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Charlotte Stone Crabs

Punchless in Port Charlotte

April 29, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


Charlotte Stone Crabs OF Cade Gotta
Charlotte Stone Crabs OF Cade Gotta
(Charlotte Stone Crabs, Credit: Jim Donten)

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - Baseball is such a cruel mistress.

One night after blasting four home runs and scoring ten times, the Charlotte Stone Crabs were two-hit in a tough 5-0 loss to the Fort Myers Miracle on Friday night at Charlotte Sports Park.

The shutout loss marked the third consecutive game against the Miracle in which the Stone Crabs failed to score. Charlotte has gone 32 straight innings against Fort Myers without a run. No other team has shut out the Stone Crabs once in 2016.

The Stone Crabs did not reach safely on any ball hit to the outfield. Cade Gotta beat out a soft grounder to short in the second inning for Charlotte's first hit of the game, and Bralin Jackson hit one into the hole at third in the ninth that was knocked down but not fielded cleanly by Miracle third baseman Chris Paul. The former extended Gotta's season-high hitting streak to nine games.

Keaton Steele (1-2) was absolutely dominant for Fort Myers, displaying impressively sharp stuff in seven one-hit innings. Steele did not have great command, walking three, but he more than made up for it with a nasty arsenal of pitches that baffled the Stone Crabs hitters all night. Steele fanned four in the outing.

On the opposing side, Hunter Wood (1-2) was fabulous on the mound for the Stone Crabs, but was victimized by poor defense and timing. In the third, Alec Sole failed to field a routine grounder from Paul, and then Nick Gordon snuck a grounder inside the first base bag and down the line for a double to put runners on second and third with no out. Trey Vavra grounded to second, scoring Paul, and Alex Swim hit a sac fly to center, bringing home Gordon to make it 2-0. Thanks to Sole's error, neither run was earned.

Wood wasn't so fortunate in the seventh. Cruising with one out in the inning, Swim and Max Murphy both singled, and Wood issued his one walk of the night to Logan Wade to load the bases. Nearing 100 pitches, Wood coaxed a grounder to first out of Edgar Corcino, getting the force at home, but Corcino beat Nick Ciuffo's throw to home to keep the inning alive.

Wood was removed at his limit, and Yoel Espinal's first pitch was served into right for a two-run single by Kevin Garcia. Espinal showed a strong fastball in his relief appearance, but also gave up a solo home run to Wade in the ninth for the final run.

The series continues tomorrow night on the biggest night of the homestand, as North Port Community Night takes over Charlotte Sports Park along with post-game fireworks. RHP Benton Moss (0-1, 4.76) takes the hill for the Stone Crabs against Miracle RHP Felix Jorge (1-1, 0.92). For tickets, visit stonecrabsbaseball.com, call 941-206-HITS, or stop by the FCB Box Office anytime from 10 a.m. through the game.

Check out the Charlotte Stone Crabs Statistics




Images from this story

Charlotte Stone Crabs OF Cade Gotta
Charlotte Stone Crabs OF Cade Gotta
(Jim Donten)		   

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