Keys and Nationals Exchange Shutouts in Twinbill

FREDERICK, Md. -The Frederick Keys and Potomac Nationals traded shutouts as part of a twinbill on Monday night at Nymeo Field. In game one, the orange and black recorded their first walk-off win of the season, while Boone Whiting helped lead a sterling effort by the Nationals pitching staff in game two to force a split.

 

A pitching duel the entire way, the Keys posted their first walk-off win since last September 2 against Carolina. Facing Greg Ross, Aderlin Rodriguez opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk to Wynston Sawyer. That sent up Jomar Reyes, who showed bunt initially, but pulled it back and slapped a single through the right side to load the bases.

 

With the winning run 90 feet from home, Nationals manager Tripp Keister inserted Alec Keller into the game and replaced Narciso Mesa, to give the P-Nats a fifth infielder. It made little difference though, as Jonah Heim dunked a single down the leftfield line to give Frederick the 1-0 victory.  

 

Keys starter, John Means, was outstanding, tossing a complete game shutout, the first of the season by a Frederick pitcher. Over seven stanzas, the Kansas native scattered three hits, walked one and struck out eight. He threw 95 pitches, with 63 going for strikes. The seven innings tied a career-high for Means (5-0) who also moved into a tie for second in the CL in victories.

 

Ross (1-2) took the loss, allowing a run on three hits in the last innings. Both of his losses have come to Frederick this season.

 

In game two, the Nationals scored the game's only two runs in the second off Max Schuh. Dale Carey and Keller opened with back-to-back singles, while a groundout by Khayyan Norfork put two in scoring position. Carey would come home on a Schuh (0-3) wild pitch, before an RBI double by Grant DeBruin made it a 2-0 contest.

 

Whiting (5-1) allowed two doubles and a single in the first, but locked in from the second inning on. Retiring 13 in-a-row at one stretch, Whiting would be removed after allowing a leadoff two-bagger to Erick Salcedo to begin the sixth. Earning the win, Whiting allowed four hits in five-plus frames and struck out three.

 

The Keys threatened in the sixth, as a R.C. Orlan retired Jay Gonzalez, before walking Josh Hart to put runners at the corners. Orlan followed with a strikeout of Steve Wilkerson, before Ryan Brinley came on and recorded the final four outs. It was Brinley's sixth save of the year. Schuh gave up two runs on four hits in three innings in the loss.

 

On Tuesday night the Keys begin a three-game series with the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark. Right-hander Matthew Grimes (5-2, 1.61) gets the start for the Keys and will be opposed by Dash righty Jordan Stephens (0-5, 5.35). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m and the broadcast can be heard on 1450 AM The Source and frederickkeys.com. The Keys return to Nymeo Field on Wednesday,
June 1 when the Potomac Nationals return to town. For tickets, fans can call the box office at 301-815-9939 or visit frederickkeys.com.