Nationals Edge Blue Rocks 3-2 in Rain Shortened Game Two
Wilmington, DE-In a rain shortened affair that lasted one hour and 28 minutes at Frawley Stadium over five innings plus one batter, the Potomac Nationals (16-16, 7-8) edged the Wilmington Blue Rocks (14-18, 8-7) by the score of 3-2 after a 49 minute rain delay amidst thunder and lightning that began at 8:03pm.
This was the first ballgame the Nationals have won in 2013 as the result of inclement weather.
Potomac LHP Robbie Ray (3-1), the winning pitcher, got his third win of the season overcoming a rocky 5th inning to prevail into the 6th inning which would only feature one batter coming to the plate for the Nationals before intense rainfall halted the contest which was later deemed a complete game to give the P-Nats the victory that got the visiting club to a .500 record.
Ray worked through 5.0 innings and surrendered two earned runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts and seven strikeouts.
Against LHP Sam Selman (1-2), the losing pitcher, the Nationals jumped on the board in the 1st inning with an RBI single off the stick of SS Jason Martinson lined into right field scoring LF Billy Burns, who earned a leadoff walk.
Selman tossed 4.2 innings and despite allowing just one base hit, walked five batters and hit two men.
The Blue rocks responded in the 3rd frame when 2B Justin Trapp cranked his second home run of the season over the left field wall, a solo shot to tie the contest.
Both Potomac and Wilmington scored runs in the 5th frame but neither got a base hit.
Potomac tallied two runs as Selman walked 3B Francisco Soriano and 2B Adrian Sanchez back-to-back before hitting RF Randolph Oduber with a pitch. Burns swept a fielder's choice to SS Jack Lopez who gunned out Soriano at home plate. Then, CF Michael Taylor ripped an RBI sacrifice fly to the gap in left center field to plate Sanchez before a wild pitch brought in Oduber to give the Nationals a 3-1 lead.
Ray faced adversity in the home half of the 5th as Lopez worked a leadoff base-on-balls, and C Parker Morin received a one-out walk to put runners at first and second base. A wild pitch from Ray put both runners into scoring position before LF Chris Elder drove an RBI groundout down to first base allowing Lopez to score and cut the Nationals lead to one run. Finally, Trapp was induced into a 6-3 groundout to end a further threat and the Nationals worked into the 6th inning making the contest a complete game.
Martinson received a leadoff walk from LHP Antonio Cruz and as C Adrian Nieto was stepping into the batter's box, home plate umpire, J.J. January put the game into a rain delay.
The field was deemed unplayable due to standing water and continued rainfall allowing the Potomac Nationals to claim victory and force a deciding Game Three.
The rubber match will send Potomac RHP Taylor Jordan (2-1, 1.24) to face off with Wilmington RHP Aaron Brooks (0-3, 5.70).
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming with the P-Nats Baseball Pre-Game Show at 6:20pm before the live play-by-play at 6:35pm. Broadcast coverage is accessible by heading to www.potomacnationals.com.
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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