Keys Sweep Scrappers and Pick up Fifth Straight Win
June 27, 2024 - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
Frederick Keys News Release
Niles, OH - In a tight ballgame from start to finish, the Frederick Keys picked up their fifth straight win and a series sweep Thursday night over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers by a score of 6-5 at Eastwood Field.
The Keys never let the Scrappers take the lead throughout the contest and even despite Mahoning Valley tying the game midway through, a late three-run seventh inning proved to be the difference as Frederick earned its 10th win of the season as a result.
Frederick struck first with a two-out rally in the top of the first, after a two-RBI double from Allan-Gil Fernandez (State College of Florida) and an RBI single from Owen Carapellotti (Georgetown) gave the Keys an early 3-0 lead heading into the second courtesy of a scoreless first inning pitched from Grant Richars (Southwestern Illinois).
Following a scoreless second inning for both sides, Mahoning Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI double and an error, but Richars finished the frame strong and took the game into the fourth with the Keys still ahead by a run at 3-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Richars completed his outing on a high note by getting another scoreless inning and allowing the visitors to remain ahead by one entering the fifth at Eastwood Field.
Dawson Netz (Arizona) tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth inning on the mound to keep Frederick up 3-2 going into the sixth, as both pitching staffs remained poised heading into the home stretch of the contest Thursday night.
The bottom of the sixth featured the Scrappers tying the game on an RBI sacrifice fly, but Frederick responded in the top of the seventh with a three-run inning to retake the lead at 6-3.
A solo home run from Tervell Johnson (UT-Rio Grande Valley) and RBI hits from Gil-Fernandez and Carapellotti rounded out the frame with Frederick now ahead by three entering the eighth following another scoreless inning from Netz in relief.
The Scrappers scored two more runs on an RBI triple and an error in the bottom of the eighth, but Brayden Kurtz struck out the last batter he faced in the frame to allow the Keys to stay up 6-5 approaching the ninth in Niles, Ohio.
After the Keys went scoreless in the top of the ninth, Trevor Long picked up his first save of the season by keeping the Scrappers scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, securing the series sweep for Frederick and their fifth straight win as a result Thursday night.
The Keys continue their six-game road trip on the road against the Williamsport Crosscutters with the first game set for Friday night. First pitch from Journey Bank Ballpark is set for 6:35 p.m.
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