Keys thump Salem, 9-4

After six straight games on the road, Salem’s homecoming did not unfold exactly according to plan. Trent Mummey homered in the top of the first to give the Keys a 1-0 lead, setting to the tone to Frederick’s easy 9-4 triumph on Saturday night at LewisGale Field.

Mummey registered three hits, three runs, and finished a triple shy of the cycle, while the Keys led 9-0 at the seventh inning stretch before the Sox mustered some offense in garbage time down the stretch. Tim Berry earned his first Carolina League win for Frederick, dealing six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the seventh.

Salem starter Keith Couch never found a comfort zone, retiring less than half of the 18 batters he faced over three-plus innings. The Keys rallied for three runs in the top of the second to take a 4-0 lead, scoring twice more in the third to make it 6-0 and two more in the fourth, resulting in an 8-0 gap. Couch allowed seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks in his three innings on the mound, facing one batter in the fourth inning.

Frederick pounded five doubles in the first four innings, with Steve Bumbry, Garabez Rosa, Jeremy Nowak, Ty Kelly, and Mummey each contributing a two-base hit. In the top of the seventh, Aaron Baker blasted solo homer off Ryan Pressly to make it 9-0.

Salem finally broke through  in the last of the seventh, with Travis Shaw, Brandon Jacobs, and Michael Almanzar all reaching to start the inning against Berry. Almanzar’s RBI double broke up the shutout and knocked Berry from the game. Against reliever Matt Bischoff, Christian Vazquez drove in a run with an infield single, and Shannon Wilkerson plated another with a line drive single to left.

Down 9-3 into the eighth, Jacobs’ second double preceded Travis Adair’s fielding error on a hard Almanzar grounder, bringing Jacobs around to make it 9-4. The Red Sox managed 10 hits, including four doubles, while the Keys mustered 12 hits, including five doubles and two homers.

Although Frederick owns the worst record in the league (35-52, 8-9), the Keys have gone 7-3 in 10 games against Salem (46-40, 5-12).

The three game series continues on Sunday afternoon, with Yeiper Castillo set to make his Carolina League debut for the Sox. First pitch is set for 4:05.