Keys Secure Extra Inning Victory Against Blue Rocks Saturday Night

WILMINGTON, DE – The Frederick Keys took down the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) Saturday night in a 12-inning thriller, winning by a score of 4-3 at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium.

The Keys took the lead in the top of the 12^th on an RBI from Wehiwa Aloy, and closer Chandler Marsh struck out the side in the bottom frame to hand Frederick the game five victory on the road.

Wilmington brought home the game’s first run on an inside-the-park homer from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft in Eli Willits, giving the Blue Rocks an early 1-0 lead through one inning of play.

After both sides went scoreless during the second inning, Keys starting pitcher and ninth-ranked Orioles prospect Boston Bateman recorded two strikeouts and a scoreless bottom of the second, taking the game to the third with the Keys only down one.

Following the Keys and Blue Rocks finishing with zeros in the third inning, Bateman capped off his night with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth. He finished with seven strikeouts and allowed only run on two hits in four innings of work, as the game moved into the fifth with Frederick still only down by one in Wilmington.

With both teams going off the board in the fifth, Colin Tuft delivered a game-tying RBI double in top of the sixth to left-center field, evening things up at one apiece heading into the seventh following a scoreless bottom frame from Twine Palmer.

Palmer worked out a quick jam during the bottom of the seventh on the mound, allowing Frederick to remain even with Wilmington approaching the eighth, this time with the score still at 1-1.

After the Keys and Blue Rocks traded zeros during the eighth inning, a double play turned by Frederick in the bottom of the ninth took the contest to extras, with the Keys and Blue Rocks still knotted at one apiece.

Victor Figueroa handed the Keys a 2-1 lead during the top of the 10^th after knocking in an RBI double down the line in right, making it a 2-1 ballgame entering the bottom frame.

However, the Blue Rocks tied the game up at two apiece on an RBI double, but Braeden Sloan escaped the jam and forced an 11^th inning Saturday night, with the score knotted at two apiece.

Braylin Tavera handed the visitors the lead right back on an RBI single into center field, making it a 3-2 game heading into the bottom of the 11^th. Wilmington once again though responded after a wild pitch tied the game at three apiece, but Chandler Marsh finished the inning strong and forced a 12^th inning with the game tied at three all.

An RBI groundout from Aloy put Frederick back ahead at 4-3 going into the bottom of the 12^th, with Marsh then striking out the side with the bases loaded to end the game, winning by a score of 4-3 in 12 innings in Wilmington.

Box Score

The series finale between the Keys and the Blue Rocks is set for 1:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium, the last game before return for back-to-back six-game homestands beginning on Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets).