FREDERICK, Md. — After a dramatic comeback win Saturday, Hub City took a bit of momentum into a Father’s Day series finale against Frederick. The Spartanburgers (1-2, 35-34) scored three runs in the top of the first but couldn’t sustain the offense as the Keys (2-1, 43-24) hit four home runs in an 8-5 win.
Rangers No. 11 Prospect Izack Tiger returned to High-A after he was sidelined for all of 2025 due to an elbow injury. The right-hander threw 2 2/3 innings and allowed four runs. Tiger’s fastball topped out at 97 miles per hour in the first inning; he struck out four Keys.
Hub City got on the board first against Twine Palmer in the top of the first. Three walks loaded the bases with one out. Maxton Martin singled in a first run. A wild pitch made it 2-0, and Quincy Scott’s sacrifice fly added a third run.
Frederick quickly struck back against Tiger (L, 0-1). RJ Austin bashed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. In the second, two hits and a pair of strikeouts brought up Keys catcher Yasmil Bucce, who snuck a laser inside the right field foul pole. Bucce’s third home run in three days gave Frederick a 4-3 lead.
Palmer settled in for two scoreless innings; he escaped a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the third. In the fourth, Todd Kniebbe (W, 2-1) entered out of the Keys’ bullpen and tossed two scoreless frames.
Tiger was lifted from the game after the second out of the bottom of the third. Ben DeTaeye threw two pitches for the third out. D.J. McCarty entered into a piggyback appearance in the fourth. The righty gave up a run in the fourth on a throwing error, then allowed three runs on a pair of homers, a solo shot in the sixth and a two-run blast in the seventh. McCarty finished his day with a scoreless eighth.
Tyson Neighbors was next out of the Frederick bullpen in the top of the sixth. Neighbors walked Chandler Pollard who stole two bases to reach third. Neighbors stranded Pollard there and turned things over to Chandler Marsh. Marsh then blanked the ‘Burgers in order in the seventh and eighth.
Braeden Sloan was tasked with pitching the ninth. He surrendered a walk to Theo Hardy and a bunt single to Pollard. Antonis Macias singled to cut the Frederick lead to 8-4. A double play made it 8-5, but Sloan got the final out right afterwards.
The Spartanburgers return home for six games against the Winston-Salem Dash, the High-A affiliate of the White Sox, beginning at 6:35 p.m. ET Tuesday. Starters are TBD.
About the Hub City Spartanburgers
The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: tickets@hcspartanburgers.com. For media inquiries, email: iunsworth@hcspartanburgers.com. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.
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