Francis Tosses Eight Inning Gem in 5-1 Carolina Win

FREDERICK, MD - Cooper Hummel hit a game tying home run in the second, Trever Morrison had a go-ahead two-run double in the fourth, Dillon Thomas totaled three hits and Bowden Francis pitched through eight dominating innings as the Mudcats defeated the Keys 5-1 at Nymeo Field on Frederick on Saturday night.

The Mudcats (60-69, 26-33) snapped a six game losing streak with the series tying victory. They also knocked the Keys (61-68, 26-34) out of playoff contention as the loss eliminated Frederick from a post-season berth.
Carolina originally fell behind early in the game as Randolph Gassaway gave the Keys a 1-0 lead in the opening frame as he hit a first inning home run for the second consecutive night. Gassaway's homer was his fourth of the season and just one of only two hits allowed by Francis (1-2, 4.91) in his eight inning gem of a start.
In all, Francis walked one, struck out three and allowed just the one run on two hits over eight complete frames. He also induced 12 groundouts against five fly-outs and pitched to a 76 game score while leading Carolina to the series tying victory.
Frederick's 1-0 lead ended up being short-lived as Hummel brought the Mudcats into a 1-1 tie in the second after hitting an opposite field home run to left. It was his seventh home run of the season and was hit off Frederick starter Michael Baumann.
Morrison later broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth when he brought in two with a two-out double to right. Both Ryan Aguilar and Thomas walked and scored on Morrison's double in the fourth as the Mudcats went on to take a 3-1 lead.
Baumann (7-5, 4.20) allowed Hummel's homer in the second and Morrison's two-run, two-out double in the fourth and would end up pitching through the fifth with three runs allowed on five hits. He also walked three and struck out four while suffering the loss.
Relievers Travis Seabrooke and Alex Katz followed Baumann, with Seabrooke tossing three scoreless frames with two walks and a strikeout. Katz, however, allowed two runs and two hits in the ninth, while also walking two and striking out one.
The Carolina ninth featured a bases loaded RBI single from Thomas and a run scoring groundout hit into by Morrison. Thomas finished the game 3-for-4 with a run and  RBI. Morrison went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI.
Carolina's closer Luke Barker worked the last of the ninth and pitched around a Wilson Garcia single while tossing a scoreless final frame.
NOTES: Cooper Hummel went 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk while maintaining his Carolina League leading on-base percentage to .387 for the season... Demi Orimoloye went 1-for-5 and has hit safely in five straight games... Ryan Aguilar went 1-for-4 with two runs and has now hit safely in six straight games and has hit two home runs over his last four games.
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