LAKEWOOD, NJ – The Frederick Keys dropped the second game of the six-game series to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) Wednesday afternoon, losing by a score of 5-4 at ShoreTown Ballpark.
The Keys could not pull off a late rally as they fell by one to the BlueClaws in game two of six of the week and will now look to take back the series Thursday night in Lakewood.
Frederick picked up where they left off from game one in the top of the first inning with a three-run frame, courtesy of RBIs from Ike Irish and Vance Honeycutt, and along with a wild pitch that brought home Elis Cuevas from third, it gave the Keys a 3-0 advantage through one inning of play Wednesday morning.
After both sides went scoreless in the second, Boston Bateman picked up his third scoreless inning during the bottom of the third along with a fourth strikeout, taking the game into the fourth with the Keys still in front by three.
The BlueClaws got their first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth on a passed ball and answered with one more in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single, cutting the deficit to one at 3-2 in favor of Frederick approaching the sixth in Lakewood.
Jersey Shore took their first lead in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run frame off three RBI base hits, giving the home team a 5-3 edge entering the seventh at ShoreTown Ballpark.
Wehiwa Aloy came on home on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh, bringing the Keys back within one at 5-4 going into the eighth in game two of the six-game series.
Following the Keys and BlueClaws going off the board in the eighth, the Keys entered the ninth only down by one, but did not score and fell to Jersey Shore in game two of six by a score of 5-4 Wednesday afternoon.
The Keys and BlueClaws meet for the third time in as many days Thursday evening for game three of the six-game series, with first pitch for game three set for 7:05 p.m. at ShoreTown Ballpark.