Led by shortstop Manny Machado and second baseman Jonathan Schoop, the two top offensive prospects in the organization, the club had the best record in the league in 2011, going 80-59. It was also the best mark in the 23-year-history of the Keys. In the first round of the playoffs they outlasted the Potomac Nationals, three games to two. Then they dropped the opener against Kinston before running off three straight victories. Last night's rout was an unusual game. After falling behind 2-0 in the first two innings, Frederick exploded for 11 runs in the top of the third to bury the Indians. They took advantage of three Kinston errors and the exclamation point was provided by Machado's three-run homer. The O's first-round pick in the 2010 draft had four RBI total in the inning and seven for the series, helping him capture MVP honors. He batted .344 in postseason play, and Schoop compiled a .314 average. The Keys waited out a pair of hour-plus rain delays on the evening to bring home the fourth championship in franchise history and the first for any O's affiliate since the 2007 Frederick squad won it all.
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