Sagdal and Basto Muscle P-Nats to 6-3 Victory

Lynchburg, VA-Behind a three-run double from 3B Ian Sagdal and a two-run home run from LF Nick Basto , the Potomac Nationals (44-44, 7-14) picked up a 6-3 victory on Thursday night over the Lynchburg Hillcats (41-47, 12-9). After Potomac dropped the series opener on Monday night, the P-Nats won three straight and took the series from Lynchburg.
The series finale got off to a rocky start, as RHP Joan Baez (W, 4-8) looked like he may not get out of the first inning. Baez opened his outing with a walk and single, and after two quick outs, loaded the bases on his second walk of the inning. DH Jodd Carter followed with a two-run single, but Baez struck out 1B Emmanuel Tapia to end the frame. Baez threw more than 30 pitches in the first frame, as Potomac trailed 2-0 after just one inning.

The P-Nats went quietly in the first two innings against LHP Tanner Tully (L, 3-9), who faced one over the minimum through the first 2.1 innings. In his sixth consecutive quality start, Tully surrendered four runs, three earned, over six frames. The left-handed starter has just one win over the six straight quality start span.
              
Potomac finally cracked the Lynchburg starter in the third inning, as Tully loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two singles. With the bases full, Sagdal plated three runs with a double into the left-centerfield alley, which gave Potomac the lead. Tully got DH Aldrem Corredor to ground into an inning-ending double play, which kept the Potomac lead at just 3-2.
Already ahead 3-2, Potomac plated what ended up as the game-winning run with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning. After two quick outs, 1B David Masters reached on a throwing error by 3B Alexis Pantoja. 2B Bryan Mejia followed with a single, while SS Luis Garcia made it 4-2 Potomac with an RBI single.
Baez continued into the sixth inning, as C Li-Jen Chu led off with a single. CF Conner Capel followed with an RBI triple, which made it a one-run game and put the tying run at third base with no outs. Baez got Carter to pop out, while Potomac then went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Jeremy McKinney . The right-handed reliever walked Tapia, retired 2B Jorma Rodriguez on a failed safety squeeze bunt attempt, and got Pantoja to ground out to end the inning. The Hillcats went just 1-9 with RISP in the loss.
After the Hillcats got two scoreless frames from LHP Billy Strode, they turned to RHP James Karinchak for the ninth inning. Entering the game, Karinchak had allowed just one earned run in his first 19 outings of the season. Sagdal led off with a single, and after C Tres Barrera fouled out to right field, Basto connected on his first home run with Potomac. The two-run blast made it 6-3 Potomac, the eventual final.
In the home half of the ninth inning, LHP Hayden Howard (SV, 1) allowed a one-out single to Rodriguez and two-out single to SS Ernie Clement, but the Potomac left-handed reliever got LF Mitch Longo to foul out to Barrera to end the game.
The series win ended a brief one-city road trip for the P-Nats, as Potomac is set to return to Northwest Federal Field for a four-game series with the Frederick Keys, which will get underway on Friday.  
First pitch at Northwest Federal Field on Friday is set for 7:05pm. The Potomac broadcast will get underway at 6:50pm with the P-Nats Leadoff Show. You can listen to the Potomac broadcast at potomacnationals.com, at http://bit.ly/P-NatsBroadcast, or on the TuneIn Radio App.
                                                                                                       
The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League, play at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Carolina League 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. Sponsorship opportunities for the P-Nats' 2018 season and beyond are available, as well as all-inclusive corporate picnic outings to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz. 2018 Potomac Nationals season tickets and mini plans are now on sale. For more information on Potomac Nationals 2018 season tickets, mini plans, group outings, picnic packages, fundraisers, and all things Red, White, and Blue, visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com, follow the P-Nats on Facebook (@PotomacNationals), Twitter (@PNats42), and Instagram (@pnats42), or call the Potomac Nationals' Extreme Custom Collision Ticket Office at 703-590-2311.
                                                                                                                         
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