Dash drop nail-biter 4-3 against Potomac on Saturday

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 17, 2019) - With the Dash trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday night, Steele Walker was thrown out at home plate to end the ballgame after trying to score on a Tyler Frost single, as the Dash fell 4-3 to the Potomac Nationals in front of 6,381 fans at BB&T Ballpark.
Entering the top of the ninth inning, the two teams were knotted at three. Facing Dash (26-28, 64-54) reliever Bennett Sousa (1-3) Potomac (29-26, 59-63) mounted a rally to take the lead. Gilbert Lara led off the frame with a walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jack Sundberg and to third on a single by Cole Freeman. Then, Aldrem Corredor singled back through the middle, scoring Lara to give the P-Nats a 4-3 edge. 

However, Winston-Salem came within a few feet of tying the contest in the ninth against Frankie Bartow (2-2). With two outs, Walker bounced a high chopper to the left side to reach on an infield single. Then Frost laced a single into center field and the ball was bobbled by center fielder Cole Freeman. But, Freeman threw to the second baseman Osvaldo Abreu, whose relay home was in time to get Walker at the plate and end the contest. 
In clinching a victory, the Nationals ended Winston-Salem's four-game winning streak.
Potomac jumped out to an early lead against Dash starter Manny Bañuelos, who was on a Major League rehab assignment. With one out in the top of the second, Alex Dunlap launched a solo homer over the center field wall to make it 1-0 P-Nats. 
In the top of the fourth, the Nationals struck again. KJ Harrison led off the frame with a double into right-center field. Then, Gage Canning singled into left field to put runners at the corners. Dunlap came up next and promptly doubled into left field to score Harrison and make it 2-0. 
The Dash tied it up in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Mitch Roman hit an infield single before reaching second on a throwing error by the shortstop Lara. After a Johan Cruz flyout, Tate Blackman deposited a single into center field, scoring Roman to bring the Dash within one. Then, Steele Walker smacked a double into right field, scoring Blackman to tie the game at two. 
However, the P-Nats jumped back in front in the top of the seventh. To lead off the inning, Omar Meregildo walked before Lara singled to put runners at first and second. Then, Jack Sundberg laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Then, Freeman hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the P-Nats a 3-2 edge. 
Winston-Salem rallied once again in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs Carlos Perez singled into shallow left field and was then replaced by pinch-runner Yeyson Yrizarri. Following Perez's hit, Jameson Fisher drew a walk to put runners at first and second.
Then, Roman lined a single into right field, scoring Yrizarri to tie the game at three. Roman finished the night 4-for-4, and he notched his fourth straight multi-hit game in the loss.
The Dash conclude their series with the Nationals on Sunday at 2 p.m. Left-hander Taylor Varnell (0-1, 5.79 ERA) will take the hill for Winston-Salem against right-hander Jackson Tetreault (2-1, 1.23 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 1:45 p.m., and fans can catch all of the action on wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App. 
Sunday's series finale will be a Rayados Day and a Lowes Foods Family Sunday. Kids Run the Bases, powered by New Balance Winston-Salem will take following all three games. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.