Hill, Potent Sticks Carry Potomac to 7-2 Victory Over Red Sox
Salem, VA-Opening the second leg of their six-game road trip against the Salem Red Sox (4-6, 2-2), the Potomac Nationals (4-6, 2-2) received a strong start from RHP Taylor Hill (2-0), the winning pitcher, to beat the Sox 7-2 at LewisGale Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
On Jackie Robinson Day, a date in which all of baseball remembers the courageous life of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier on April 15, 1947, the afternoon began in somber fashion as news of multiple explosions at the Boston Marathon.
Before the contest, there was a moment of silence held at LewisGale Field to respect those lost and those still injured in the Boston Marathon explosions.
The game began with Salem striking first courtesy of a Brandon Jacobs sacrifice fly that scored DH Felix Sanchez, who singled to right field.
Potomac answered in the 2nd inning as C Adrian Nieto ripped a one-out double to the wall in right field before 2B Adrian Sanchez knocked an infield RBI single over the second base bag.
Nieto finished the contest 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Hill was terrific as the starter tossing through 6.0 innings in which he surrendered just the aforementioned one run while scattering four hits, all singles, and striking out four.
The opposing Salem starting pitcher, William Cuevas, who did not factor, was solid, himself, allowing just two hits through 5.0 innings and surrendering one run.
After the 1-1 tie traveled into the 6th inning, the Nationals cranked out four runs off RHP Heri Quevedo (0-1), the losing pitcher. 1B Justin Miller and LF Billy Burns both drew walks before DH Kevin Keyes punched a two-RBI double up the right field chalk to give the P-Nats a 3-1 lead. Then, Nieto laced an RBI single to center field to add more insurance which preceded RF Caleb Ramsey lining a ball into left field dropped by Jacobs that allowed Nieto to come home and score giving the Nationals a 5-1 advantage.
Potomac would tack on an additional pair of runs in the 7th stanza as CF Michael Taylor nailed an RBI single into left field scoring Burns, who walked, and Keyes lofted an RBI sac fly to right field to bring home Taylor.
Keyes finished 1-for-4 with one run and three RBIs.
LHP Christian Meza (SV 1) earned his first save of the season by pitching the last three innings and allowing just one unearned run, in the 9th on a Keury De La Cruz RBI single, on two hits with four strikeouts.
In Game Two, the Nationals send LHP Robbie Ray (1-1, 2.45) to face off with LHP Miguel Pena (1-1, 4.00) as the P-Nats look to win their first series of the 2013 campaign.
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. P-Nats 2013 season tickets and mini plans are on sale now. Sponsorship opportunities for the '13 season are now available. Plan your corporate outing now in preparation for the summer months as the P-Nats offer discounted group rates and all-inclusive picnic options. Visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com or call the ticket office at 703-590-2311 for more!
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