Woodbridge, VA – Five unearned runs in the opening inning dug the Wilmington Blue Rocks (6-9) into a hole they could not escape, as the Blue Crew dropped a 6-1 decision to the Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium on Friday night. The loss snapped Wilmington’s season-best winning streak at three games, and evened the four-game series at one game apiece.

After retiring the first two batters of the inning, starter Mario Santiago (0-2) suffered a defensive miscue behind him to extend the frame. Third-hole hitter Chris Marrero hit a ground ball to shortstop Chris McConnell, who threw high to first base, allowing Marrero to reach on an error. The Nationals would pounce on the opportunity, connecting on five straight two-out hits to grab a 5-0 lead. The biggest at-bat of the frame belonged to Dee Brown, son of the former Philadelphia Eagle, the late Jerome Brown. Brown worked a lengthy at-bat, fouling off pitch after pitch, before finally fisting a 3-2 delivery into shallow right-center for a soft single and an RBI that pushed the score to 3-0 at the time, continuing the action.

Brown added to his heroics with a third-inning solo homer to left field, his second of the season, which made it a 6-0 deficit for Wilmington.

Santiago lasted four innings in total, allowing six runs (one earned) on eight hits, one walk and three strikeouts. The bullpen worked admirably behind him, as Chris Nicoll (3.0) and Henry Barrera (1.0) combined to hurl four scoreless, two-hit innings of relief.

The Blue Rocks scratched out their lone run in the ninth to avoid a second shutout on the young season. With one out, first baseman David Wood reached on a two-base error by Marrero at first base, who allowed a grounder to scoot underneath his glove into right field. Southpaw Jack Spradlin rallied to retire Kurt Mertins on a line drive out to center, but catcher Jeff Howell followed with a lined double over the head of Brown in left that chased Wood home for the 6-1 score that would go final.

The win went to Potomac starter Jordan Zimmermann (2-0) who illustrated master command of all his pitches, routinely painting corners over five scoreless, three-hit innings. The 21-year-old lowered his season-long ERA to a miniscule 0.61 through three Advanced-A starts.

Wilmington’s best chance to score a run came in the eighth inning. However, with the bases loaded and nobody out, McConnell lined a ball directly at his counterpart, Potomac shortstop Seth Bynum, who made the glove and threw to first base. Derrick Robinson had gone nearly halfway to second, and stuttered his steps on a return to first. While Marrero dropped the ball on Bynum’s throw, the lumbering 19-year-old managed to secure possession with his foot on the bag before Robinson returned. After a Josh Johnson walk loaded the bases again, Spradlin induced a ground out from Joe Dickerson to second base to end the threat.

Game three of the four-game set comes Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. The top prospect on the Blue Rocks, according to Baseball America, right-hander Blake Wood (0-0, 4.15) gets the nod. He will face righty Adrian Alaniz (0-0, 6.75).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
Eight of the nine Nationals in the starting lineup earned a base hit. Only Chris Marrero (0-3, BB, K) failed to notch a hit.

Despite allowing six total runs, with just one earned against him over four innings Mario Santiago lowered his season-long ERA from 11.81 to 7.71.

The error for Chris McConnell was his fourth in five games.

Wilmington failed to steal a base on the night. Notable since the paced the CL with 38 through 14 games played (2.7/g) entering the game.

Josh Johnson pinch hit for Jeff Bianchi in the sixth inning and stayed in the game. In the eighth, he worked a walk, upping his team-high total to 11 in nine games played. He has reached safely on a hit and/or a walk in each of his nine games.

Potomac's Chris Marrero, a converted corner outfielder, has made five errors at first base through 14 games played.