FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

'Cards End 'Crabs Winning Streak

Published on August 7, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


JUPITER, FL - All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for the Stone Crabs, it was the longest winning streak of the season. On Thursday night, the Cardinals did just enough to get the 4-1 win behind six strong innings from former first rounder Tyrell Jenkins. For the first time in nearly two weeks, Charlotte looked human, and the bats came through with just four hits in their first loss since July 25. The game dropped them back to .500 with a second half record of 22-22.

After leading throughout the entire game in the opener on Wednesday night, the Stone Crabs let Palm Beach take the early lead in the home second. A leadoff single from Bruce Caldwell and a wild pitch from Jared Mortensen allowed Ildemaro Vargas to knock in the first run on a 1-0 pitch to put the `Cards ahead 1-0. Mortensen then fanned catcher Dante Rosenberg looking for the third out, but more would come in the third.

Greg Miclat's chopper off first baseman Jonathan Quionez led to a high drive off the bat of designated hitter Aledmys Diaz for a two run bomb and a 3-0 lead. With one out, Luke Voit's bouncer to Tyler Goeddel at third was thrown across low for the second error of the inning. Bruce Caldwell's single and a walk to Anthony Garcia loaded the bases, but Mortensen stopped the bleeding with an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Mason Katz.

Jenkins struck out two Stone Crabs in both the second and third thanks to a hard fastball and a biting curve. He surrendered a leadoff single to Patrick Leonard in the fourth before Josh Sale crushed a double to straightaway center to get them back within a couple of runs at 3-1. Jenkins sixth strikeout came when he punched out Granden Goetzman looking to retire the side and send it to the fifth.

Mortensen (0-1) was taken out after the fourth and replaced with Ryan Garton, the Trinity, Florida native. Following two quick outs to begin the frame, Voit banged a double over the head of Johnny Field in center. Three pitches later, Caldwell used an inside-out swing to squirt another double down the left field line to give the `Cards their second three-run lead at 4-1. Garton worked through the sixth by retiring the final four hitters he faced, and lefties Kevin Brandt and Jose Molina threw scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth.

Jenkins (5-3) retired the Stone Crabs in order in the fifth and sixth, aided by a Field double play around the horn after Quionez was plunked with a 1-2 fastball with one out in the fifth. The Stone Crabs final hit came on an infield single by Goeddel to lead off the seventh against Logan Billbrough, but he'd retire the next three hitters in a row. For the last two innings, Cardinals manager Dann Bilardello used reliable closer Dixon Llorens to secure the final six out for his ninth save on a night when the Stone Crabs saw a nine-game winning streak disappear.

The teams will decide the series on Friday night at 5:35 PM when Reinaldo Lopez (6-4, 3.40 ERA) goes up against Luke Weaver (0-1, 27.00 ERA). You can follow all the action by listening to the game on www.stonecrabsbaseball.com via TuneIn Radio, or tuning into 91.7 FM-WVIJ in the Port Charlotte area. The Stone Crabs Pregame Show starts at 5:15 PM on the Stone Crabs Radio Network!

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Florida State League Stories from August 7, 2014


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