Alvarado and Love combine to shut out the Mudcats

Cody Ponce struck out eight over seven innings, Jake Gatewood extended his hitting streak to 16 straight games, but the Mudcats lost game three of a four game series against the Keys 1-0 on Saturday night in front of 5,010 fans at Five County Stadium.

Frederick's Steve Laurino had the only run of the game as his first home run of the season gave the Keys (16-14) a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Frederick then never relinquished the 1-0 lead after pitchers Cristian Alvarado and Reid Love combined on a five hit shutout against the Mudcats (12-17).
Alvarado started for the Keys and worked through four scoreless with a strikeout and just two hits allowed. Love (1-0, 2.13) earned the win while scattering three hits and striking out four in five innings out of the pen.
Ponce (2-3, 4.00) scattered four hits in Saturday's tough luck loss and worked through seventh inning for the third time this season. He allowed a lead off single to Stevie Wilkerson to start the game, but escaped the opening frame with Wilkerson left at first. He also stranded runners at first and third in the fourth and left one on in the fifth. Ponce walked one, pitched to a 71 game score and threw 92 pitches (62 strikes) in Saturday's game.
Laurino's home run came in the fifth and gave the Keys the only run for either side in the game. Laurino was 2-for-3, Wilkerson was 1-for-4 and both Ryan Mountcastle and Ricardo Andujar had hits in the Frederick victory.
Gatewood's lone hit of the game came in the seventh and stretched his hitting streak to a career best 16 consecutive games. Gatewood was 1-for-4 and Corey Ray, Lucas Erceg, Luis Aviles Jr. and Max McDowell also had hits in the game.
Ponce left after the seventh and relievers Quintin Torres-Costa (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Nate Griep (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB) finished the game for Carolina.
The Keys took a two games to one lead in the four game set with Saturday's victory.
NOTES: Mudcats infielder Weston Wilson surprised his girlfriend before the game with an onfield proposal as part of a surprise first pitch. The video is linked below:

UP NEXT: The Mudcats and Keys wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon with the finale at 2:00 p.m. Sunday's game is also the final game of Carolina's Star Wars weekend.
The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream live online via high definition video at MiLB.tv. Tickets are available by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
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