FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

'Crabs Survive Mets, Win 11-8

Published on August 20, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (August 19, 2014) - The eighth inning of Tuesday night's game between the Stone Crabs and Mets unraveled so quickly that both teams blinked and saw their fortunes change. For Charlotte, a six run lead disappeared in the blink of an eye until Ryan Garton showed up to save the day. Then in the bottom of the inning, St. Lucie lost their handle on all the momentum and watched the `Crabs take the lead right back on the way to a wild 11-8 victory in front of 1,551 at Charlotte Sports Park.

Scoreless in the third, Juniel Querecuto led off the home half with a single off Angel Cuan, who was making his first Florida State League start in 2014 after starting the season in Double-A Binghamton. A one out double from Johnny Field led to Maxx Tissenbaum getting hit with a 1-2 pitch to load the bases. The very next pitch to Patrick Leonard was clobbered to left for a grounds rule double that scored a pair and made it 2-0 Stone Crabs. A Tyler Goeddel RBI groundout to second brought in the final tally in a three-run inning. The lead increased to 4-0 in the fifth following a triple by Field and an opposite field single to left by Tissenbaum.

St. Lucie loaded the bases with nobody out against Reinaldo Lopez in the sixth thanks to a couple of base hits by Maikis De La Cruz and L.J. Mazzilli and a walk to Cam Maron. Gavin Cecchini brought in a run, but it came at the expense of a double play that was perfectly started by Tyler Goeddel at third. Another walk to Jared King brought out Marcus Jensen from the bullpen, which quickly resulted in a Cole Frenzel RBI single that got the Mets to within 4-2.

A quick response from the `Crabs in the bottom of the sixth meant all nine batters came to the plate. The highlights of the inning came on run scoring base hits by Ariel Soriano and Tommy Coyle, as well as a two run single from Leonard, who finished with his first four RBI game. However, that would all change in the fateful eighth when the Mets took advantage of the bullpen.

Nick Sawyer loaded the bases when he surrendered singles to Mazzilli and Maron before walking Cecchini on four pitches. Another walk to Jared King scored a run and sent Jose Molina to clean it up from the bullpen. Mets' pinch-hitter Phillip Evans drew another four pitch walk right before Gilbert Gomez added to the intrigue with a grounds rule double to left center to make it 8-6. Eudy Pina knocked a run scoring single to make it a one run game and another walk to Jeff McNeil loaded the bases with nobody out. With the tying run at third, Garton (6-2) emerged from the shadows and got De La Cruz to hit into a huge 4-6-3 double play. Mazzilli then could have given the Mets their first lead but he flied out to center to retire the side with the go-ahead run at third.

Field lit the fuse in the bottom of the eighth with a one out single off Brock Wheeler. Tissenbaum drew a walk and a single by Leonard loaded the bases for Goeddel. A wild pitch through Maron's legs scored Field to give the Stone Crabs another lead at 9-8. Marty Gantt later drew a walk with two outs to reload the bases for Granden Goetzman, who smoked the first pitch for a two-run double an 11-8 edge. Colton Reavis then converted his sixth save with a perfect ninth to give Charlotte its first series victory against a divisional opponent aside from Jupiter since April 30.

The series wraps up on Wednesday night at 6:30 PM when Austin Pruitt (9-5, 3.69 ERA) goes for the sweep against Matthew Koch (7-4, 5.20 ERA). 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 August 20, 2014


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