FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Keys earned themselves a series win at home against the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) Saturday night, winning game five of six by a score of 8-3 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
The Keys hit four home runs to take down the Hot Rods for the fourth time in the series, as Frederick picked up the home series in front of 6,413 fans at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Keys starting pitcher Twine Palmer began his night strong with three strikeouts and a scoreless top of the first, allowing the game to remain at zeros heading into the second inning.
After the Keys and Hot Rods traded scoreless frames in the second, Bowling Green brought home the first run of the night in the top of the third on a fielding error, making it a 1-0 game through the first three innings of the night.
Frederick tied things at one apiece in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Vance Honeycutt, evening the score at 1-1 going into the fifth in the Key City.
RJ Austin recorded the second Keys homer of the night in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run homer to left, giving the home team its first lead of the night at 3-1 entering the sixth at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Following a scoreless sixth inning on both sides, the Hot Rods tied it up with two runs in the top of the seventh off an RBI double and stolen base, but a three-run homer from Enddy Azocar put Frederick back in front by three as his first homer at Nymeo Field made it a 6-3 game approaching the eighth inning.
Braylin Tavera put the Keys lead up to five heading into the ninth with a two-run homer to left, as the fourth Frederick homer of the night put the Keys ahead by five at 8-3 through eighth innings.
Braeden Sloan went on to throw a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning, securing the game five victory for the Keys as they won by a score of 8-3 over the Hot Rods.
The series finale between the Keys and the Hot Rods is set for Sunday afternoon from Frederick, with first pitch at 3 p.m. from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Sunday’s game represents Sunday Funday at the Ballpark presented by Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley with there being pre-game catch in the outfield and select player autographs for the first 30 minutes after gates open. It is also the Summer Reading Program presented by Educational Systems Federal Credit Union.