FredNats lose 4-2 in rain-shortened game at Carolina Thursday

ZEBULON, N.C. - The Fredericksburg Nationals (11-7, 41-42) lost 4-2 in six innings to the Carolina Mudcats (11-6, 47-34) in a rain-shortened game on Thursday at Five County Stadium.

The FredNats were first on the board, when Luke Dickerson roped a triple into the right-center field alley and scored instantly on a throwing error towards third base. He came all the way around the bases for a 1-0 FredNat lead.

Yoel Tejeda Jr. started for Fredericksburg and got off to a hot start with two scoreless innings. In the third, though, Carolina put three runs on the board to take the lead. Gery Holguin led off with a double and scored on an RBI single from Luis Peña. One batter later, Eric Bitonti golfed a high drive over the right field wall for a two-run home run off of Tejeda. After three innings, the Mudcats led 3-1.

Both teams scored once in the fourth inning, with the FredNats getting an RBI double from Nick Peoples. After a scoreless fifth inning, the rain began to fall in the sixth with Nate Rombach at the plate. The game went into a 34-minute delay before eventually being called for weather.

Travis Smith (2-4) earned the win, as Tejeda (3-3) got the loss and Bjorn Johnson (3) got the save. In game four on Friday, the FredNats will send Bryan Polanco to the mound in a 6:30 start.