Keys Drop Fourth Straight In Loss To Nationals
Published on May 12, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Frederick Keys News Release
FREDERICK, MD - The Frederick Keys (14-22) dropped their fourth straight game in a 7-4 loss to the Potomac Nationals (22-14) on Saturday night. In the game, Ryan McKenna collected the first multi-home run game for a Keys player this year and drove in all four runs.
Blake Perkins led off the game with a home run to left field that was just out of the reach of Cole Billingsley. The game remained 1-0 until the fifth, when Bryan Mejia extended the lead with a two-run home run. Later in the inning, Jake Noll grounded out to score Carter Kieboom and made it a 4-0 lead.
The teams exchanged runs in the sixth. Jack Sundberg led off the P-Nats half of the frame with a triple, and Mejia brought him home two batters later with a single. In the bottom of the inning, McKenna launched a home run to right field, making it 5-1 Nationals.
In the seventh, Potomac added another run. Kieboom singled and stole second. Noll then drove him in with a single for his second RBI of the game.
The Keys got to within two in the eighth thanks to McKenna's second home run of the game. Chris Clare reached on an error and Jake Ring singled. With two outs, McKenna hit a Ben Braymer pitch over the wall in right-center field for a three-run homer that made it 6-4. Frederick would load the bases after that, but Nationals reliever Hayden Howard induced a groundout of Billingsley to end the threat.
Potomac plated a run in the top of the ninth. Ian Sagdal started the inning with a triple to right field. Following a Noll strikeout, Rhett Wiseman hit a double to right-center field for the Nationals seventh run.
Cristian Alvarado (4-3) allowed a career-high 11 hits over six innings. He surrendered five runs and struck out two. Ben Braymer (1-0) picked up the win in relief. He tossed 3.2 innings, and allowed four runs on five hits while striking out three. Jordan Mills earned his third save by firing a perfect ninth, collecting two strikeouts in the process.
The Keys and Nationals conclude their series on Sunday afternoon. The 2 p.m. start will feature left-hander Brian Gonzalez (2-2, 3.12) for the Keys against right-hander Sterling Sharp (4-2, 4.00) for the Nationals. The game can be heard on frederickkeys.com and the TuneIn Radio App.
The Frederick Keys are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play their home games at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. In 2017, the Keys received the Esurance Home Field Advantage Award for Carolina League for the second straight season, after leading the circuit in highest percentage of attendance based on ballpark capacity. The club will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2018. For more information about the Frederick Keys please contact Geoff Arnold by phone at (301)-815-9915 or by emailing at GArnold@FrederickKeys.com.
Carolina League Stories from May 12, 2018
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- Sox Set Attendance Record Saturday in 18-1 Loss - Salem Red Sox
- Potomac Tallies 16 Hits in 7-4 Win - Potomac Nationals
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