Cornelius Homers in Debut as T-Yanks Beat
July 7, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Yankees News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - Kevin Cornelius helped the Tampa Yankees (9-6, 51-33) jumpstart their offense and defeat the Lakeland Flying Tigers (2-11, 36-45) in a 4-1 final on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field, snapping a season-long four-game losing streak.
Cornelius, added from rookie-level Pulaski earlier in the day, made his presence known by clobbering a three-run home run in his first at-bat in the Florida State League.
Abiatal Avelino and Thairo Estrada both singled to begin the bottom of the second. Cornelius came up and crushed a 1-1 pitch, from LHP Trent Szkutnik, over the left field wall, giving the T-Yanks a 3-0 lead while recording his first hit with the club.
James Reeves got the start for Tampa and tossed four shutout innings. The southpaw retired the first seven batters he faced and went on to scatter two hits and a walk, striking out five. Reeves threw 40 of 60 pitches for strikes and took a no-decision.
Lakeland got its lone run in the sixth when Christin Stewart hit a leadoff home run off RHP Jordan Foley.
Tampa regained a three-run cushion in the seventh. Estrada singled and Cornelius walked to begin the inning. RHP Gabe Hemmer relieved Szkutnik and Vicente Conde followed with an RBI single into center.
Szkutnik (L, 0-2) allowed four earned runs on seven hits in six-plus innings of work, walking one while striking out five. The southpaw threw 52 of 82 pitches for strikes.
Foley (W, 3-0) earned the win in relief, striking out five while allowing a run on three hits and a walk in two innings. RHP Willie Gabay tallied a strikeout while holding Lakeland to a hit and a walk in an inning and a third. RHP Dillon McNamara (SV, 7) closed out the win with a pair of strikeouts in an inning and a third, yielding one hit.
Up next, the Yankees head to Jupiter to battle the Hammerheads in a four-game series; beginning on Friday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Domingo Acevedo (1-1, 2.70 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Tampa against LHP Michael Mader (3-5, 4.19 ERA) for Jupiter.
Estrada (2-for-3, 2R) is batting .467 (7-for-15) in his last four games. Cornelius (1-for-2, HR, BB, 3RBI, R) reached twice in his debut with Tampa. Conde (1-for-3, RBI) collected his 16th RBI. Mason Williams (1-for-4) tallied his second hit since in his rehab stint.
The T-Yanks return home to Tampa on Wednesday to host the Fort Myers Miracle in a four-game set, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Every Wednesday Night Tampa Yankees home game, kids 14 and under receive a coupon for a FREE hot dog, bag of cracker jack, and small soda or HI-C with the purchase of a lower reserved ticket ($5)! **Ticket and Food Special can ONLY be purchased at the George M. Steinbrenner Field Box Office. 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 July 7, 2016
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- Sandberg Smacks 3 Hits in Loss - Clearwater Threshers
- Biondi's Big Hit Leads Mets to 8-5 Win at Jupiter - St. Lucie Mets
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