Frederick Keys Weekly Recap: Keys Go 4-2 Behind Power, Pitching and First-Place Baseball

Frederick Takes Series From Hudson Valley, Opens Brooklyn Trip Strong

The Frederick Keys put together another strong week from June 5 through June 11, going 4-2 while strengthening their place near the top of the South Atlantic League North Division.

The week started with a wild one-run loss to the Hudson Valley Renegades, but Frederick responded with three straight wins, including a dramatic triple play to end Saturday night’s game and a six-homer explosion Sunday afternoon.

The Keys then carried that momentum into Brooklyn, where they opened their road series against the Cyclones with a shutout win, dropped Wednesday’s game, and bounced back Thursday night with a 3-2 victory.

By the end of the stretch, Frederick showed why it has been one of the most exciting teams in the Orioles’ system. The lineup continued to flash power, the pitching staff delivered two of its best performances of the week, and the Keys found different ways to win.

Weekly Results

Date	Opponent	Result
June 5	Hudson Valley	L 14-13
June 6	Hudson Valley	W 8-6
June 7	Hudson Valley	W 16-3
June 10	Brooklyn	W 3-0
June 11	Brooklyn	L 7-2
June 12	Brooklyn	W 3-2

Weekly record: 4-2

June 5: Hudson Valley 14, Frederick 13

The week opened with one of the wildest games of the Keys’ season.

Frederick lost 14-13 to Hudson Valley at Nymeo Field, but the offense gave fans plenty to watch. The Keys grabbed an early 1-0 lead after Enrique Bradfield Jr. singled, stole second and scored on a Wehiwa Aloy groundout.

Hudson Valley answered with three runs in the third, but Frederick came right back. Colin Yeaman scored after reaching on a dropped third strike, Bradfield drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Douglas Hodo III tied the game with his second home run in as many games.

The Keys then erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning. Bradfield, Aloy, RJ Austin, Leandro Arias and Yeaman all drove in runs during the rally. That inning showed how dangerous this Frederick lineup can be when it strings together quality at-bats.

Frederick still could not hold the lead. Hudson Valley kept punching back, using a three-run homer and a three-run triple to flip the game late. Vance Honeycutt doubled in the ninth and Yeaman drove him in, but the comeback fell short.

It was a frustrating loss, but the offense showed serious firepower.

June 6: Frederick 8, Hudson Valley 6

Frederick answered Saturday night with one of the most memorable wins of the season.

The Keys beat Hudson Valley 8-6 on Star Wars Night, and the finish was unforgettable. With two runners on in the ninth and the go-ahead run at the plate, Frederick turned a 5-4-3 triple play to end the game.

Wehiwa Aloy started it at third base by catching the ball on the fly. He threw to Alfredo Velasquez at second for the second out. Velasquez fired to Victor Figueroa at first to complete the triple play and seal the win.

Figueroa carried the offense. He drove in five runs, including a three-run homer in the third inning that gave Frederick a 5-3 lead. Later, with the game tied 6-6 in the seventh, Figueroa delivered a two-run double that put the Keys ahead for good.

Yeiber Cartaya started and gave Frederick five innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out seven. Joe Glassey threw 1.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, and Todd Kniebbe finished the game.

This was a complete team win. Frederick got power, clutch hitting, solid bullpen work and one of the best defensive endings a team can have.

June 7: Frederick 16, Hudson Valley 3

Sunday was all Keys.

Frederick crushed Hudson Valley 16-3 and won the series in dominant fashion. The Keys hit six home runs from six different players and stayed ahead in the South Atlantic League North race.

Hudson Valley scored first with a solo homer in the second inning, but Frederick immediately took control with a seven-run bottom half.

Ike Irish started the power surge with a two-run homer. Vance Honeycutt followed with a two-run homer of his own. Douglas Hodo III capped the inning with a three-run blast, giving Frederick a 7-1 lead.

The Keys kept piling on.

Victor Figueroa doubled in a run in the fourth. Then Frederick hit three more home runs in the fifth, getting blasts from Colin Tuft, Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Figueroa.

Tuft added another RBI single in the sixth, and Hodo later drove in another run to make it a 13-run game.

The 16-3 win was Frederick’s most complete offensive performance of the week. It also showed the depth of the lineup. The Keys did not rely on one hitter. Irish, Honeycutt, Hodo, Tuft, Bradfield and Figueroa all left the yard.

That is the kind of offensive balance that makes Frederick dangerous.

June 10: Frederick 3, Brooklyn 0

After taking the Hudson Valley series, the Keys opened their road trip in Brooklyn with a 3-0 win over the Cyclones.

Boston Bateman gave Frederick exactly what it needed.

The left-hander made his eighth start and dominated. Bateman retired the first six hitters he faced, worked around a leadoff double in the third, and finished five scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits and struck out seven.

Bateman’s season strikeout total climbed to 59, putting him among the top arms in the South Atlantic League.

The offense did enough.

Ike Irish gave Frederick the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. It was his eighth homer of the season. Irish then doubled in the sixth and scored when Wehiwa Aloy doubled him home.

Twine Palmer handled the final four innings and kept Brooklyn off the board. The Cyclones managed only four hits all night.

The win pushed Frederick to 36-19 and extended the Keys’ winning streak.

June 11: Brooklyn 7, Frederick 2

Wednesday night snapped Frederick’s three-game winning streak.

Brooklyn beat the Keys 7-2, using a five-run second inning to take control.

Kiefer Lord started for Frederick and showed swing-and-miss stuff, striking out seven over 3.1 innings. The issue was command. Lord walked five and allowed three earned runs on four hits.

The Cyclones jumped ahead in the second with a triple, a double, walks, an error and a sacrifice fly. Frederick spent the rest of the night trying to climb back.

The Keys scored in the third when Yasmil Bucce singled and Ike Irish drove him in with his 11th double of the season.

Wehiwa Aloy added a solo home run in the eighth, his 11th of the season, but Frederick could not finish the late rally. The Keys loaded the bases in the ninth, but Brooklyn escaped.

Even in defeat, Aloy and Irish continued to produce. Both remain major pieces of a Frederick lineup that has carried the club for long stretches.

June 12: Frederick 3, Brooklyn 2

Frederick bounced right back Thursday night with a 3-2 win over Brooklyn.

The Keys used late situational hitting and strong relief work to steal a close road victory.

Brooklyn scored first in the bottom of the first, but Caden Hunter limited the damage. The Cyclones loaded the bases, but Hunter used back-to-back strikeouts to keep it a one-run inning.

Frederick tied the game in the fifth when Elis Cuevas launched a solo home run to center field.

Brooklyn answered with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead, but the Keys stayed patient.

Cuevas came through again in the seventh with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2-2. Frederick later took the lead on another sacrifice fly.

Joe Glassey took over late and slammed the door. He threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning, then struck out the side in the ninth to secure the win.

Cuevas drove in two runs, Hunter kept Frederick in the game, and Glassey finished it with authority.

Player of the Week: Victor Figueroa

Victor Figueroa had the biggest offensive moments of the week.

He drove in five runs Saturday, including a three-run homer and a go-ahead two-run double. He also homered during Sunday’s 16-3 win.

Figueroa gave Frederick power, clutch hitting and run production during two key wins.

Power Surge

The Keys’ power stood out all week.

Frederick hit six home runs Sunday alone. Irish, Honeycutt, Hodo, Tuft, Bradfield and Figueroa all went deep in the 16-3 win.

Irish added another homer Tuesday. Aloy homered Wednesday. Cuevas homered Thursday.

That kind of power from different parts of the lineup makes Frederick difficult to pitch against.

Pitching Standouts

Boston Bateman delivered the best start of the week with five scoreless innings and seven strikeouts against Brooklyn.

Twine Palmer followed with four scoreless innings in the same game.

Joe Glassey was excellent out of the bullpen. He struck out four over 1.2 scoreless innings Saturday and then struck out the side Thursday night to close out the 3-2 win.

Yeiber Cartaya also gave Frederick five competitive innings Saturday while striking out seven.

Maryland Sports Blog Take

The Keys finished the week 4-2 and showed why they remain one of the best stories in Maryland baseball.

The offense has real power. The lineup has speed. The bullpen has late-inning arms. The starting rotation has pitchers who can miss bats.

Frederick also showed toughness.

The Keys lost a 14-13 heartbreaker Friday, then responded with three straight wins. They dropped Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn, then came right back with a one-run victory Thursday.

That is winning baseball.

For Orioles fans, Frederick continues to provide plenty of reasons to pay attention. Bradfield, Aloy, Irish, Honeycutt, Bateman and several others all had meaningful moments this week.

The Keys are not just winning games.

They are developing talent.