CarL1 Frederick Keys

Keys Put It Together in 7-6 Win over Potomac

Published on June 28, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Frederick Keys News Release


FREDERICK, MD - The Keys used clutch hitting and a solid starting pitching effort from Branden Kline in a 7-6 win over Potomac that stopped a season-long seven game losing skid.

The Keys got to P-Nats starter Dakota Bacus early and often in the top of the first, as they sent seven batters to the box and scored three runs on two hits and one error. Glynn Davis started the game off by earning a free pass, one of his three in the game, and scored an error by Oscar Tejeda on a ball hit by Trey Mancini. After Mancini, Michael Burgess roped a double to make it 2-0, and Jason Esposito knocked in Burgess for a 3-0 edge. Bacus (3-3) tossed 39 pitches in the first frame, as he lasted just four innings, gave up four runs (three earned), on four hits.

Kline (4-3), who was coming off two tough outings, gave up two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run shot by Tejeda. In the last of the second, a Justin Miller solo home run knotted the contest up at 3-3.

Frederick would get back to work on the offensive end in the third, just as Kline started to settle down. With two outs, Brenden Webb shot a ball into the outfield for an RBI to score Esposito to put the Keys ahead for good at 4-3. Kline would face the minimum in the third and fourth innings.

In the top of the fifth, Burgess laced a single to right field, and after a groundout by Esposito for the second out of the inning, Webb whacked one through the right side for another RBI for a 5-3 Keys advantage. Kline would give up a run in the bottom of the fifth, as the team would trade punches starting in that frame. Cole Leonida doubled high off the left field wall to start it, and Estarlin Martinez drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right field to cut the Potomac deficit to 5-4.

Kline lasted six innings, gave up four runs on seven hits, and won for the second time this year in Potomac. It was the righty's first win since he recorded one at Pfitzner stadium on May 7.

Miguel Chalas entered for the seventh inning and tossed a clean frame, but ran into trouble in the eighth. However, in the top of the eighth, Davis roped a single to left field off reliever Richie Mirowski to bring home two in the top of the eighth and a 7-4 advantage for the visitors. The Keys were 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

In the bottom half, Chalas served up a two-run blast to Mike McQuillan, the third homer of the game for Potomac. Yet again, the Keys lead was at one run, 7-6. But, in the bottom of the ninth, Matt Price was able to claim the save. A leadoff single by Martinez went to naught when Randolph Oduber bunted too hard to the Price, who threw Martinez out at second for the first out. Oduber stole second, but Price induced a flyout by Tony Renda and struck out Tejeda on a 2-2 breaking ball to seal the victory.

Now 2-8 in the second half, the Keys continue their three-game road trip and look to win the series tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. Joe Van Meter (3-2, 4.91) is the probable for the Keys, while Austin Voth (1-0, 0.00) will toss for the second time this season for Potomac.

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Carolina League Stories from June 28, 2014


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