Salem Avalanche Rally for 7-4 Win Over the Potomac Nationals - Carolina League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – SALEM, Va. - The Potomac Nationals had hoped that last night's run output was a sign of good things to come. Unfortunately that was not the case in tonight's contest versus the Salem Avalanche as a five-run fifth inning
unraveled Potomac in a 7-4 defeat.

Facing one of the better pitchers in the Carolina League did not help turn
around any offensive woes. Hurler Douglas Arguello held the league's
second best ERA (2.93) and had not lost a decision since April 29. The
Nationals created scoring opportunities early putting runners on base in
each of the first five innings but plated just one run while stranding
seven. Michael Martinez gave the P-Nats a 1-0 lead in the top of the third
driving in Dan Lyons with a run-scoring single for his 23rd RBI of the
year.

Arguello (6-3), stayed unbeaten in over two months tossing six innings
allowing just the run and six hits while striking out five.


ADVERTISEMENT The left-hander received all the offense he would need in the bottom of
the fifth. Potomac starter Zack Segovia had not allowed a runner to reach
second base through the first four innings but the wheels quickly fell
off. Segovia hit the first batter Brian Bogusevic, who later scored on
Greg Buchanon's triple tying the game at 1-1. After an error and an
RBI-single by Mark Ori, Jimmy VanOstrand belted a two-run homer to left
field capping the scoring. It was VanOstrand's seventh bomb of the season
and it surged the Avalanche to a 5-1 advantage. Segovia (1-1) lasted five
innings allowing six hits while striking out two in a losing effort.

Despite the deficit, the young Nationals squad remained resilient. Potomac
answered with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut the score
to 5-3. Francisco Plasencia salvaged a 1-4 night with an RBI single, and
a defensive error allowed another run to come across the plate.

Trailing by two, the Nationals kept the pressure on offensively in the
eighth inning. A leadoff single by Aaron Seuss and the third Avalanche
error put runners at first and third with nobody out. Jhonatan
Solano's sacrifice bunt put the tying run in scoring position but a
sacrifice fly from Dan Lyons ended the Nationals scoring at four. Boomer
Whiting grounded out with the tying run on third base to end the threat.

The Avalanche put the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning when
Collin DeLome launched a two-run homer over the right field wall, his
sixth of the season for a 7-4 lead.

The Nationals outhit Salem 10-8 but dropped game one of the four-game set,
and have lost three of the first four games on their seven-game road trip.
Joe Norrito (6-1, 3.76) will start tomorrow for Potomac opposite righty
Corey Bass (3-10, 6.70). First pitch is scheduled for 6:07 p.m.

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