P-Nats Shock Red Sox with Five Run Ninth Inning to Yield 8-7 Walk-off Win

Woodbridge, VA-The Potomac Nationals (58-38, 16-11) shocked the Salem Red Sox (49-51, 16-14) on Sunday evening with five runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to eclipse the Sox 8-7. Potomac LF Billy Burns blooped a game-winning single into shallow right center field to score pinch runner, Randolph Oduber catapulting the Nationals to a miraculous come-from-behind victory.

Potomac earned their sixth last at-bat win of the season with the victory.

Salem was the first to score with two runs in the 2nd inning off Nationals LHP Sammy Solis, who was let off the hook for the loss courtesy of the Nationals' furious late comeback.

Solis allowed four earned runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts while serving up a pair of home runs.

The first five runs of the game for the Red Sox scored on four-baggers.

Salem 2B Mookie Betts blasted a two-run home run out to left field in the 2nd inning to start the scoring.

The Nationals plated individual runs in the 2nd and 3rd off RHP Mike Augliera, who did not factor into the decision, to tie the contest at 2-2 on an RBI single shot into center field by 2B Adrian Sanchez and an RBI fielder's choice groundball off the bat of CF Michael Taylor.

Augliera went 5.0 innings and allowed just two earned runs on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

The Red Sox pulled ahead taking a 4-2 lead in the 4th frame when 3B Stefan Welch yanked a high arching two-run homer over the right field foul pole.

The Sox added one more run with a solo bomb from 1B Matt Gedman off RHP Brian Dupra over two tiers of signage in right field during the 5th to make it a 5-2 Salem advantage.

Dupra allowed just that one hit and went 3.0 innings out of the bullpen.

The Nationals countered with one run in the 6th on a run scoring single off RHP Kyle Kraus ripped into left center by DH Mike Gilmartin to make it a 5-3 game.

Nationals RHP Rob Wort surrendered two earned runs in 1.2 frames on an RBI sacrifice fly from LF Keury De La Cruz, the RBI leader in the Carolina League with 72, and an run scoring single slapped into left field by SS Nick Natoli in the 8th and 9th respectively.

P-Nats RHP Marcos Frias (2-1) was the winning pitcher after getting the final out of the 9th on a 4-3 groundout off the stick of DH Henry Ramos after allowing an inherited runner to score on the Natoli knock.

The astounding rally in the last of the 9th featured the Nationals sending all nine men to the plate against the eventual losing pitcher, RHP Matty Ott (3-5), who allowed five earned runs on five hits plus a walk.

Down 7-3, Potomac received a two-run long single for 1B Kevin Keyes who crunched the ball to the right field corner and a double off the lumber of 3B Cutter Dykstra to the left field corner which put two runners into scoring position. Sanchez lofted an RBI sacrifice fly up the right field caught on the run by RF Matty Johnson to score Keyes. Gilmartin drove a single up the middle to bring home Dykstra which tied the game. Then, with Oduber pinch running at first base for Gilmartin, the "Groovin' Aruban" stole second base. SS Francisco Soriano was hit by a pitch to put two men aboard. Up walked Burns with a chance to win the game. Burns served a flare into shallow right center field outside of the reach of Betts. Oduber rounded third base and went into a hook slide as CF Cody Koback one hopped the throw to home plate off the glove of C Blake Swihart to ink the mesmerizing walk-off winner for the Woodbridge crew.

Game Two will feature Potomac RHP Blake Schwartz (7-3, 2.81) vs. Salem LHP Henry Owens (7-4, 2.93).

Monday evening is a Dollar Monday at The Pfitz sponsored by the Washington Post in which general admission tickets and hot dogs are just $1. Tickets must be purchased at the P-Nats Ticket Office.               

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming Monday evening with the P-Nats Lead-Off Show at 6:50pm in preparation for the live play-by-play broadcast beginning at 7:05pm. Broadcast coverage of Potomac Nationals Baseball 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 to see the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz 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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