Woodbridge, Va. - The Down East Wood Ducks took the lead in the first inning, and held it to the finish line, defeating the Potomac Nationals, 3-1, Tuesday.
Woodbridge, Va. - The Down East Wood Ducks took the lead in the first inning, and held it to the finish line, defeating the Potomac Nationals, 3-1, Tuesday.
The Wood Ducks (28-11) are now a league-best 17-2 on the road this season, as they even the four game series at a game apiece.
Down East took the lead immediately. Yonny Hernandez walked to begin the ballgame, and then Leody Taveras reached on an error one batter later. Ryan Dorow then walked with two away, as did Diosbel Arias, forcing home a run. Andrew Lee (loss, 1-2), threw 35 pitches in the inning, but got Sam Huff to ground into a double play to end the frame, and keep the damage to just one run.
Hernandez has now reached base safely in 24 straight games, while Dorow has reached safely in each of his last 17.
Lee worked five innings allowing two runs (one earned), on four hits, walked one, and struck out six.
The other run he surrendered came in the fourth. Arias doubled with one out and two-batters later Yohel Pozo lined a double off the wall in left, to increase the lead to 2-0.
Jake Latz (win, 1-1) was excellent in his start for the Woodies. He gave up just one unearned run in five innings, allowing three hits, and striking out five, including twice fanning Trea Turner who was on a MLB rehab assignment. He did not walk a batter, and faced the minimum through his first four innings.
The lone run he allowed came in the fifth. KJ Harrison led off with a single to left, and Nick Banks followed with a single back up the middle. Telmito Agustin then tried to bunt both men into scoring position, Latz fielded the bunt attempt but threw high to third, trying to get the lead runner, as Harrison scored to make it 2-1. Latz would bounce back nicely, getting two strikeouts and a groundout to strand the tying and go-ahead runners on base.
The Woodies plated an insurance run in the eighth. Taveras laced a triple off the wall in right, and then one batter later Tejeda lifted the first pitch he saw to left, bringing home Taveras with a sac fly to make it 3-1.
Michael Matuella tossed a scoreless inning in relief, and Josh Advocate followed with 1.2 scoreless. With the tying run at the plate in the eighth, Corey Ragsdale summoned Joe Barlow (save, 3) who punched out the final four batters of the ballgame to record the save.
Game three of the four game set will be played tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. The Woodies will send righty Reid Anderson (2-0, 2.05) to the mound, to face off with Nationals right-hander Malvin Pena (2-2, 7.18) The broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online on 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps.
