WELTY'S BIG NIGHT ENDED BY FOG

Frederick RF Ronnie Welty could only be stopped by mother nature as his four-RBI night ended due to a second fog delay with the Keys and Potomac Nationals tied at 8-8 in the bottom of the seventh inning. The two will pick-up the suspended game Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. with the regularly scheduled game beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended contest.

Welty got off to a big start as he homered to right field with one out in the first inning. The two run blast, his fourth of the year, gave the Keys the early 2-0 lead. The Keys would fall behind though as errors proved to be costly. In the third inning 1B Joe Mahoney kicked a slow ground ball by Nationals 2B Steve Lombardozzi leading to two unearned runs in a three-run Potomac rally.

Then in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and one out, 2B LJ Hoes threw a potential double play ball away when trying to turn it over, leading to two Nationals runs in a four-run inning.

The Keys trailed 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Keys were pulled off the field due to fog for a first time. After a 7 minute 30 second delay the fog lifted enough to allow play to continue. Frederick quickly battled back as Welty doubled home two runs to bring the Keys within one run at 7-6. Next up was Mahoney and he lifted the Keys to the lead with a deep home run to right field, his third of the year, putting Frederick atop 8-7.

The Keys didn't have much time to celebrate. Potomac SS Jose Lozada hit the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning off the right field foul pole to tie the game at 8-8.

One pitch into the bottom of the seventh inning the fog became too much and play was halted. 35 minutes later the game was suspended.

Cole McCurry will be on the hill for Frederick in Thursday's regularly scheduled game. The Keys return home for a weekend series with Salem beginning Friday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m. For tickets contact the Keys Box Office at 1-877-8-GO-KEYS or purchase online at frederickkeys.com.