Five-Run Sixth Pushes Carolina Past Frederick 7-4
Zebulon, NC - The Carolina Mudcats answered a Frederick four-run fourth inning with five of their own in the sixth to take a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium. The Keys are now 0-8 against Carolina this season.
Carolina jumped ahead against Jimmy Yacabonis and Jon Keller in the sixth frame. Trailing 4-2, a double play grounder by Sal Giardina cleared the bases. However, the next five would reach. Johan Camargo doubled to right, Keith Curcio singled on a 3-2 pitch to make it a one-run game, and Reed Harper earned a free pass to knock Yacabonis (2-3) out of the game. With runners on first and second, Dustin Peterson clubbed a ball to the gap in right against Keller to score Curcio and Harper for a 5-4 Carolina lead, and Jacob Schrader smoked his 11th homer of the year on the next pitch to push the Muddies ahead by a field goal.
The Mudcats plated the first tally of the game against David Hess, who lasted 4.2 innings, allowed five hits, two runs, walked three, and struck out seven in a no-decision. Camargo and Curcio both singled, converted a double steal, and Harper bounced out for a 1-0 Carolina lead.
Frederick plated four in the fourth inning against Andrew Thurman to take its first lead of the game. Thurman went four innings, allowed six hits, and four runs in a no-decision. With one out, Jeff Kemp singled and Tad Gold walked. Austin Wynns smacked one of his two hits of the game, a double to center, to score Kemp and tie it up. Wynston Sawyer followed by sailing one over Curcio's head in center for a 3-1 lead. Anthony Caronia would knock one through to push Sawyer over to third, and with two outs, the Keys completed a double steal. Carolina catcher Joe Odom tossed down to second to try and catch Caronia, but Sawyer scampered home for a three-run cushion. That would be the only inning the Keys would score in.
Gold helped save face in the last of the fourth inning with a highlight reel diving catch. Hess walked Schrader and Carlos Franco to start the frame, but struck out Odom and Giardina outside of a single by Joey Meneses. With the bases loaded and two away, Camargo drilled a ball to right field that Gold flagged down on a full extension dive to save three runs and keep the Keys in front.
The Mudcats scored their second run of the game on an RBI single by Franco in the fifth. The Keys recorded just one more hit after the fourth inning, a single by Wynns in the eighth. Carlos Salazar (1-1) tossed two scoreless innings in relief before Richie Tate picked up a four-out save, his third of the year.
The Keys will try for their first win against the Mudcats on Wednesday night. Righty Mikey O'Brien (0-3, 2.25) toes the mound for the Keys and will be countered by Carolina left-hander Blair Walter (5-4, 2.57). First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m. and the broadcast can be heard on 1450 AM The Source and frederickkeys.com. The Keys return home on Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans for 90's Nickelodeon Night and post-game fireworks presented by Tilted Kilt Frederick. For tickets, fans can call 301-815-9939 or visit frederickkeys.com.