Nationals Minor League Affiliate Wins Single-A Championship in Tense Doubleheader
The Washington Nationals won their first championship in franchise history with their 2019 World Series victory over the Houston Astros.
One of their minor league affiliates just added another.
The Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals, affectionately known as the "FredNats," took home the Carolina League title on Wednesday with a 3-0 victory in the final game of a doubleheader against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, winning the series two games to one.
Top 100 prospect Travis Sykora, the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year, got the ball for the winner-take-all and delivered five shutout innings, allowing only one hit while striking out nine to get the win. Sykora, the team's 3rd-round pick in last summer's MLB Draft out of Round Rock High School (Texas), was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year earlier in the day on Wednesday, just hours before first pitch. Making twenty starts for the FredNats, Sykora went 5-3 with a 2.33 ERA, striking out 129 batters in 85 innings with only 27 walks and two home runs allowed.
Travis Sykora in a winner-take-all contest for the Carolina League title:
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 19, 2024
5 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 9 K
Named a Single-A All-Star (@FXBGNats) earlier in the day, the @Nationals' No. 1 pitching prospect racked up 147 K's in 95 innings between the regular and postseason. pic.twitter.com/JqyrcrdQRK
But Sykora didn't win the finale alone. Outfielder Brandon Pimentel, who led the Carolina League in both hits (115) and RBI (85) during the regular season, went 1-3 with a homer, driving in two runs. Recent roster addition Caleb Lomavita, a 2024 1st-round pick at catcher out of Cal, went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the seven-inning victory.
BRANDON PIMENTEL. TWO-RUN TANK. 2-0 NATS.#WeAreFXBG pic.twitter.com/3uuxtLpGKm
— Fredericksburg Nationals (@FXBGNats) September 19, 2024
Even a tough injury wasn't enough to derail Fredericksburg's team of destiny - outfielder Cristhian Vaquero was injured in the 2nd inning, forcing third baseman Ochoa Leyva to shift to the outfield. He promptly picked up an outfield assist on the very next play, later adding a spectacular catch to prevent a Kannapolis run.
An injury forced Nate Ochoa to the outfield, so of course he throws someone out on the first batter.
— Fredericksburg Nationals (@FXBGNats) September 19, 2024
Freddies up 2-0 in the 3rd. #WeAreFXBG pic.twitter.com/hcLwY5VAe0
Said manager Jake Lowery to MiLB.com, “These guys got put in positions, Ochoa Leyva moving out to left field made a nice catch, [Jorgelys] Mota had to go back over to third because of an injury, these guys just rose to the occasion. You never know when your name is going to get called but these guys have gelled well all season and it’s been fun to watch.”
This is the first championship for Fredericksburg since relocating from Potomac in 2020.
LINDSAY CROSBY