FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Keys defeated the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) in extra innings in game one of the six-game series, winning by a score of 8-7 in 11 innings at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
In the bottom of the 11th, after heroic defense in the top from Wehiwa Aloy, Colin Tuft hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Leandro Arias and end the game, handing Frederick the series opening victory.
Each side went off the board in the first frame as JT Quinn and Reese Dutton settled in for the Keys and BlueClaws respectively. In the top of the second, Brandon Lewis hit his first home run of the season for Jersey Shore, giving the visitors their first run of the game with two outs. The BlueClaws added two more hits to their second inning total but left both runners on base.
Jersey Shore added to their lead in the third inning after the Keys went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second. Nick Biddison singled to lead off the third frame before Daunte Stewart was hit by a pitch and Devin Saltiban singled to load the bases. Tyler Miller, after striking out against Quinn in the second inning, was hit by a pitch to drive in a run. A line out to third and the third strikeout of the night for Quinn would end the inning, leaving the bases loaded for the BlueClaws.
Quinn began the fourth inning by retiring the first batter before allowing a single. The Keys went to the bullpen, bringing Brandon Downer in to pitch with the runner on and one out. Downer walked first batter he faced before getting a 4-3-6 double play to end the inning and escape the jam.
The Keys went down 1-2-3 for the third consecutive frame in the fourth inning. Up 2-0, the BlueClaws took advantage of the lead by adding two more runs on a two-run home run off the bat of Tyler Miler in the top of the fifth. Miller’s first homer of the season gave Jersey Shore a 4-0 lead.
After falling to a 4-0 deficit, Randal Diaz broke the scoreless night for the Keys with his second homer in a Keys uniform, a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the fifth.
Aloy hit his 12th home run of the season with one out in the sixth inning. The homer drew the Keys closer to the BlueClaws at a score at 4-2 heading into the seventh.
In his fourth inning of work, Downer gave up a leadoff double to Stewart before retiring each of the next two batters he faced. With Stewart at third base after stealing his 8th bag of the season, Lewis hit his second homer of the game to drive in two more runs and extend the Jersey Shore lead to 6-2. Jacob Cravey entered after the homer and struck out Luis Caicuto to end the top of the seventh.
In the top of the eighth inning, Trent Farquhar doubled to right and Tyler Pettorini singled. After the single to shallow left-center field, Farquhar went home from second base and was thrown out by Vance Honeycutt. After tagging the runner at home, Tuft stood up and fired to second base where Edwin Amparo tagged out Pettorini, turning a crucial double play for Frederick.
During the bottom of the eighth inning, Amparo struck out before RJ Austin hit his sixth home run of the season, cutting the deficit back to three at 6-3 approaching the ninth Tuesday evening.
Raimon Gomez entered in the top of the ninth. He allowed a leadoff homer to Carter Mathison and a single to Saltiban before he struck out the side to keep the Keys in the ballgame.
Down four runs, the Keys rallied starting with two free passes. After a walk to Arias, Tuft was hit by a pitch and Diaz delivered a single to right field to score Arias and make the score 7-4. Austin then worked a long at bat and brought home two more runs on a Jersey Shore error. Austin proceeded to steal second base and third base, with an errant throw to third tying the game at seven apiece to force extra inning.
After both sides went scoreless in the 10th inning, Carter Mathison bunted Biddison over to third base before being thrown out by Diaz at first during the top of the 11th inning. Stuart, with the go-ahead run at third base, lined out to Aloy at short who tossed over to turn the 6-5 double play and escape the inning.
From there, Tuft delieverd an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Arias home from third, securing the victory for Frederick in 11 innings by a score of 8-7 Tuesday night.
Game two of the six-game series between the Keys and BlueClaws is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday night at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Wednesday’s game represents Pride Night presented by the Frederick Center along with Wag Wednesday courtesy of Mobile Vet Surgery and Guranteed Win Wednesday presented by Musket Ridge Golf Course.