P-Nats Fall to Blue Rocks 6-2
The Blue Rocks struck first in the second inning against Potomac starter Adam Olbrychowski. Brett Eibner tripled down the left field line and scored on a Jose Bonilla groundout to give Wilmington a 1-0 lead.
The P-Nats responded in the third inning with two runs against Blue Rocks hurler Brooks Pounders. A David Freitas one-out double scored Blake Kelso and Ricky Hague to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead. But that was the last time Potomac would score against Pounders who ended up striking out eight batters over six innings.
Wilmington tied the game 2-2 in the bottom half of the third with Cheslor Cuthbert knocking in Angel Franco in on a RBI single.
The Rocks took the lead in the fifth. Franco walked then stole second. He scored on two groundouts including an RBI 5-3 groundout from Cuthbert that made the game 3-2. Wilmington added another in the sixth with on a pair of errors that scored Roman Hernandez extending the lead to 4-2 for the Blue Rocks.
The game was put away in the bottom of the seventh with Matt Fields knocking an two-run opposite field homer off of Olbrychowski making the score 6-2 in favor of Wilmington.
Olbrychowski (4-7) took the loss tossing six and two-thirds giving up six runs with five earned. Pounders (2-2) earned the win yielding two runs in a quality start.
Potomac had many chances to score and left eight runners on base. The P-Nats stranded a runner in each of the first six innings. The Nationals were led by a three hit effort from Freitas. Wilmington pitchers struck out ten batters.
The Nationals and Blue Rocks continue their series tomorrow night at 7:05 PM in Delaware. LHP Robbie Ray (3-5, 4.87) takes the hill for the P-Nats against RHP Andy Ferguson of Wilmington who is making his league debut. Potomac returns home on Monday, July 16th to start a seven-game home stand against the Lynchburg Hillcats. The Potomac Nationals are celebrating their 35th Anniversary of professional baseball and family fun, for all your ticket needs please visit www.potomacnationals.com.