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Jupiter Bats Can't Back James in 2-0 Loss

May 31, 2011 - Florida State League (FSL) Jupiter Hammerheads

Chad James made his best start of the season, giving up two runs in eight innings, striking out seven batters without allowing a walk - and fell to 0-9 in the process. The hardest of his hard-luck losses saw Jupiter manage just five singles in a 2-0 loss to the Tampa Yankees.

James, the top pitching prospect in the Marlins' system, has given up two earned runs or fewer in 7 of his 11 starts. He gave up just one in this game, as the Yankees knocked out a trio of base hits in the 3rd inning, capped by an RBI single by Water Ibarra, part of a 4-for-4 night for the Tampa shortstop.

An inning later, the Yankees added on an unearned insurance run. Kevin Mahoney bounced a ball off the mound and into Jeff Dominguez's glove, but the shortstop couldn't hold on to it. After a wild pitch advanced Mahoney to second base, he scored on Luke Murton's automatic double.

Those were the only blemishes on James' night, as the left-hander occasionally drifted into trouble - he did give up 10 hits - but found ways to get out unscathed. In his final inning, James pulled off his most daring escape of the night.

As he did in the 3rd, James gave up back-to-back-to-back singles, this time loading the bases with no outs. When he needed it most, James got just the ball he was looking for, a easy grounder to third baseman Chase Austin, who went home to start the 5-2-3 double play. Still with two runners in scoring position, James notched his seventh strikeout of the night to end both the threat and his outing.

At the plate, Jupiter's offense continued its recent power outage. After getting an extra-base hit in 25 straight games from April 30th to May 25th, the Hammerheads have been held to singles in three of their last five games. Yankees starter Jairo Heredia was every bit James' equal on this night, giving up four hits in eight innings, striking out seven with just one walk.

In 11 starts by James, the Hammerheads have scored two runs or fewer 8 times. The only times the offense has finished with more than three runs in a game James started: a 5-4 win in 16 innings over Charlotte and a 9-run outburst in the left-hander's second start, when he could only go four innings and was thus ineligible for the win.

After watching James again go winless, Jupiter will look to even the series by sending its wins leader to the hill on Wednesday. Jose Alvarez goes for his sixth win of the season, facing off against Tampa's Sean Black at 6:35 p.m. at Roger Dean Stadium.

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Florida State League Stories from May 31, 2011


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