Dodgers cough up lead

Published on July 2, 2006 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Vero Beach Devil Rays News Release


(Port St. Lucie) - The Vero Beach Dodgers brought a 5-run lead into the seventh inning but could not hold on as the St. Lucie Mets came back to win 9-7 Sunday night at Tradition Field. Despite issuing nine walks and committing three errors, the Mets won their 8th straight and the Dodgers dropped their 5th in a row. The Dodgers return home Monday night at 6:30 PM for an early Independence Day Celebration.

Vero Beach took advantage of early mistakes from the Mets to come back from a 2-0 deficit. Anthony Raglani led off the 4th with a walk and Cole Bruce followed with the first of his three hits. One out later Chris Westervelt crushed a home run off the left field scoreboard to put the Dodgers ahead 3-2. The scoring continued in the inning when David Nicholson walked, stole second and eventuall came home on the Mets first error of the game.

Vero pulled away in the 6th. Nicholson led off with a ground-rule double to right field. Jamie Hoffmann then bunted and pitcher Rafael Cova threw the ball away to bring in Nicholson and advance Hoffmann to second base. He went to third on a ground out then beat a throw home on the next ground ball from Blake DeWitt. DeWitt then stole second and went to third on a wild throw. He scored on Anthony Raglani's single to give the Dodgers an impressive 7-2 lead.

Reliever Brent Leach retired the Mets in order in the 6th, but ran into trouble in the 7th. He walked Yunir Garcia then allowed back-to-back singles from Ivan Naccarata and Jose Coronado to load the bases. Corey Coles then walked on four straight pitches to force in a run and knock Leach out of the game.

Albenis Castillo entered and promptly surrendered a single to Jose Cruz that scored two more Mets and cut the lead to 7-5. Mike Carp followed up with a RBI-single of his own that also advanced Cruz to third. Jamar Hill then grounded into a double play, but Cruz scored to tie the game at seven.

In the bottom of the 8th, Alhaji Turay led off with a home run to put St. Lucie on top. Later in the inning Naccarata doubled and Coronado singled him in. The gave the Mets the 9-7 win and St. Lucie improved their first place record to 8-1. Vero Beach fell to 3-7 in the 2nd half and 29-49 overall.

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Florida State League Stories from July 2, 2006


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