FSL1 Daytona Tortugas

Five Run Ninth Gives Cubs Victory Over Threshers

Published on May 3, 2009 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


For the first time all season the Daytona Cubs (10-13) came back after trailing going into the ninth inning and defeated the Clearwater Threshers (13-10), 7-4.

The Threshers struck first in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a miscue in the field by Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro. With two outs and Tim Kennelly on third base, Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Searle induced a ground ball off the bat of Fidel Hernandez, but it was mishandled by Castro and Kennelly came in to make it a 1-0 ball game. Daytona came right back with a run in the top of the third. The Cubs manufactured a run as Jonathan Wyatt and catcher Robinson Chirinos led off the inning with a couple singles. Castro followed with a sacrifice bunt and Wyatt came home on a ground ball by center fielder Tony Campana.

The Cubs took a 2-1 lead with one swing of the bat by Chirinos in the top of the fifth inning. Chirinos lined a home run over the left field wall for his first long ball of the season.

Ryan Searle had another strong performance for the Cubs. Searle went five innings and gave up two hits, one unearned run and struck out five.

The Threshers took advantage of Searle's exit in the sixth inning. Jose Pina came in to relieve Searle and struggled from the get go. Pina gave up four straight hits to start the inning and allowed nine hitters to come to the plate.

After two singles to kick off the inning Thresher right fielder Dominic Brown singled to right-center, which drove home Thresher center fielder Javis Diaz and tied the game at two. In the very next at bat designated hitter Tim Kennelly singled home shortstop Freddy Galvis to give the Threshers the lead.

The Threshers would add one more when Dominic Brown came home to score off a ground ball from catcher Joel Naughton.

The score remained 4-2 until the top of the ninth when the Cubs offense exploded for five runs off Thresher closer Jared Simon (0-1). Left fielder Marwin Gonzalez led off the inning drawing a walk from Simon and then advanced to second after a single from right fielder Jonathan Wyatt. Chirinos was next up for the Cubs and scorched a double down the left field line scoring both Gonzalez and Wyatt to tie the game at four.

Shortstop Starlin Castro then put the Cubs in front on a two run home run to left field, his first extra base hit of the year. The Cubs would add one more in the inning to cap off a five run ninth and hand Simon his first loss on the season.

Al Alburquerque (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth inning to pick up his first victory of the year.

Cubs closer David Cales came into the game and shut the door on the Threshers, picking up his third save.

The Cubs will take the field tomorrow in Tampa to take on the Yankees for the first time this season. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.

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Florida State League Stories from May 3, 2009


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