Despite being no-hit through five innings, the Keys pitching staff kept their team in the game, which proved invaluable in a 3-2 come-from-behind Frederick victory over Salem on Thursday afternoon at Harry Grove Stadium. Miguel Abreu’s two-out, two-strike RBI double in the last of the eighth provided the difference for the Keys, who wrapped up the season series against Salem with 15 wins and just five losses.
The Keys offense did not muster a hit off Salem starter Ryan Pressly in the first five frames, unable to take advantage of four walks from the righthander, including three straight to start the game. The Texas native picked off Steve Bumbry, and got a groundout and a strikeout to wiggle his way out of the jam.
Pressly exited after 82 pitches in five innings, giving way to Pete Ruiz, who immediately yielded a leadoff single to Bumbry in the bottom of the sixth.
An inning later, Michael Flacco smashed his first Carolina League home run, a two-run shot with one out, tying the game at two apiece. In the eighth, Ruiz retired Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado, but gave up a two-out single to Jacob Julius before allowing the game-winning double down the right field line to Abreu.
Salem got on the board in the fourth against Frederick starter Nick Haughian. With runners on the corner and two outs, Vladimir Frias and Shannon Wilkerson smacked back-to-back RBI singles to give the Sox a 2-0 lead. Salem left both Frias and Wilkerson on base, however, as Derrik Gibson struck out to end the threat.
From there on, though, Haughian, Justin Moore, and Sean Gleason retired 15 of the final 17 Salem hitters, including 10 straight to end the game. Moore picked up the win, tossing three scoreless frames, while Gleason picked up his league-leading 30th save of the season with a perfect ninth.
Offensively, Miles Head was the lone Red Sock to notch multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two singles. Kolbrin Vitek extended his hitting streak to nine games with a fifth-inning single.
Finished with Frederick for the season, Salem’s attention now turns to the final series of the year with Lynchburg. The 460 rivals will play the first of three on Friday night at City Stadium at 7:05 PM. Stolmy Pimtentel gets the ball for the Sox against Hillcats’ southpaw Chris Masters.
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