Nasty Nate: Karns Dominates Again in Potomac Win
Potomac opened the scoring with three runs in the fifth inning against Lynchburg starter Aaron Northraft who leads the Carolina League in strikeouts. Kevin Keyes doubled with one out. Michael Taylor reached on a low throw to first by Nick Ahmed that was ruled an error with Keyes scoring all the way from second on the play to make it 1-0 Nationals. Potomac scored two more runs on back-to-back doubles by Adrian Sanchez and Ricky Hague to increase the lead to 3-0. All three runs scored by Potomac were unearned.
Nationals starter Nathan Karns had faced just one over the minimum until the sixth inning when he ran into his first trouble of the contest. Emerson Landoni hit a solo homer over the left-center fence to bring Lynchburg within 3-1-- Landoni's second homer of the season for Lynchburg.
It was the first homer yielded by Karns in over 57 innings with Potomac. The run also snapped a 19 1/3 inning scoreless streak by Karns.
But the P-Nats bullpen tandem of Adam Carr and Neil Holland would shut the door with three scoreless innings in relief allowing just two base runners. Holland pitched the ninth for his fourth save in four chances.
Karns (7-2) has won seven straight decisions over his last eight starts with Potomac. He recorded seven strikeouts while walking one over six innings. Northcraft (8-8) took the loss despite not giving up an earned run. He struck out seven and walked just one over five innings.
Over the series, Potomac scored 14 runs with just three of them being earned in four games.
Tomorrow at 7:00 PM the P-Nats start a three-game series in Maryland against the Frederick Keys with RHP Adam Olbrychowski (4-8, 6.59) getting the start. The Nationals return home for a three-game set with the Salem Red Sox on Tuesday, July 31st. The Potomac Nationals are celebrating their 35th Anniversary of professional baseball and family fun, for all your ticket needs please visit www.potomacnationals.com.