FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Crabs Bounce Back against Cardinals

Published on May 12, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - With the King of Bouncing Back on the mound, the Stone Crabs...well, bounced back.

Greg Harris overcame a four-home run outing his last time out to allow one run on four hits in six innings, and the Stone Crabs responded to a 10-3 loss on Wednesday with a resounding 7-3 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday night at Charlotte Sports Park.

Harris (4-2) is no stranger to coming back from a tough outing. The right-hander made it through just four innings in his first start of the year, then turned around to throw back-to-back shutouts in his next two outings. On Thursday night, Harris entered off a brutal start in Bradenton last week, where the wind helped the Marauders to four home runs.

That wasn't going to happen on this night. Harris struggled with a tight strike zone, walking four, but outside of a three-hit fifth was virtually unhittable. He took a first inning lead and ran with it, never giving away the advantage in a wire-to-wire win.

The Stone Crabs offense provided plenty of ammunition. It started in the first, when Cade Gotta drew a two-out walk and Nick Ciuffo reached on an error to extend the inning. Mac James smacked a single to right off of Cardinals starter Ian McKinney (2-3), putting the Crabs ahead 1-0. Charlotte scored again in the third, with a James fielder's choice bringing home Riley Unroe from third base. It was the ninth straight game in which the Stone Crabs scored in the third inning.

The big blows came in the fifth and sixth. In the former, Alec Sole walked up with the bases loaded and ended McKinney's night with a two-run single to right, scoring Unroe and Ciuffo to make it 4-1 Crabs. New pitcher Chandler Hawkins coaxed a grounder from Cristian Toribio, but shortstop Oscar Mercado botched the handle, and James came home from third. Sole was thrown out heading to third on the same play to end the inning. One inning later, Pat Blair walloped his third home run of the season, a two-run shot that ended any hope of a Cardinals comeback.

The Stone Crabs welcome in the Jupiter Hammerheads for a single-admission double-header on Star Wars Night, with Game 1 beginning at 5 p.m. RHP Chris Pike (1-2, 3.78) gets the ball for the Stone Crabs in the opener against RHP Jorgan Cavanerio (1-3, 5.46), and knuckleballer Jeff Howell (0-1, 3.12) goes for Charlotte against Jupiter LHP James Buckelew (0-0, 1.02) in the nightcap. Wear your Star Wars gear to the FCB Box Office and receive a $2 reserved level ticket.

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Florida State League Stories from May 12, 2016


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