FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Big Lead Goes Bye-Bye in Brevard

Published on August 1, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


VIERA, FL - With the run the Charlotte Stone Crabs have been on, a 6-2 lead in the seventh inning seemed like a sure bet.

Unfortunately, the Brevard County Manatees had other plans.

Brevard County scored five runs in the seventh, the last three on a home run by Fidel Pena, and Charlotte fell 7-6 on Sunday night at Space Coast Stadium.

The loss snapped a five-game win streak against the Manatees for the Stone Crabs, who remained a game out of first place in the FSL South thanks to Jupiter's third straight loss against Dunedin.

Jeff Howell gave up a run on two walks and two hits in the sixth, trimming a 6-1 lead to 6-2 entering the seventh inning. Howell began that frame by hitting Jose Cuas with a knuckleball, and an error by shortstop Andrew Velazquez on a double play ball put two on with nobody out. Velazquez committed another error on the very next play, as Blake Allemand reached on a botched grounder to score Cuas and make it 6-3.

Velazquez's nightmare inning continued, as he failed to record an out on a fielder's choice by Malik Collymore. It was the second time in seven games against Brevard County that Velazquez made two errors in the same inning, both of which proved to decide the game. Velazquez also made an error that allowed a run to score in the first inning, marking the first three-error game of the year by a Stone Crab.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Ian Gibaut relieved Howell and managed a groundout from Corey Ray that scored Wendell Rijo and cut the lead to 6-4. That's when Pena stepped up to deliver the game-winning homer, a blast that cleared the wall in right and put the Manatees ahead for good. It was the first home run allowed by Gibaut this season.

The Stone Crabs offense put together a heck of a night before losing the lead. Charlotte scored in each of the first three innings and four of the first six, despite not recording a single extra base hit. Jake Cronenworth, Grant Kay, Jace Conrad, and Cristian Toribio all had multiple hits, and Toribio drove in two runs.

Defense was not plentiful in this one. In addition to Velazquez's three errors, Brevard County's defense made four miscues. Only five of the 13 total runs were earned in the game. The Manatees had just one earned run and managed only four hits, three of which were hit by Pena.

The series between the Stone Crabs and the Manatees concludes tomorrow night at 6:35, as the Crabs prepare to play their final game at Space Coast Stadium before the Manatees head to Kissimmee for the 2017 season. Charlotte RHP Greg Harris (7-5, 3.76) takes the bump against Brevard County RHP Jon Perrin (1-7, 2.93). This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Florida State League Stories from August 1, 2016


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