Kevin Ahrens’ solo home run in the fourth inning gave Lynchburg a 3-1 lead, but the Keys scored the final five runs of the contest to claim a 6-3 victory in the rubbermatch against the Lynchburg Hillcats Sunday evening at Calvin Falwell Field.
Ahrens’ fourth home run of the season gave him a team-leading 42 RBIs. He went 3-for-4 with all three of his hits going to right field. The Hillcats (42-44) took a 2-1 lead in the third when Emerson Landoni singled with one out, Blake Brown doubled, and both runners eventually scored on RBIs by Eric Garcia and David Nick.
Brenden Webb hit a solo home run in the second inning for the Keys’ initial run. Frederick (38-46) did not score again until the seventh. Lucas Sims retired the first two batters of the frame, but a two-out walk to Mike Yastrzemski opened the door for the Keys. Glynn Davis and Trey Mancini each singled to load the bases.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Michael Burgess drove in all three runners with a double to right-center field to put the Keys on top, 4-3. Burgess posted seven RBIs in the final two games of the series to take over the Carolina League lead with 63 this season.
Sims (6-7) suffered his fourth loss in his last five starts after allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings. The righty tied his season high with six strikeouts and walked three. Sebastian Vader (1-0) earned the victory in his Carolina League debut, going six innings and surrendering three runs on eight hits. Jesse Beal tossed two scoreless innings to notch his first save of the year.
Frederick tallied its final two runs in the ninth thanks to a double by Jerome Pena, and RBI single by Yastrzemski and an RBI groundout by Mancini.
Lynchburg will welcome the Carolina Mudcats to town Monday for a four-game series. Cody Scarpetta (2-2, 2.86) will start the opener for the Hillcats against lefty Shawn Morimando (8-2, 2.93). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm, and the gates will open at 5pm. The Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Amtrak Virginia will begin at 5:40pm on 97.9 The Planet with Erik Wilson and Kyle West on the call.
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Chris Graham
