Dodgers Battle Rain, Cubs to Stay in First

Published on June 8, 2005 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Vero Beach Devil Rays News Release


Following three straight rainouts (all against cellar-dwellar St. Lucie), the Vero Beach Dodgers finally returned to action Sunday afternoon against the Daytona Cubs. After three innings, however, rain struck again and halted play until Monday. The Dodgers split that doubleheader then won an emotional 4-3 decision over the Cubs Tuesday night to stay 1 1/2 games ahead of Jupiter for first place in the Florida State League's East Division. The Dodgers also took home a couple of individual awards to complete a successful week.

To no one's surprise, Andy LaRoche topped the list of individual award winners. He took home Topps Florida State League Player of the Month for May. During that month, he batted .357 with an incredible 14 home runs in 28 games. He drove in 25 runs to help the first place surge for the Dodgers. Starting pitcher Justin Orenduff was also honored with his second Florida State League Pitcher of the Week award. He earned the notation for his 6 innings of shutout baseball against St. Lucie last Wednesday. He struck out a career-high 12 batters in the game to help the Dodgers to a 5-0 win.

Despite those recognitions, it has not been easy for the Dodgers to hang on to first. Jupiter has won three in a row and seven of their last 10 to put some pressure on the Dodgers. The team found themselves trailing 4-2 on Sunday before the rain hit and suspended play. So they took a 2-run deficit into the first game of Monday's doubleheader. But Danny Muegge, Hong-Chih Kuo and Orlando Rodriguez combined to shut down the Cubs bats, while the Vero offense awoke from its brief slumber. Tony Abreu's 2-run single in the fifth put the Dodgers on top for the first time, 6-5. Anthony Raglani's 8th-inning grand slam sealed the win. It was the second grand slam of the season for the Dodgers and it helped close out a 12-5 victory.

The second game didn't go quite so well. Daytona's J.R. Mathes turned in six shutout innings while steady offensive attack led the Cubs to a 6-2 win. Raglani supplied the power again for Vero, clubbing a 2-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to account for the Dodgers only runs. Ralgani finished the doubleheader 3-6. Matt Kemp went 4-8 in the two games to raise his average to .269.

The set up the rubber match Tuesday night. It was a grueling battle - worthy of the penultimate heavyweight fight in the new boxing movie "Cinderella Man." The teams combined for 13 hits, 13 walks, 2 hit batters, 3 errors and 3 wild pitches. Yet, only seven runs scored and the Dodgers came back to win the game 4-3. For the first three innings, Dodgers starter Julio Pimentel and Cubs pitcher Carlos Marmol showed an uncanny ability to pitch out of trouble. Both teams left four men on base those first three innings (including three at third base).

Daytona finally broke the ice in the fourth inning. J.J. Johnson reached on a 2-base error and Kevin Collins singled. A Paul O'Toole sacrifice fly brought home Johnson and Jake Fox singled in Collins to put the Cubs up 2-0. Vero immediately countered with one run. Cory Dunlap led off the inning with a walk and scored on an Xavier Paul ground out.

It stayed a 2-1 game until the sixth. Justin Ruggiano singled with one out for the Dodgers and immediately stole second base. Anthony Raglani walked, then Edwin Bellorin stroked a ground-rule double into the bullpen past the right field corner. That tied the score and one out later Tony Abreu delivered a single on an 0-2 count that scored both Raglani and Bellorin to put the Dodgers on top 4-2. The Cubs scored a run in the ninth and had the tying run at second base, but closer Mark Alexander struck out Robinson Chirinos to end the game.

With the win, the Dodgers all but knocked Daytona out of playoff contention in the first half of the season, which ends June 21. There are 11 games left and the Dodgers hold a 1 1/2 game lead over the Jupiter Hammerheads. Vero travels to Jupiter June 14-16, the last three games before the All-Star Break. The Dodgers will have two games at Brevard County after the break to close out the first half. Next on the schedule, though, is a 3-game road trip against the Palm Beach Cardinals. That will be followed by a 3-game homestand with Brevard before the trip to Jupiter. It's crunch time and the Dodgers are right in the thick of it!

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Florida State League Stories from June 8, 2005


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