Frederick stuns Winston-Salem with three in ninth

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 30, 2015) - Yency Almonte fanned a career-high 12 in six innings, but the Frederick Keys rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to skirt by the Winston-Salem Dash 4-3 and salvage a four-game series Sunday in front of 6,810 fans at BB&T Ballpark.

Winston-Salem (39-22, 69-62) brought on Brad Goldberg with a 3-1 advantage in the ninth. However, Frederick's Connor Bierfeldt doubled on the first pitch he saw, and two batters later, came in to score on Derek Peterson's single. Anthony Caronia tripled in pinch-runner Josh Hart to tie game at three.

With one out and the go-ahead run on third, the Keys (30-33, 62-71) tried a suicide squeeze. However, Goldberg's pitch went in the dirt, and Dash catcher Brett Austin could not dig it out, allowing Caronia to slide in with a steal of home to give Frederick the 4-3 lead.

Eddy Alvarez singled with one out in the ninth, but Frederick reliever Cody Wheeler (5-1) picked him off. A Jake Peter groundout ended the ballgame and the Dash's seven-game home winning streak, tied for the third-longest of the BB&T Ballpark era.

Almonte walked the first two batters of the game on eight pitches, and after a strikeout, plunked Yaisel Mederos to load the bases. However, a foul out and strikeout helped him escape the jam in the first.

From there, the right-hander was nearly untouchable, coming within one of the Dash-era record for strikeouts with 12 in six scoreless innings. Almonte surrendered just two hits and two walks.

Winston-Salem broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Following two walks and a single, Frederick starter Mikey O'Brien walked Trey Michalczewski with the bases loaded to put the Dash on top 1-0.

Alvarez, who had three hits, singled with one out in the seventh before Peter walked again. Michalczewski then ripped a two-run double down the right field line to make it 3-0.

Jay Gonzalez singled with one out in the eighth. Two batters later, Wynston Sawyer doubled down the right field line. Gonzalez stopped at third, but a throwing error back towards second allowed him to score Frederick's first run of the game.

After an off day on Monday, Winston-Salem begins a seven-game road trip Tuesday with the first of three in Wilmington. Pregame radio coverage is available at 6:20 p.m., with the first pitch at 6:35 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn App.

BB&T Ballpark could host as many as four playoff games in September, and tickets are on sale now. To purchase your playoff tickets, call (336) 714-6875 or visit wsdash.com.