Keys Take Series with 6-2 Win over Nationals
Frederick's Mike Flacco opened the scoring with a solo homer against P-Nat starter Adam Olbrychowski in the second inning. Flacco's third home run of the season gave the Keys a 1-0 lead.
The Nationals loaded the bases with no out in the fourth against Frederick hurler Kyle Simon but couldn't score. Back-to-back strikeouts then a sensational diving catch by Bobby Stevens preserved a 1-0 Keys lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Aaron Baker led off the inning with a monster shot down the right field line to increase the Keys advantage to 2-0.
The P-Nats finally got to Simon in the top of the sixth. Zach Walters led off with a hit, his third in his first three at bats and J.R. Higley was hit by a pitch. J.P. Ramirez hit a bloop single to right center field scoring Walters. Higley scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. Simon gave up two runs, hit three batters, walked two and struck out two in his five and a third innings not factoring into the decision.
Frederick broke the tie in the bottom half of the sixth with two runs. A Mike Flacco walk loaded the bases with one out and took Olbrychowski out of the game who had tossed exactly 100 pitches. Ryan Demmin came into the game and walked in a run with a 3-2 pitch in the dirt against Michael Mosby giving the Keys a 3-2 lead. The next batter Garabez Rosa hit a single that increased the Keys lead to 4-2.
A Flacco single in the seventh scored Ty Kelly extended the lead to 5-2. The Keys added another run off of Demmin with Rosa hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning to give Frederick a 6-2 lead. It was the second home run of season and the third solo home run for Frederick on the contest.
Jason Gurka (1-1) tossed two and two-thirds hitless innings in relief to earn the win for Frederick. Olbrychowski (2-5) gave up four runs -- two of which were left on base when he left the game -- and struck out five taking the loss.
Potomac returns home on tomorrow to begin a series against the Salem Red Sox with a doubleheader starting at 6:05 PM. LHP Robbie Ray (2-2, 5.01) getting the start in the first game and LHP Bobby Hansen Jr. (1-2, 6.49) will start the second contest set to start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. The Potomac Nationals are celebrating their 35th Anniversary of professional baseball and family fun, for all your ticket needs please call the box office at 703-590-2311 or visit www.potomacnationals.com.