Four-Hour Marathon Ends in Salem's 7-6 Walk-Off Win
Salem, VA---In their longest game of the season, the Potomac Nationals (48-42, 14-8) played for more than four hours Sunday night at LewisGale Field, but fell victim to a walk-off double by 2B Jose Sermo, as the Salem Red Sox 55-37, 12-11) picked up a 7-6 11-inning victory. Neither starter, RHP Austen Williams (ND) for Potomac, nor LHP Trey Ball (ND) for Salem was all that effective, as both gave up at least five runs and neither made it through five innings.
A night after their largest come from behind win of the season, the P-Nats jumped out early against Ball in the top of the first inning. The Salem starter walked three batters and gave up two runs in the first frame. C Raudy Read had an RBI groundout and DH Alec Keller had a two-out RBI single for Potomac , as the P-Nats led 2-0 after half an inning. Ball walked five and gave up five runs, three earned, over 3.2 innings.
Potomac made it 4-0 with a pair of runs in the third frame. SS Osvaldo Abreu led off the inning with a single, while 1B Jose Marmolejos followed with a walk. Ball then appeared to have Abreu picked off at second base, but his throw deflected off of SS Deiner Lopez's glove, which allowed Abreu to get to third base. The error by Lopez led to two unearned runs in the inning, as Read had a sacrifice fly, which plated Abreu, and RF Drew Vettleson scored Marmolejos with a two-out double. Potomac led 4-0 after 2.5 innings.
Williams stranded a man in scoring position in each of the two innings but could not escape in the third. With one out, Salem's top three in the order had consecutive singles. 3B Rafael Devers got the Red Sox on the board with an RBI base hit, while 1B Nick Longhi followed with a sacrifice fly. Salem trailed 4-2 after three innings.
The P-Nats got a run back in the fourth and extended the lead to three runs, as LF Dale Carey tripled and scored on a wild pitch. Ball departed after he walked Marmolejos with two outs, as RHP Yankory Pimentel retired Read and ended the fourth.
Salem had its biggest inning of the night in the sixth, as Williams recorded just one out. The Potomac starter gave up a single to LF Bryan Hudson, an RBI double to Devers, walked Longhi, and saw his night end on an RBI double by RF Mike Meyers. Meyers' double tied the game, while RHP Mario Sanchez relieved Williams and immediately gave up a go-ahead RBI single to C Jordan Procyshen. Sanchez limited any further damage, but Salem led 6-5 after five innings.
Down by one run entering the sixth, Potomac tied the game on an RBI single by 2B Max Schrock. It was the final run scored by either team until Sermo's walk-off double in the 11th. Salem had a chance to take the lead in the eighth, and walk-off in both the ninth and 10th innings, but came up short on all three occasions. The Red Sox left the bases loaded in the eighth inning against LHP RC Orlan, stranded men at first and second base vs. RHP Tommy Peterson in the ninth, and left men on the corners vs. Peterson in the 10th.
Pitching for the second consecutive night, RHP Gilberto Mendez (L, 2-1) allowed his first earned run in his last 12 outings. Meyers led off the 11th with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Procyshen. Sermo then lined a double over the head of Carey in left field, which ended the game and leveled the series at a game apiece. The Salem bullpen combination of RHP Mario Alcantara and RHP Simon Mercedes (W, 2-1) allowed just three hits and struck out three over five scoreless frames. At 4:07, it was the longest game time wise for Potomac in 2016.
With the series tied, Potomac will look to RHP Mark Blackmar (2-0, 1.29) Monday night. Blackmar has allowed one earned run over seven innings in each of his first two starts with the P-Nats. For Salem, RHP Michael Kopech (0-0, 0.00) is set to get the start. Kopech has not allowed a run over his first two starts, and was clocked at 105 MPH in his last start for the Red Sox. First pitch is set for 7:05pm at LewisGale Field.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage beginning with the "P-Nats Leadoff Show" at 6:50pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is available at www.potomacnationals.com or via the TuneIn Radio App.
The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed five Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, and 2014) and nine CL Northern Division Championships. Potomac Nationals 2016 season tickets, mini plans, and single game tickets are now on sale. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2016 season and beyond are available. Corporate outing reservations for the 2016 season to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz may be placed now as the P-Nats offer discounted group ticket rates and all-inclusive picnics. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the Potomac Nationals Ticket Office at 703-590-2311 for more information!
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