Potomac's 2016 Ends with 3-1 Loss to Lynchburg
Lynchburg, VA---Despite a dominant start from LHP Matthew Crownover (L, 4-5), the Potomac Nationals (74-67) had their season come to an end with a 3-1 loss in the Northern Division Championship Series Friday night. After taking game one of the series 7-0, the P-Nats fell in 14 innings in game two, and went just 1-9 with RISP in the season-ending loss.
Crownover allowed just one earned run over six innings but was outdone by LHP Sean Brady (W, 13-6). The Lynchburg starter allowed only three hits over 5.1 shutout innings, his first shutout start since June 28th.
In the fourth inning, the Hillcats plated the first run of the night. LF Anthony Santander led off the frame with a double, moved to third base on a fly out by 1B Bobby Bradley, and then scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield hit by DH Dorssys Paulino.
Potomac threatened twice against Brady, but the left-handed starter escaped on both occasions. SS Osvaldo Abreu singled with one out in the second frame and RF Drew Vettleson followed with a walk, but the P-Nats left men on the corners as Brady struck out 1B Matt Page. Vettleson then led off the fifth inning with a single, went to third base on a single by Page, but CF Victor Robles took a called third strike, which ended the inning.
Lynchburg had just five men reach base against Crownover, but the final man to reach ended up as the winning run. Bradley led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a pop up in front of the plate, but C Raudy Read missed the catch and the ball came do a dead stop in fair ground. After RHP Gilberto Mendez replaced Crownover, Paulino struck out. SS Yu-Cheng Chang followed with a two-run home run over the right field wall. The eventual game-winning hit made it 3-0 Lynchburg. After CF Connor Marabell singled, LHP RC Orlan came out of the Potomac bullpen and retired the final five Lynchburg hitters of the night.
RHP Trevor Frank (SV, 18) got the final out in the eighth inning but ran into trouble in the final frame of the night. Abreu doubled with one out before Frank struck out Vettleson. 2B Bryan Mejia followed with an RBI double into the right field corner, which brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. After a meeting on the mound, Frank buckled down and struck out Page looking. Frank's save earned the Hillcats a spot in the Mills Cup Championship Series.
For Lynchburg, it will be their first trip to the Championship Series since they took the title in 2012. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans defeated the Salem Red Sox 2-1 in the finale of the Southern Division Championship Series Friday night. The Mills Cup Championship battle between the Hillcats and Pelicans gets underway Saturday at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach, SC.
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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