Relief pitchers help P-Nats defeat Keys

The Potomac Nationals were setting themselves up for a lopsided victory. They jumped ahead of the Frederick Keys 5-0 with five second inning runs. Starting pitcher Jeff Mandel was perfect through three innings and Potomac’s defense had been flawless.
Then the Keys started generating momentum. They scored three runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth and Mandel was gone after five and two-thirds innings.
That’s when the Nationals’ relief corps took over.
Jesse Estrada and Dan Leatherman combined to pitch three and a third scoreless innings to give the Nationals a 6-5 win over Frederick and even the four-game series at one.
“Tremendous job,” Nationals manager Trent Jewett said. “Both were poised. They threw all their pitches for strikes.”
Estrada entered the game after Frederick’s Billy Rowell blasted his eighth home run this year in the fifth.
After Estrada made Tyler Henson fly out to end the top of the sixth, he pitched a scoreless seventh before giving way to Leatherman.
Leatherman worked out of a two-on, one out jam in the eighth by fanning Caleb Joseph and getting Rowell to pop out.
Rowell’s pop out was caught by third baseman Stephen King, who lunged over the rail down the third base line, to make the grab.
“Stephen King made a great play,” Leatherman said.
King’s play was followed by second baseman Dan Lyons hustling into shallow right field to catch Wally Crancer’s fly ball for the second out in the ninth.
King handled the final out, throwing out Matt Angle to give Leatherman his second save of the year.
With the game over, Leatherman walked to the gate to the right of the dugout and signed autographs for fans. He signed bats, baseballs, hats and even a chicken mask.
“You always take time for your fans,” said Leatherman, a Frederick, Maryland native. “Whether we win or lose, anytime anybody wants an autograph, they’re going to get it.”
Estrada’s and Leatherman’s efforts helped Mandel earn the victory and improve to 7-4. Mandel showed his appreciation by sitting in the dugout and high fiving his teammates and coaches as they stepped into the clubhouse.
Potomac’s second inning was highlighted by Francisco Plasencia and Dan Nelson scoring when Tim Pahuta hit a ball which Keys third baseman Brandon Waring knocked down.
Waring threw wildly to first second in an attempt to get King.
A single by Boomer Whiting loaded the bases. King scored when Sean Rooney reached on a fielder’s choice and the Nationals led 3-0.
The lead grew to 5-0 when Pahuta and Rooney scored on Danny Espinosa’s double.
“All in all, we hit the ball pretty hard,” Jewett said.
The Keys retaliated thanks to Wally Crancer’s three-run double and Rowell’s two-run home run.
In the ninth, Leatherman issued a one out, four pitch walk to Pedro Florimon. But Florimon would advance no further than first.
Leatherman kept his eye on him and focused on getting the final two outs. When he did, Potomac improved to 5-4 in the second half, 42-34 overall.
“You want to keep [Florimon] close,” Leatherman said. “There’s so many things to think about.”