Gonzalez's go-ahead homer lifts Dash to 5-4 win

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 10, 2018) - Luis González smacked a go-ahead, solo home run in the seventh innning, propelling the Dash to a 5-4 win over Potomac on Friday night at BB&T Ballpark in front of 5,984 fans in attendance.
With the game tied at four, Gonzalez ripped a 3-2 pitch from A.J. Bogucki (3-2) down the right-field line and over the short porch to put Winston-Salem (28-16, 69-45) ahead 5-4. The solo shot marks Gonzalez's fifth home run of the season with the Dash and his second in as many games.

The home run completed the Dash comeback. Potomac (24-21, 61-51) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning against Blake Battenfield (5-2), stringing together three consecutive hits to start the game. After Bryan Mejia doubled, Luis Garcia hit an RBI single up the middle to put Potomac on the board.
Then, after Ian Sagdal singled to put runners on the corners, Aldrem Corredor hit a pop-out to shallow right field that Nick Madrigal caught and fired home, beating the tagging Garcia by a step. But, Yermin Mercedes could not hold the ball, allowing Garcia to score. Sagdal later scored on an RBI single from Nick Basto to cap the Nationals scoring in the first inning. 
But, Winston-Salem struck right back. After Luis Robert drew a leadoff walk and Madrigal was hit by a pitch, Blake Rutherford walked to load the bases for Mercedes. The Dash backstop laced a two-run single into centerfield to cut the Nationals lead to 3-2.
Then, in the bottom of the third, the Dash brought two runs home to take the lead. First, Robert reached first base on an error by Sagdal, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher Jakson Reetz. He would end up crossing the plate on a wild pitch to tie the game at three. In the meantime, a walk from Madrigal, a single from Rutherford and a walk from Mercedes loaded the bases with one out for Gavin Sheets. He lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Madrigal and give the Dash a 4-3 edge. 
After the first inning, Battenfield cruised. The right-hander allowed just two more hits across his seven innings, retiring 17 of the final 20 batters he faced. However, in the top seventh inning, Rhett Wiseman crushed a solo home run to right-field to tie the game at four.
Battenfield retired the next two batters to polish off his quality start, his sixth in nine outings with the Dash. He earned the win thanks to Gonzalez's go-ahead rocket in the home half of the inning.
Hunter Schryver tossed a scoreless eighth inning, and Tyler Johnson stranded the tying run at third base in the ninth inning to earn his third save of the year at the High-A level.
The Dash's series with the P-Nats continues on Saturday at 6 p.m., when right-hander Alec Hansen (first High-A start in 2018) faces right-hander Joan Baez (7-8, 4.25 ERA). Pregame coverage for the series opener begins at 5:45 p.m., and fans can catch all of the action on wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App. 
On Saturday, part-owner and NBA superstar Chris Paul will be making an appearance at BB&T Ballpark on Saturday. The first 2,000 fans on Saturday will receive a photo of the nine-time NBA All-Star. Paul will also throw out the first pitch at approximately 5:45 p.m.
The homestand concludes with the final Latin American Jersey Day of the season, when the Dash will become the Rayados as part of Minor League Baseball's "Copa de la Diversion" initiative. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.