The Frederick Keys (31-32 Overall, 13-22 Road) bested the Potomac Nationals (28-35 Overall, 15-16 Home) by the final score of 9-7 in Sunday’s slugfest at Pfitzner Stadium to capture a series victory in the set finale rubber match.
The Black and Orange pounded out 14 hits while the Red, White, and Blue stashed nine base knocks.
Potomac starter, RHP Phillips Valdez (0-2) suffered his second losing decision with the Nationals this season after surrendering a campaign-high nine runs (seven earned runs) on seven hits. Valdez walked a season-high four batters, hit one man, and unleashed a pair of wild pitches.
Of Valdez’s 76 pitches, only 36 offerings went for strikes.
The Keys leaped out to a 4-0 lead bringing all nine of their hitters to the plate in the opening frame using an RBI single bulleted into center field by Frederick 3B Drew Dosch, a run-scoring fielder’s choice groundball from DH Chance Sisco, an RBI single lashed into right-center field by SS Adrian Marin, and an errant throw by Nationals 3B Drew Ward.
Frederick piled on two more runs in the top of the 2nd inning as Sisco raked a two-run triple on the ground just fair along the first base line that traveled into the right field corner to give the visiting club a 6-0 lead.
The Nationals then struck for a four-run spot in the home half of the 2nd against the eventual winning pitcher Frederick LHP Chris Lee (2-2) to cut the Keys’ lead to 6-4. The Nationals sent 10 batters to the dish and earned the quartet of runs via an RBI single whipped into right-center by Ward scoring the double of DH Brandon Miller, a single off the stick of RF Estarlin Martinez that plated Ward, a sacrifice fly from CF Narciso Mesa, and a bases loaded RBI walk worked by LF Isaac Ballou.
The Keys responded with three runs charged to Valdez on a wild pitch hurled by Potomac RHP Tyler Mapes and a two-run bloop single to center field by Frederick 2B Jeff Kemp that propelled the visiting club to a 9-4 lead.
Lee turned in the requisite 5.0 innings to qualify for his second victory in the Carolina League while allowing four earned runs on five hits. Lee struck out five P-Nats but issued four free passes to first base due to balls out the strike zone and dealt one wild pitch.
Mapes gunned through 4.1 relief innings and gave up just five hits and two walks. The crafty righty was not charged with any runs allowed.
The P-Nats started to chip away at the Keys’ lead with two runs in the 7th thanks to a throwing error by Dosch at third base and a Miller RBI groundout to Kemp at second base.
Frederick RHP Jon Keller and RHP Jimmy Yacabonis combined to throw 3.0 innings out of the Keys’ bullpen. Keller was hit for two earned runs allowed on one hit and a pair of walks. Yacabonis gave up one earned run on two hits but no walks.
Nationals RHP Cody Davis pitched the 8th and 9th without issue giving up just two hits and one walk.
In the bottom of the 9th, Yacabonis allowed a leadoff single ripped by Mesa and was removed from the mound in favor of Keys LHP Cody Wheeler (9 SV).
Wheeler induced a strikeout looking of Nationals SS Stephen Perez and a 4-3 groundout from Ballou. Then, Wheeler hit two P-Nats back-to-back (Miller and Ward). Potomac 2B Khayyan Norfork came up a served an RBI single into shallow center field to make it a 9-7 game. In the end, P-Nats C Craig Manuel sprayed a low line drive towards Kemp who fielded the ball cleanly and tossed it to defensive replacement 1B Logan Uxa for the final out.
The P-Nats travel to Lynchburg, VA tomorrow to prepare for a three-game road set against the Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Indians) with the series opener slated for 6:30pm on Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium.
The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will carry live coverage of the game beginning with the “P-Nats Lead-Off Show” at 6:15pm before the live play-by-play at 6:30pm. P-Nats Gameday Audio on the Potomac Nationals Baseball Network is accessible at www.potomacnationals.com or with the TuneIn Radio App.
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