Keys Rally Late and Hold on for the Victory
August 6, 2023 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
Frederick Keys News Release
Frederick, MD - The Keys rallied with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for the win Sunday afternoon to defeat the West Virginia Black Bears, 6-5.
After two scoreless innings, the Keys scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Taylor Smith drew a walk with two outs. Zaid Walker followed with a single and advanced Smith to second. A passed ball allowed both Smith and Walker to move up a base, before Roberto Pena singled and drove Smith and Walker in, making it 2-0 Keys.
The Black Bears answered in the top of the fifth when they scored four runs. Keys starter, Dalton Ponce allowed back-to-back singles to open the fifth inning. With Anthony Hansen and Tyler Dellerman on base. Blain McIntosh successfully executed a sacrifice bunt, and Ponce committed a throwing error which allowed Hansen to score and Dellerman to advance to third. Ponce retired Cam Ridley and recorded the second out of the inning. After intentionally walking Patrick Lee, Ponce surrendered a single to Noah Lucier and allowed Dellerman and McIntosh to score. Michael Cooper singled and drove in Lee, making it 4-2 Black Bears. The scoring ended when Manny Vorhees flew out to Cameron Butler and ended the inning.
The Keys would get one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning, Walker would lead the inning off with a single. Walker then stole second and third base and scored on a wild pitch by Black Bears starter, Trey Cruz.
Trailing by one and with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Keys would rally. After Kirkland Banks bunted to reach first base, Andrew Papantonis grounded out and moved Banks to second. Black Bears reliever, Brooks Garrett would then hit Trenton Jamison and Smith to load the bases. Walker drove in Banks and Jamison on a line drive single. The Keys regained the lead, 5-4.
Logan Thomason doubled in the bottom of the seventh and then was drove in by Banks when he singled to right field. The lone run would extend the Keys lead to two.
Kyle Salley entered the game for the Keys to close out the ninth inning. After striking out Dellerman, Salley allowed McIntosh to triple. The next batter, Ridley would ground out and drive in Dellerman making it 6-5. With two outs, Lee would fly out to end the game.
Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from August 6, 2023
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- Keys Rally Late and Hold on for the Victory - Frederick Keys
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