With the 11-3 Win Over Kinston, the Keys Won Their 4th Carolina League Title in Franchise History
After a long night in Kinston, the Keys hoisted the Mills Cup as Frederick was crowned the 2011 Carolina League champion following an 11-3 victory over the Kinston Indians on Friday night. The Keys exploded for 11 innings, a postseason record, in the third inning and cruised to their fourth Carolina League title in franchise history. Manny Machado had four RBIs in the victory including an emphatic three-run blast that capped off the big third inning.
The K-Tribe struck first in the game four of Mills Cup when LF Jordan Casas hit a solo homer to right field off RHP Ryohei Tanaka. Drafted in 2010, Casas had zero home runs in his professional career entering Friday night. Kinston tallied another run in the second inning on a RBI single by C Alex Monsalve. After two innings in Kinston, the Keys trailed the K-Tribe, 2-0.
The third inning turned the tide in the contest. LF Glynn Davis led off the big inning with a walk. 3B Dale Mollenhauer followed with a double and 2B Jonathan Schoop drove in the Keys first run of the night next. Schoop grounded to first and 1B Jesus Aguilar fired home. Davis eluded Mansalve’s tag at home and cut the Keys deficit in half. The Keys tied up the game at two when Manny Machado hit a sharp grounder at third. Mollenhauer scored with ease. Machado was safe at first as Abraham booted the grounder. After a Aaron Baker sac bunt moved Schoop to third and Machado to second, CF Miguel Abreu put the Keys in front. Abreu hit a double off the left field wall. Schoop scored and Machado advanced to third. Two batters later, RF Bobby Stevens drove in two runs on a single to center. Frederick added six more including three runs on a three-run blast by Manny Machado. In the frame, the Keys scored 11 runs on five hits while Kinston committed three errors. Only three of the runs were earned in the inning.
The third inning was pivotal as the Keys did not score another run the rest of the game. The cruised to the victory despite another rain delay. A 1:11 rain delay preceded first pitch and there was another rain delay (1:01) in the middle of the fourth.
Manny Machado was named MVP of the Mills Cup. Machado finished the series with a home run and seven RBIs.
The 2011 Keys finished with the most wins in Frederick Keys franchise history (80) and brought home the Carolina League title for the first time since 2007. The 2011 Keys are also the first Orioles farmhand to win a championship since the 2007 Keys.
