P-Nats Break Losing Streak

By Will Flemming
For PotomacLocal.com

Winston-Salem N.C. –– The Potomac Nationals snapped their 11-game losing streak Thursday night in Winston-Salem with an 8-5 victory over the Dash.

Fittingly, the streak snapper was dramatic: the game featured two ties, three lead changes and a bench-clearing fracas on the field. In the end, the Nationals held on to salvage the series finale and stop their season worst losing slide.

In a series that saw tempers flare, things finally boiled over in the top of the fourth inning Thursday. Dash starter Andre Rienzo threw a fastball high and tight to Steven Souza – an inning after he had done the same to Destin Hood – and Souza took exception. He glared out at Rienzo, the two exchanged words, and Souza made his way to the mound. Dash catcher Luis Sierra stepped between Souza and Rienzo, and the ballclubs poured from the dugouts and bullpens. Nothing materialized in the fracas, but both Souza and Nats’ manager Matt Lecroy – who argued that Sierra had hit Souza with a forearm – were ejected from the ballgame.

At the time of the disagreement, the Nationals (19-34) held a 3-2 lead. Potomac scored single runs in the first two innings but surrendered the lead in the third – and would do the same in the bottom of the fourth.

Justin Bloxom scored Hood in the first with a two-out double, and Potomac doubled their lead when Cutter Dykstra tripled home J.R. Higley in the second. A pair of solo home runs by the Dash (24-29) – first by Ian Gac in the second and then Tyler Saladino in the third – tied it.

Justino Cuevas’s sacrifice fly broke the tie in the fourth; Cuevas had been brought on to replace Dykstra for unknown reasons in the third. But the lead did not last long. A single by Andy Wilkins was followed by a Sierra double to open the fourth. Wilkins scored on a passed ball to knot the game at three.

Potomac pulled ahead for good with a three-run sixth. A one-out walk to Jose Lozada sparked the rally. Cuevas then doubled to put two in scoring position before Eury Perez singled to score Lozada. Cuevas came home on a Jeff Kobernus double, and Perez trotted home on a wild pitch that made it 6-3.

Daniel Wagner cut the lead to one with a solo home run in the seventh, but Potomac got a pair of insurance runs in the eight. Kobernus again doubled to score Perez, and scored when Bloxom roped his second RBI double of the night.

Hector Nelo came on in the eighth with two on and two out in relief of Joe Testa – who had retired leftied Wilkins and Sierra before hitting Kyle Colligan. Nelo got the final out in the eighth and got through the ninth allowing just one run to earn his first save with Potomac and end the prolonged skid.

Potomac aims to start a streak of a different kind tomorrow night in Wilmington. The P-Nats send Cameron Selik to the bump against left Noel Arguelles at 7:05 p.m.

Will Flemming is the Broadcast Director for the Potomac Nationals.