For the third straight game, Potomac put up a crooked number in the 1st as they completed the three-game sweep of Carolina with a 10-1 demolition.
The first four batters teed off on local product Alec Bettinger, going single-single-single-double before finally making an out: a sacrifice fly to center. After another flyball, Jakson Reetz poked one through the right side for an RBI single to complete the four-run barrage.
The second inning was no better than the first for Carolina as light-hitting Edwin Lora lofted a soft single over the third baseman to lead off. After a whiff by Bryan Mejia, the P-Nats strung together three straight singles to chase Bettinger.
The second Mudcat pitcher had trouble finding the plate, as he issued a walk and threw two wild pitches before getting an out, then giving up an RBI single. He let in both inherited runners and after just two innings, it was 8-0.
Meanwhile Kyle Johnston retired the first six barters he faced before giving up a clean single to center to begin the 3rd. While not dominating, he was getting outs and taking advantage of the second-worst offense in the Carolina League. The 22-y.o. Texan would give up just two hits through five and survive walking the bases loaded in the 6th for six shutout innings and earn his second High-A win.
Jacob Condra-Bogan was the first man out of the P-Nats ‘pen and set the side down in order in the 7th, relying on hard-but-straight heater but did flash a very decent slider to one batter. He struck out one and got two groundouts.
In the 8th, Hayden Howard worked around the second of two errors by Mejia, then gave way to Taylor Guilbeau in 9th. The 25-y.o. southpaw lost the shutout on a pair of doubles, then gave up a single and a walk but limited the damage to just the one run while finishing the game.
The win, which is the fourth straight for Potomac, improves the P-Nats to 17-18 in the second half, which is six games off the pace set by the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Monday is an off day for the P-Nats. They’ll make the (relatively) short drive to Frederick for three games against the last-place Keys on Tuesday through Thursday before returning home next weekend for four against Myrtle Beach.