FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

First Half Ends with Extra Inning Defeat

Published on June 23, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


FORT MYERS, FL - Joe Maloney hit a walk-off sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the tenth inning, and the Charlotte Stone Crabs closed the first half with a 3-2 extra inning loss to the Fort Myers Miracle at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday night.

The game started off well for the Stone Crabs, as it did in all three games of the series. Andrew Velazquez and Alec Sole smacked back-to-back one-out singles against Miracle flamethrower Fernando Romero, and Justin Williams followed up with a two-run double to give Charlotte a 2-0 lead.

In the first two innings of games over the course of the series in Fort Myers, the Stone Crabs scored a total of five runs. In innings three and beyond, they were scoreless.

Fort Myers got one back in each of the first two frames. T.J. White walked to lead off the home half of the first against Greg Harris, went to third on two wild pitches, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Chris Paul to cut the lead to 2-1.

In the following inning, Trey Vavra led off with a single, and A.J. Murray hit a fly ball to deep right-center that Thomas Milone lost in the lights, turning what could have been the first out into a game-tying RBI triple. The Miracle left Murray stranded on third with no outs, leading to a tie that lasted all the way until the tenth. Fort Myers was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and less than 2 outs through regulation.

That finally changed in the tenth. Knuckleballer Jeff Howell (1-3), working his third inning of the night, walked Brian Navarreto to lead off the frame. White bunted him over to second, and Howell intentionally walked Edgar Corcino to set up the force, since only Navarreto's run mattered to the game's end result. Paul managed to flick a single into right field, loading the bases for Maloney, who flew a 2-2 pitch into deep right that scored Navarreto and won the game.

The second half begins on Thursday night in Bradenton, as the Stone Crabs play the first of 15 second half games with the first half division champion Marauders. RHP Chris Pike (2-6, 3.44) takes the ball for Charlotte against Bradenton RHP Jonathan Brubaker (0-1, 7.20). First pitch from McKechnie Field is scheduled for 6:30.

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Florida State League Stories from June 23, 2016


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