CarL1 Frederick Keys

Keys Fall 7-5 to Potomac, Drop Second Straight

Published on July 12, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Frederick Keys News Release


FREDERICK, MD - Despite holding a 4-2 edge over Potomac after two innings Saturday night at Harry Grove Stadium, the Keys couldn't hold on in a 7-5 loss.

Both offenses wasted little time in the first inning, as Potomac used a patience approach against Frederick starter Sebastian Vader, who was making his Harry Grove Stadium debut. The righty issued five walks in the first, while two sacrifices by Oscar Tejeda and Stephen Perez staked the visitors to a 2-0 lead. In the last of the first, Jason Esposito roped a two-out double against Matthew Spann to bring home Glynn Davis and Michael Burgess to even it at 2-2.

In the bottom of the second, the Keys pounded Spann (6-4) again, scoring a pair more runs for a 4-2 advantage. Adrian Marin singled and Wynston Sawyer followed with a single of his own to place runners on the corners. Jerome Pena lifted a sacrifice fly to center for an RBI, and three batters later, Trey Mancini grounded out to plate Sawyer. With the single, Sawyer extended his on-base streak to 24 games.

Vader would settle down after a 36-pitch first inning, facing just one over the minimum in the second and third innings. However, in the fourth, he served up the lead and the Keys would never come back. Vader issued his career-high sixth walk of the game to Mike McQuillan to lead off the frame. McQuillan was caught stealing, but a two-out, two-run homer by Eury Perez tied it up at 4-4. Tony Renda singled up the middle, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Shawn Pleffner drove him home with a single for a 5-4 Potomac lead. Vader (1-1) lasted 3.2 innings, gave up five hits and five runs in the loss.

The P-Nats would add another run against Matt Hobgood in the fifth on a groundout by Pedro Severino. That would be the only run Hobgood allowed in 3.1 innings.

Ahead 6-4, the visitor's bullpen ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh. Mancini muscled a leadoff double against Travis Henke, Burgess recorded a two-bagger that scored the Keys first baseman, and it was a one-run Keys deficit. However, after that, two tough plays on the basepaths kept Frederick behind. Esposito floated a ball into right field and Burgess tried to score from second, but Estarlin Martinez gathered and threw a bullet to the plate to nab him. With one out, Joel Hutter singled to push runners to first and second. Lefty reliever Chris Manno came in as Adrian Marin stepped in, but Esposito was thrown out at third for the second out. With Hutter on second as the tying run, Marin flied out to center against to end the threat.

Frederick reliever Matt Price allowed a run in the eighth to make it 7-5 Potomac, his only in two innings of work, but the Keys couldn't muster another run against Manno and Gilberto Mendez (6) in the eighth and ninth innings.

In the third game of four tomorrow, Frederick seeks its first win of the series behind right-handed thrower Mark Blackmar (5-1, 4.06). He will be opposed by righty Ian Dickson (1-7, 5.99). Game time is 4 p.m. with gates opening at 3 p.m.

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Carolina League Stories from July 12, 2014


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