FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Keys concluded the six-game series against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) Sunday afternoon with a loss, falling by a score of 10-6 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
The Blue Claws scored six unanswered runs to defeat the Keys in the series finale, as Frederick heads into the All-Star break with a 52-32 overall record after 82 full games on the season.
After the Keys and BlueClaws went scoreless during the first inning, the BlueClaws hit back-to-back homers in the top of the second, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead through the opening two innings on Sunday afternoon.
In the bottom of the third, Frederick took a 3-2 lead after a Jersey Shore error brought home Edwin Amparo from third and RBI base hits from Victor Figueroa and Yasmil Bucce put the Keys ahead by one going into the fourth in the series finale.
Jersey Shore retook the lead however in the top of the fourth following a wild pitch and passed ball that sent in two runs, but Wehiwa Aloy and Figueroa each recorded RBI singles to put Frederick back up by a run, making it a 5-4 game heading into the fifth in the Key City.
Following a scoreless fifth inning on both sides, the BlueClaws answered back with a two-RBI single with two outs in the top of the sixth, and then a two-run homer pushed the lead up to an 8-5 margin approaching the seventh at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Back-to-back homers from Jersey Shore made it a 10-5 game through seven innings of play, as the Keys looked to respond to finish off the series strong in front of their home crowd.
JT Quinn recorded a 1-2-3 top of the eighth inning on the hill, keeping his team in the game down by five approaching the ninth in Frederick.
After Quinn threw a scoreless top of the ninth, Alfredo Velasquez hit a solo homer to left for his first homer of the season, but the BlueClaws finished the job and won the series finale by a score of 10-6 Sunday afternoon.
The Keys will head into the All-Star break which takes place from July 13-16 and will return to action on Friday when they begin a nine-game road trip. The first of three games against the Greenville Drive (Red Sox) takes place Friday night with first pitch set for 6:45 p.m. at Fluor Field.