 victory versus the Nationals on Friday night in Potomac.

The Mudcats (1-1, 40-31) led from start to finish in Friday's series tying victory as they scored twice in the first, twice in the eighth and twice more in the ninth while going up 6-0 in the game. The Nationals (1-1, 31-38) eventually got on the board in the ninth, but scored just twice in the final frame while falling 6-2 as Carolina evened the four game series at 1-1.
Ashby (W, 1-0, 0.00) pitched into the eighth and scattered three hits, walked three and totaled eight strikeouts while leading the Mudcats to their first victory of the second half. The win was also Ashby's first while pitching in the Carolina League and came in his second High-A outing. Ashby breezed his way through the seventh before walking a couple and running his pitch count up to 101 (65 strikes) and departing the game in the eighth. He left with two on in the eighth, but Andrews (S, 10) entered and went on to finish the game while earning his tenth save.
The shutout effort was Ashby's second straight as he also worked through seven scoreless in his debut versus Winston-Salem a week earlier. In all, Ashby has worked through 14 and 1/3 scoreless with 16 strikeouts over two Carolina League starts so far in 2019.
Carolina's first two runs came across in the first when Mario Feliciano forced in a couple after reaching on a bases loaded error in the opening frame. Feliciano managed to hit a grounder to third that went through the legs of third baseman Anderson Franco and scored both Wes Rogers and Ryan Aguilar who had reached on a single and walk respectively to start the game.
Both Carolina runs in the first were scored off Nick Raquet, but were the only two allowed in by the Potomac starter. Raquet (L, 5-7, 4.81) struck out four, walked three and allowed just the two runs (one earned) on five hits while pitching through the fourth and eventually taking the loss.
Reliever Luis Reyes followed and went on turn in three scoreless frames between the fifth and seventh while keeping the Carolina lead at 2-0. The Mudcats, however, eventually found the run column again in the eighth while breaking through with two runs against reliever Andrew Istler. They also scored twice more in the ninth against Hayden Howard and led 6-0 before Potomac scored two late runs against Andrews in the final frame.
Carolina's two run eighth included a RBI single from Hairston and a run scoring sac fly from Ryan Aguilar. The two run ninth, meanwhile, included a sac fly from Eddie Silva and another run scoring hit from Hairston.
Hairston went 2-for-5 with two RBI, Rogers went 2-for-6 with two infield singles and both Julio Garcia and Rob Henry had two hits in the game for Carolina. 
Potomac's two runs came in the ninth against Andrews after he allowed three doubles in the final frame. Potomac's KJ Harrison and Alex Dunlap had run scoring doubles in the final frame, but Andrews eventually finished the game with back-to-back strikeouts while earning the save. He originally came in the eighth and stranded two inherited runners while working through and inning and 2/3 with four strikeouts.
The series will continue on Saturday night in Potomac with game three of the four game set at Northwest Federal Field. RHP Nelson Hernandez (6-5, 5.07) will get the start for Carolina as the Mudcats look to take the lead in the second half opening series. The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. 
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