Keys Squander Lead Late

FREDERICK, MD - Late runs sunk the Frederick Keys (19-32, 48-72) in a 5-2 contest against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (30-24, 61-62) on Friday night at Nymeo Field. The Woodpeckers scored five unanswered runs after the fifth inning and took the lead for good with a three-run seventh inning. The Keys offense loaded the bases in the ninth but Austin Hansen (S, 1) forced a double-play to end the threat. Keys' starter Brenan Hanifee had a solid outing and tied a career-high with eight strikeouts over six frames.

The Keys initially took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. J.C. Escarra and Cadyn Grenier tallied base hits and Fayetteville starter Cody Deason hit a batter to load the bases. Thorburn then struck for the second out of the inning, but Jean Carrillo came through in the clutch with a two-run single.
Hanifee set down the side in the fifth and picked up a pair of strikeouts. In the sixth, Chandler Taylor blasted a solo home run to cut the Keys' lead in half but Hanifee cleaned up after that. The 21-year-old completed six innings for the 12^th time in his last 14 starts and allowed the one run on three hits and three walks while striking out eight.
The Keys saw their 2-1 evaporate after Hanifee's departure. Reed Hayes (0-2) struggled to find the zone initially as he walked the lead-off man in the inning and worked a 3-2 count to David Hensley, who singled in the tying run.
After allowing a single, Hayes got the next two batters before Corey Julks roped a double off the left-field wall that gave the Woodpeckers a 3-2 lead. Chandler Taylor then laced a single to bring home one run, but Julks was thrown out by Robbie Thorburn at the plate.
Fayetteville tallied one more in the eighth on an RBI single from Ruben Castro.
Hansen made things interesting in relief but tossed three scoreless innings. He polished off Cody Deason (3-2) outing, who allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six in six innings.
The Keys and Woodpeckers play the middle game of the three-games series on Saturday, August 17. RHP David Lebron (2-4, 3.98) takes the mound for Frederick against RHP Abdiel Saldana (0-0, --) who makes his season debut for Fayetteville. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00pm with pregame coverage starting at 5:45pm on the Tune In app and frederickkeys.com.