A five-run 7th turned a 4-1 ballgame into a rout, as the Frederick Keys evened the three-game series with a 9-3 win.
John Simms started and was ineffective early, giving up one run in the 1st and two in the 2nd on five hits, including a double to the right-center gap and a triple down the right field line. A long homer in the 5th accounted for the fourth and final run he gave up, as he went six innings and allowed seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
However, with an offense that’s basically league average in everything but runs scored, four runs allowed is too much. After answering Frederick’s run in the top of the first with a Christopher Bostick single, steal of second combined with a wild pitch, and a Stephen Perez sacrifice fly, the P-Nats bats fell silent until one out in the 5th, when Narciso Mesa laid down a magnificent bunt down the third base line.
While they would eventually score three runs, as aforementioned, the game was already over after Jake Johansen failed to retire any of the five batters in the top of the 7th. He walked three (two with the bases loaded) and allowed one hit on one of the handful that came in over the plate and in the strike zone.
Derek Self was unable to prevent further damage and let in all three of his inherited runners, but saved the rest of the ‘pen with three innings pitched.
The series concludes today with a matchup of Phillips Valdez (0-1, 5.02) vs. Chris Lee (1-2, 5.40).