Keys Rebound to Split Doubleheader
FREDERICK, MD -The Frederick Keys (61-62/25-28) fell to the Lynchburg Hillcats (76-48/31-23) 7-4 in game one of a Thursday doubleheader, before bouncing back with a 6-5 victory in the nightcap. With a split and a fifth straight loss by the Potomac Nationals, the orange and black are now within 6.5 games of first with 17 games remaining.
In game one, the visitors jumped out to an early 2-0 lead against MLB rehabber T.J. McFarland. Francisco Mejia doubled, moved to third on a single by Anthony Santander, while a walk loaded up the bases. Tyler Krieger then capitalized with a double down the line in right. McFarland turned in a smoother second to conclude his day. Throwing 38 pitches, he gave up two runs on three hits in two frames. The lefty struck out three and walked one.
Yermin Mercedes moved his team within a run in the second with a solo homer to left, before Bobby Bradley answered in the third with a two-run shot to left that just snuck over the wall. DJ Stewart also got in on the home run parade with an opposite field blast in the third.
Frederick leveled the game in the fifth, scoring three times off Brock Hartson. Steve Wilkerson started things with a solo homer to right, before the Hillcats starter retired the next two batters. From there, the Keys would get three straight singles with Conor Bierfeldt's plating the tying run.
Unfortunately, Lynchburg would have the final word. In similar fashion, the visitors got three straight singles, with Yonathan Mendoza plating the go-ahead run. Mark Mathias also acted with a two-run single to make it a three-run game. David Speer and Trevor Frank combined to close things out for the Hillcats.
Tossing two scoreless innings, Speer (4-0) got the win, while Frank got the final out to record his 15th save. David Richardson (3-6) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in 3.1 frames.
Like in game one, the Hillcats scored multiple runs in the first, knocking out Keys starter Mitch Horacek after 0.2 of an inning. Scoring three times, two of Lynchburg's runs came in via a two-run shot by Santander.
Frederick then scored the next five. Bierfeldt moved his team within one in the third, with a two-run blast off Sean Brady. The lefty then allowed the tying run to come home in the fourth. With Wilkerson at second, Erick Salcedo singled his teammate home.
Brady exited after four, while Lynchburg pitching struggled in all of game two with command. Over six frames, Hillcats arms walked seven and threw five wild pitches. One of those contributed to a key insurance run for the orange and black. Following a double and a walk, an infield single by Jomar Reyes loaded the bases with one out. Wilkerson legged out a possible double play to bring in the first run, while Mercedes sprinted home on a wild pitch.
A single, two walks and a hit-by-pitch stretched the Keys lead to three, but the Hillcats did not go down quietly. Bradley drove home a runner from third with a two-out groundout, while after a Reyes error and defensive indifference, Taylor Murphy singled in Dorssys Paulino to bring the go-ahead run to bat. Mike Zouzalik came on though and got the final out with a groundout to second.
Austin Urban (2-2) got the win pitching a scoreless fifth and Zouzalik earned his 11th save. Billy Strode (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs in two-third of an inning.
The Keys head to Potomac to begin a three game series with the Nationals on Friday night. Right-hander Franderlin Romero (5-4, 6.06) goes for the orange and black and will be opposed by P-Nats righty J.D. Martin (0-0, 4.50). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m and the broadcast can be heard on 1450 AM The Source and frederickkeys.com. Frederick returns to Nymeo Field on Tuesday night when the Winston-Salem Dash come to town. For tickets, fans can call the Keys at 301-815-9939 or visit frederickkeys.com.