Polanco Dazzles as Nats Win Series

SALEM, VA - Bryan Polanco fired six scoreless innings, as the FredNats won the series finale 2-1 over the Salem Red Sox. Fredericksburg is 6-3 (41-34) and Salem is now 4-5 (38-37).

Polanco and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz were both spotless through three innings, before the Nats broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth. Armando Cruz reached with a one-out single, went first-to-third on an E5, before Sammy Infante drove him in with a line drive single to left field.

One run was all the breathing room Bryan Polanco needed, as he retired the first 17 Red Sox he faced, before allowing a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning, but got out of the frame unscathed for his best start of 2024. All told, Polanco allowed just the one base hit and no walks, while striking out seven men.

Marcus Brown doubled the Fredericksburg lead with his RBI single in the top of the eighth, but Albert Feliz’s solo homer in the home half pulled Salem within a run once again.

Merrick Baldo ran into some trouble in the ninth inning, as Salem put runners on first and second base with two outs. Natanael Yuten then lined a ball up the middle that Armando Cruz initially deflected, before he recovered and threw out what would have been the tying run for the Sox at the plate, to preserve a 2-1 Nats victory. Polanco (6-2) picked up the win, Rodriguez-Cruz (2-4) took the loss, and Baldo notched his fourth save.

FXBG returns home tomorrow, July 1st, to take on the Delmarva Shorebirds.