Frederick Keys Weekly Recap 6/13-7/4
The Frederick Keys start off this long stretch of games with a 29-33 record, after a strong week last week they look to continue this nice string of wins in this set of recaps. Here is a recap from the most recent games:
Game 1: 6/13/18: Hillcats 0 Keys 3 Final/7
Game 1 of the doubleheader the Keys get the shutout off of an impressive pitching performance from Zac Lowther. The final line on the night was 5.1 scoreless innings, and 5 strikeouts. Zach Muckenhirn came in to get the job done for the last 1.2 innings. Offensively, the runs came from a Colby Rasmus sac fly, a passed ball, and a TJ Nichting double. An interesting game because the Keys finished with 2 hits and still won by 3. Lynchburg had 7.
Game 2: 6/13/18: Hillcats 0 Keys 3 Final/7
Travis Seabrooke gets the ball in game 2 of the doubleheader, Seabrooke three 4 strong scoreless innings, followed by a solid 3 scoreless innings from Matt Trowbridge to close out the game. Each gave up 2 hits while striking out 4. The scoring on the Keys side consisted of a double from Wilson Garcia, a double from Jomar Reyes, and a double from TJ Nichting.
Game 3: 6/14/18: Wood Ducks 3 Keys 10
Christian Alvarado pitches to a quality start after going six innings of 2 run baseball. Alvarado struck out 6 batters for his 6th win of the season. James Teague came in for 2/3 of an inning, allowing a run off of a hit and 2 walks, Scott Burke came in for the save, going 2.1 hitless innings. Collin Woody was one of the main contributors among the hitters as he went 2-4 with 3 RBIs, including a home run good for his 5th of the season. Chris Clare, the shortstop in this one, had a perfect day, including a double and a triple.
Game 4: 6/15/18: Wood Ducks 5 Keys 7 Final/7
Ofelky Peralta was a little better but still not pitching to his full potential. Today he went 5 innings, allowing 4 earned runs, Peralta still earned the win despite the rocky start for his 3rd of the season in game 1 of the doubleheader. Tyler Erwin threw 2 innings and only allowing a run. Rehabbing Colby Rasmus was the main performer as he was 2-4 with 3 RBIs, including a home run and a double. Jomar Reyes was also a perfect 3-3.
Game 5: 6/15/18: Wood Ducks 5 Keys 3 Final/7
The Wood Ducks scored 5 runs the whole ball game, all charged to the starter Francisco Jimenez, who went 4 innings, allowing 4 earned runs. Stephen Klimek was the only reliever used, he was useful for the final 2 innings. The only 3 runs that were scored by the Keys were Ryan McKenna’s 8th home run of the season, and Wilson Garcia’s 6th of the year.
Game 6: 6/16/18: Wood Ducks 5 Keys 9
Alex Wells was decent on the mound, good for 4 innings, allowing 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. It is not typical of Wells to walk multiple batters, so that kind of killed him in this one. Matt Trowbridge ended up earning the win after pitching 2 innings and allowing 2 runs, James Teague and Zach Muckenhirn were both solid out of the pen also. The biggest day on the offense was from again rehabbing Colby Rasmus, who went 3-4 with 2 RBIs, in addition, McKenna, Palmeiro, Garcia, and Nichting all had multiple hit games also.
Game 7: 6/17/18: Wood Ducks 3 Keys 4
The Keys walk it off from a home run from the catcher, Daniel Fajardo with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game started out with Down East scoring 3 runs in the first inning but the starter, Michael Baumann, locked it down for the rest of his start to give his team a chance to get the win. Tyler Erwin and Lucas Humpal both threw scoreless innings in relief to keep the score where it was. Michael Baumann’s final line, 5 innings, 3 runs, 5 strikeouts but take away that first inning and that is an even better start. The rest of the offense was all Wilson Garcia, a sacrifice fly out in the first followed by a 2 RBI double in the 5th.
Game 8: 6/21/18: Keys 2 Red Sox 1
Final/7
In a rain shortened game, the Keys come out on top after Zac Lowther outduels the Red Sox 2017 first round pick in quite a pitchers duel. Lowther ended up going 5 scoreless innings and striking out 4. Steven Klimek got the save for going a scoreless 6th inning. Wilson Garcia grounded out for a RBI and Jomar Reyes doubled in a run. This game is final, not to be rescheduled.
Game 9: 6/22/18: Keys 3 Red Sox 5
Christian Alvarado was masterful in this start, going 7 innings, allowing 2 runs, and striking out 6. Despite Alvarado’s great 7 inning start, there is still 2 more innings to be played. Tyler Erwin was charged with not only the blown save but the loss also after allowing 3 runs in 1/3 of an inning, Zach Muckenhirn finished off the inning. Randolph Gassaway has a big day at the plate, going 3-5 with a RBI which was really the only remarkable thing going in the lineup.
Game 10: 6/23/18: Keys 6 Red Sox 7
Michael Baumann pours in a solid start, going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs, while striking out 5. Matt Trowbridge allowed a run and both Zach Muckenhirn and Mike Burke blew saves. Burke pitched to 4 batters in the 9th, allowing 2 runs to lose the game for the Keys. Offensively the most production was from Alejandro Juviar who was 3-4.
Game 11: 6/24/18: Keys 1 Red Sox 7
Alex Wells was dominant in the 6 innings he pitched. Wells’ final line ended up being 6 innings, 1 run, 0 strikeouts. James Teague allowed 5 runs in just .2 innings, also Steven Klimek allowed a run. Not much going offensively as only 4 hits were put across the board, all coming from the top 3 hitters in the lineup. TJ Nichting, he lead off batter, led with 2 hits.
Game 12: 6/25/18: Dash 19 Keys 2
A blowout loss as it just got worse as the game went on, Lucas Humpal, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) but Seabrooke, Jimenez, Burke, and Silva all allowed multiple runs in their time on the mound. The only offense came from a Randolph Gassaway 2 run shot.
Game 13: 6/26/18: Dash 2 Keys 3 Final/10
From a blowout loss at home, to a walk off win, the Keys get it done in 10. Zac Lowther started things off with yet another solid outing on the mound, Lowther went 5 innings, allowing 1 earned run, and striking out 6. Klimek allowed a run out of the pen but the rest of the pen was great. Muckenhirn and Erwin were both solid out of the pen for 3 combined scoreless innings. Offensively Clare homered, Cole Billingsley get the run in with a sacrifice bunt, and the walk off came off of a Preston Palmeiro single.
Game 14: 6/27/18: Dash 2 Keys 3
Christian Alvarado was fantastic, going 6 scoreless innings and striking out 8. Trowbridge and Erwin both allowed a run but still got the job done to finish the game. All of Frederick’s scoring came off of a Wilson Garcia 3-run shot in the bottom of the first inning.
Game 15: 6/28/18: Dash 10 Keys 8
Michael Baumann struggled for really the first time this season, he went 5 innings, allowing 7 runs. Zach Matson threw 2.1 scoreless innings but Mike Burke allowed 3 runs in 1.2 innings. The main offensive production came from 3 home runs, 2 homers from Wilson Garcia and a homer from Jake Ring, Garcia finished with 5 RBIs.
Game 16: 6/29/18: Dash 12 Keys 10
Alex Wells was not good, going 4 innings and allowing 7 runs,making matters worse Seabrooke allowed 5 in just 2 innings, Steven Klimek threw a scoreless 3. The Keys offense wasn’t too shabby but obviously the pitching wasn’t there. Every hitter in the lineup finished with at least one hit. Gassaway finished with 3 and Wilson Garcia had yet another multi home run game.
Game 17: 6/30/18: Hill Cats 8 Keys 1
Lucas Humpal was dominant in his 5.2 inning outing but the Hill Cats really broke it open on Matt Trowbridge, allowing 5 runs in .2 innings, Isaac Silva also allowed 3 runs in 2.1 innings. The lineup only strung 7 hits together the whole game, the only run coming off of Cole Billingsley’s 3rd inning double.
Game 18: 7/1/18: Hill Cats 7 Keys 6
Zac Lowther was really not that bad, he just made a couple late mistakes, giving up 2 solo homers in his last inning. Lowther finished up going 7 innings, 4 runs, and 5 strikeouts. Zach Matson allowed 3 runs (1 earned) in an inning, and Tyler Erwin threw a scoreless inning. The Keys tried to get the comeback going in the 8th, scoring 4 in the 8th but it still wasn’t enough. Randolph Gassaway finished with 3 hits including a 3-run homer, Preston Palmeiro also homered.
Game 19: 7/2/18: Hill Cats 10 Keys 1
Another day, another rough start by a Keys pitcher. Christan Alvarado went just 4 innings and allowed 9 runs, so not a typical start from Alvarado. Seabrooke and Burke were both decent out of the pen. Only 4 hits, Wilson Garcia with 2 and the only RBI.
Game 20: 7/3/18: Hillcats 10 Keys 5
Michael Baumann has another rough start, he goes 5 innings, allowing 5 runs, hopefully this will be the last rough start for a long time. Baumann still may be adjusting to the Carolina League. Steven Klimek allowed 2 runs and Matt Trowbridge allowed 3 so the offense ended up in a huge hole and obviously never came back. On the bright side Wilson Garcia hit 2 more home runs for his 13th and 14th of the year! Yohjan Quevedo also homered.
Game 21: 7/4/18: Keys 3 Mudcats 5
Matthias Dietz got the call to the next level, he finished with a line of 5 innings and 5 runs, as always for a player that has been promoted it will take a little bit of time for them to adjust. Matson and Burke were both solid out of the pen, combining for 3 scoreless innings. The only offense the Keys really got was another 2 home runs from Wilson Garcia for his 15th and 16th of the year! Garcia also improves his batting average to .325.
At the beginning of this recap the Keys were on a very long winning streak but towards the end they have gotten very cold, due to not a lot of offense and disastrous pitching performances from the starting rotation. Hopefully this next week they can get back to it.
