KEYS BLANK PELICANS, 6-0

Backed by great pitching, the Frederick Keys improve to 4-2 on the season, as they defeated the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 6-0, on Wednesday night at Harry Grove Stadium. Rick Zagone and his counterpart, Randall Delgado, both pitched gems, as neither allowed a run in five innings of work. Zagone struck out six, walked one, and allowed just two hits over his five innings while Delgado struck out five, walked two, and allowed three hits. Both pitchers exited the game with no decisions.

The Keys bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chad Rodgers relieved Pelicans' starter Randall Delgado and with one out in the inning, Joe Mahoney drove the Rodgers offering to right field for a single. The base hit brought home Xavier Avery and Kyle Hudson and gave Frederick the first runs of the night. Billy Rowell singled home L.J. Hoes later in the inning to make the score 3-0 Keys after six. Frederick was not done yet. They plated two more in the seventh and once again they came via the bat of Joe Mahoney. With Jason White on third and Xavier Avery on second, Mahoney chopped a single over pitcher Jaye Chapman's head to bring both home. On the night, Mahoney drove in four runs and upped his RBI total to 11 on the year. Xavier Avery drove in the last run of the night in the eighth inning, when he singled off Angelo Paulino to bring in Greg Miclat from second base.

The bats of the Keys came to life in the sixth inning but the pitching was alive and well all night. After starter Rick Zagone left the game, Jose Duran entered and was near perfect. Duran pitched three innings and did not allow a hit to Myrtle Beach. Over three innings, he walked two Pelicans and struck out one and did not allow a run. Brandon Cooney shut the door in the ninth inning as the Keys won their fourth straight and second in a row over Myrtle Beach.

Frederick's bullpen has allowed just four earned runs over 25 1/3 innings so far this season. That correlates to an earned run average of 1.42. As a whole, the Keys pitching staff has an earned run average of 1.84.

The Keys will go for the series sweep Thursday night against Myrtle Beach. Frederick will send LHP Ryan O'Shea (0-0, 12.60) while the Pelicans will pitch Cole Rohrbough (0-0, 9.00). First pitch is scheduled for 7 P.M. at Harry Grove Stadium. For tickets, call 1-877-8-GO-KEYS or purchase online at www.frederickkeys.com.