Altmann and the Bullpen Carry the Wood Ducks to Series Win

KINSTON, NC -Josh Altmann's torrid June continued with his third multi-homer game of the season in the Wood Ducks' (4-5, 39-40) victory over the Nationals (3-5, 40-35). The 23-year-old accounted for four of the five runs in the 5-3 win on Friday night.

The bullpen locked down the win for the second half of the game. Locke St. John and Jacob Lemoine combined for the final four and one-third innings with three strikeouts and no runs. St. John earned his third win while Lemoine recorded his third save by retiring all six batters he faced.
Altmann started the game with a bang by leading off with his 12th homer of the season. It was the fourth leadoff homer of the season for the Woodies by the fourth different batter. With a 1-0 lead early, starter Emerson Martinez rolled through the first three innings with a pair of strikeouts and a double play.
Down East formed a two-out rally in the third with a single by Matt Whatley and a walk by Eric Jenkins. The game paused for a mound visit before Altmann's at-bat from the Potomac pitching coach. Even still, Matthew DeRosier fell behind 2-1 to Josh and he blasted a no-doubt three-run homer to left. 
The swing tied a career-high with four RBIs and tied the Wood Ducks single season home run record with his 13th (LeDarious Clark, 2017). 
Potomac plated three runs with two outs in the top of the fifth to chase Martinez from the game, but St. John left two inherited runners stranded for the final out of the frame. In the bottom half, Chuck Leblanc dumped a single into right field to score Anderson Tejeda and push the Woodies' lead up to two.
Both offense were capped from therein as the Woodies claimed their league-leading 26th win at home in 2018. The victory wins the series and ties the season series with the P-Nats as the Wood Ducks prepare to host the Salem Red Sox on Saturday for a four-game series.