Polanco’s start, massive sixth inning propel FredNat win at Salem

SALEM, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals (13-9) took the road series opener 9-5 against the Salem Red Sox (8-14) behind five scoreless innings from Bryan Polanco and a mammoth seven-run sixth inning at Carilion Clinic Field.

Bryan Polanco, the FredNats’ Opening Day starter, got the ball to start the series and looked like he was going to be the headline early. After carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning at Salem on April 10th last year, he went six up and six down to start his first outing against the Red Sox on the road this year. In both the first and second innings, he struck out the final batter he faced, catching Kleyver Salazar looking and fanning Yosander Asencio.

From there, he watched as his offense posted individual runs in both the third and fifth innings against Salem starter Shea Sprague. In the third, Carlos Tavares picked up where he left off Sunday, scalding a double off the wall in right field and was brought in shortly after on a looping double to left by Elijah Nunez. Two innings later, Cristhian Vaquero added to his team-leading RBI total, driving in Moises Gallardo with a single to make it 2-0 Fredericksburg.

On the mound, Polanco kept cruising. He faced one over the minimum in both the third and fourth innings, relinquishing just one hit. In the fifth, he sat down Asencio and Natanael Yuten on strikeouts before forcing Karim Ayubi to fist a roller to first base to finish the inning and his outing. On 60 pitches, Polanco threw 44 strikes for five scoreless, one-hit innings. He didn’t walk anyone and he struck out a season-high five.

It looked like the night’s narrative would center around a prime Polanco start. Then, the sixth inning arrived.

With both Polanco and Sprague out of the game, the offenses feasted. Against Nicholas Judice, the FredNats scored in two batters with a Kevin Bazzell walk, followed by a Jorgelys Mota double to make it 3-0 Fredericksburg. The next hitter, Randal Diaz, floated a single to center field, which scored Mota. Three batters into the inning, the FredNats had two hits and two runs.

No one could have been prepared for what followed. After a Nate Ochoa flyout, the next four batters all reached on walks as Judice errantly threw four wild pitches. He allowed two more runs to score, building a 6-0 Nationals lead. His replacement, Eybersson Polanco, saw Nunez bring in another run with a fielder’s choice and Bazzell reach on an error to score another run, bringing up Mota again.

Then, for the second time in the same inning, Mota laced an RBI double, extending his FredNat team lead with his tenth extra base hit. When the dust settled, the FredNats had sent 12 batters to the plate and led 9-0.

As it turned out, it was a much-needed rally. The sixth inning was all sorts of kind to Salem, too. The Red Sox poured on five runs of their own off FredNat reliever Gavin Bruni. The Sox combined three hits, including two doubles, with two walks and a wild pitch to draw close again, 9-5.

From there, however, everything settled down. The Nationals would draw three more walks and place men on base in each of the remaining innings, but did not score, finishing the night with eight walks but 14 strikeouts at the plate. On the mound, Fredericksburg allowed just one more hit as Matt Bollenbacher stranded the bases loaded in the seventh and Robert Cranz and Merrick Baldo pitched perfect frames to finish off the victory.

In the end, Polanco (1-2) still got his first win of the season and Sprague (0-2) got the loss despite allowing only two of the nine runs.

The win was Fredericksburg’s first in a road series opener this season and its fourth in a row overall. The FredNats are a season-best four games above .500 and remain tied with the Lynchburg Hillcats for second place in the Carolina League North. In game two of the series Wednesday, the FredNats send Alexander Meckley (1-2, 6.43) to the hill in a 6:35 start.