FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

'Crabs Clip Yanks 3-1

Published on July 28, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (July 28, 2014) - For the first time in awhile, the Stone Crabs were able to wake up in their own beds following a week on the road in a Clearwater hotel. Facing a hot Yankees team, it appeared both sides came out of the gate a little flat in the opening game of a four game series at Charlotte Sports Park. Tyler Goeddel's two-run single in the fifth inning proved to be the difference while Jose Molina and Zach Cooper backed Blake Snell's five shutout innings in a 3-1 victory on Monday night.

Snell slipped through the first following walks to Aaron Judge and Greg Bird thanks to an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Dante Bichette Jr. The lefthander then came out for the second and plunked Eric Jagielo on the elbow with his first offering. However, an Angelo Gumbs grounder kicked off Snell and out to Coyle right at second base for another double play. Cito Culver then struck out swinging to end the inning, on a night when Snell would finish with seven of them.

Charlotte's first chance against Jhon Morban in his Florida State League debut went away once Granden Goetzman grounded out to retire the side with runners at the corners in the second. Following a perfect third, Morban walked Justin O'Conner on four straight pitches to begin the fourth. Maxx Tissenbaum looped a double down the left field line to put runners at the corners with nobody out. After Ariel Soriano popped out to catcher Wes Wilson, Jonathan Quionez lifted a drive to center that was deep enough for O'Conner to tag and break the scoreless tie. Unfortunately, Tissenbaum followed the throw to the plate but was thrown out trying to get to third for the final out.

Snell surrendered a pair of one out singles to Jagielo and Gumbs in the fourth, but struck out Culver and Wilson before his final inning in the fifth. Once again, a couple of walks posed a threat but O'Conner caught Claudio Custodio trying to steal second and Snell (3-5) struck out two more in a scoreless frame. In the bottom of the inning, the Stone Crabs added to the lead thanks to a leadoff single by Josh Sale and a hard double to the left field wall off Goetzman's bat.

With Morban (0-1) out, Kyle Haynes went to work and fanned Johnny Field for the first out. The next pitch was chopped into center past the shallow infield by Goeddel, driving in the runs and giving his team a 3-0 lead. Jose Molina brushed past the Yanks in the sixth but Culver's leadoff triple in the seventh allowed Wilson to bring him home with a grounder to Goeddel at third. The throw was high for an error and a walk to Judge put the tying runs on base, but Bird flied out shallow left to retire the side.

In the eighth, Tampa came calling again when a pair of walks and an error at short by Soriano loaded the bases with one out for Wilson. O'Conner's standout defense made its return when he threw back to third and picked off Jagielo for the second out. For O'Conner, his second pickoff in as many nights gave him a remarkable 14 this season. Molina then closed out the inning and his night by striking out Wilson before Zach Cooper came in for a 1-2-3 ninth and his third save in his last four appearances.

The series continues Tuesday night at 6:30 PM when Reinaldo Lopez (6-4, 3.48 ERA) leads the Stone Crabs against Tampa's Caleb Smith (2-0, 0.75 ERA). It's $2 Tuesday, where you can get a reserved seat for just $2! Fans can also get 12 oz. domestic drafts and sodas for only $2 until the end of the 5th inning. There are still great seats available, so visit www.stonecrabsbaseball.com or call 941-206-HITS (4487) to order your tickets now!

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Florida State League Stories from July 28, 2014


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