FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

'Cards Fly Past Stone Crabs 6-1

Published on June 19, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - With the first half of the season in the books, all 12 Florida State League teams can switch gears and prepare for the final 70 games. Across the state, it appeared as if the Blue Jays would fall to the lowly Threshers, but the league's best team rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to win 5-4. At Charlotte Sports Park, it was more of the same letdown for the Stone Crabs, who watched the Cardinals pull away with three runs in the top of the eighth in a 6-1 victory on Thursday night to start a six-game homestand.

Ildemaro Vargas hit a one out double in the top of the first off Austin Pruitt before stopping at third on a single by Breyvic Valera. Luke Voit then spiked a grounder to Tyler Goeddel at third, which forced Valera out at second, but Tommy Coyle's throw to try and complete the inning-ending double play bounced away from Patrick Leonard for an error and a 1-0 Cardinals lead.

In their first two games against Joe Cuda, the Stone Crabs had made easy work of the St. Petersburg native early on. A two out rally began in the second once Josh Sale sent a soft liner into center on a 3-2 pitch to continue the inning for Marty Gantt. Two pitches later, the left fielder tied the score with a perfectly placed RBI triple down into the right field corner for his 15th run batted in. Julian Ridings then worked the count to 3-1 before Cuda got him to ground out to short to retire the side.

Charlie Tilson then opened the third with a leadoff double, advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Vargas that Justin O'Conner couldn't throw to third in time for the out. Valera lifted a fly ball to left for Gantt to catch, but his throw to the plate to get Tilson was just a tad late and the Cardinals were back in front 2-1. However, they would only get a single baserunner the rest of the time against Pruitt after Tilson reached on a dropped third strike with one out in the fifth.

The Stone Crabs wasted a prime opportunity in the sixth after Leonard roped his second single off Cuda with one out. On the next pitch, O'Conner banged a double to the warning track in left, putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. But Cuda (5-5) closed out his stellar performance by getting Kes Carter and Goeddel to ground out to retire the side.

With the Cardinals still leading 2-1, Parker Markel walked the bases loaded with one out in the eighth before being removed for Ryan Garton. Bruce Caldwell's RBI single made it 3-1 before Alex Mejia's grounder to short forced the second out at the plate. Another walk to David Washington made it 4-1 and Jimmy Bosco's RBI single into shallow right scored one more for a 5-1 lead. The final run came in during the top of the ninth when Valera delivered an RBI single into left to score Gerwuins Velazco, who had opened the frame with a leadoff double.

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Florida State League Stories from June 19, 2014


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