Down on the Farm: Keys Fall to Pelicans; Flacco Headed to Bowie

Frederick, MD

Michael Flacco is on his way to Double-A Bowie after the Keys finished their home-stand with a 4-0 defeat to Myrtle Beach.

“He deserves it,” Keys Manager Orlando Gomez said after the game Thursday. “When I see guys who are preforming that get rewarded I am always happy for those type of guys.”

Flacco, who was unavailable for comment after the game, hit .258 with two home runs, five RBI and an on-base percentage of .395 in 20 games with the Keys.

Despite the loss, Frederick managed to split the series with the Pelicans.  The Keys recorded only four hits Thursday with two coming from Right Fielder Bobby Stevens.

Starting Pitcher Kyle Simon suffered his fifth loss of the season with his ERA standing at 5.87. He gave up six hits in the first three innings and gave up four earned runs in his five innings of work.

“He settled down a little bit, but he had a rough first inning,” Gomez said of Simon. “He missed location with his pitches a bit early on as they were flat, but after that he battled. He pitched a couple good innings afterwards.”

One of those hits given up was a home run to DH Jared Hoying, who recorded three hits on the day, as the ball flew over the fence in right field.

Frederick has lost 14 of their past 20 games after winning three of their first four to begin the season.

The offense has been a shell of it’s former self since RF Ronnie Welty was promoted to Bowie.  In 13 games with the Keys this season, Welty carried the team as he led in home runs and batting average (.415). The team has struggled in his absence as the Keys finished 2-5 on the home-stand and averaged 2.42 runs per game in that span.

“We can preach it, do it every day and work hard at it, but others have to step up,” Gomez said. “There isn’t that many choices in the lineup to move around. At this point I think we need to be more aggressive at the plate.  We have talked about it, because we are taking a lot of pitches right now.  Every day is the same.  We talk about it and work on it.  They just have to take the bull by the horns. Again we can preach it every day, but they have to do it too.”

Frederick will travel to Carolina for a weekend series against the Mudcats.  The Keys will be returning home for a six game home-stand against Winston-Salem and Wilmington starting Tuesday.