Keys clinch first-half title
Down by three runs in the 10th inning, the Frederick Keys rallied to beat the Potomac Nationals, 9-8, and clinch the first-half Carolina League Northern Division title.
The Keys (32-36) were coming off Friday's 12-3 defeat and appeared headed for another loss when the Nationals (28-39) scored three times in the top of the 10th. Potomac brought in Gene Yost to pitch the bottom of the inning, but that only buoyed Frederick's confidence.
"When they brought in Yost, I told our guys that he had been a little wild with us in his last game," Thompson said. "I said to them that they should go up there looking to take a pitch or two and make him throw it over the plate. He gave us the opportunities and everything fell in to place."
Keys leadoff man Blake Davis also said the confidence rose in the dugout during the final frame.
"I told our pitching coach, Blaine Beatty, 'Hey, I'm getting up this inning, I know it,'" Davis said. "Then he walked Ryan (Finan), then Mark (Fleisher) and Pete (Maestrales), and Blaine came over and said, 'You also might score this inning, too.'"
The 23-year-old shortstop didn't score, but his bunt single loaded the bases for Jonathan Tucker, whose sacrifice fly plated Paul Winterling with the improbable winning run. Frederick sent seven men to the plate in the 10th, with three drawing walks and three delivering base hits.
"I've been coaching for over 20 years and this still was a pretty unbelievable comeback," Thompson said.
Davis led his team at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, two walks and two runs scored. Finan hit the only home run of the game, a solo shot in the eighth, as he went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, a walk and two runs scored.
Dan Lonsberry (4-1) picked up the victory, despite giving up a run on one hit and two walks while striking out one in one inning.
"It's a great thing for the kids here," Thompson said. "They responded after last night's tough loss and battled for every out. Now our job for the second half is to continue our players' development and avoid making the same mistakes we did this half."
After Finan homered in the eighth to tie the game, 5-5, the Nationals regained the lead two innings later on a two-run double by Edgardo Baez. Baez had two hits and three RBIs, while Matt Rogelstad went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Yost (0-3) surrendered four runs on three hits and three walks, retiring just one batter.