FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Manatees Walk It off in Ninth

Published on July 13, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


VIERA, FL - The Stone Crabs came within three outs of winning their third consecutive game on Saturday night, but it wasn't meant to be. In one of the most thrilling games of the year, they battled the Manatees across seven scoreless innings until Josh Sale broke the tie with a solo home run in the eighth. However, it wasn't enough, and the Manatees responded with two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 2-1 win to earn a split in the first two games of this four game series.

In one of the best duels of the year, Reinaldo Lopez went toe to toe with Hobbs Johnson, who was attempting to become the first pitcher in the league to reach 10 wins. Following a pair of singles in the home first, Lopez got the dangerous Tyrone Taylor to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play. With Nathan Orf at third, Cameron Garfield grounded out to Tommy Coyle at second to retire the side.

Johnson handled the Stone Crabs through his first five innings, and helped himself out when he fielded a Tyler Goeddel liner in the second following a one out single by Maxx Tissenbaum. The southpaw threw back to first to complete the inning ending double play, and he'd retire the next eight hitters in a row. Goeddel's two out double in the fifth gave Josh Sale a chance to break the scoreless tie, but he struck out swinging to end the inning.

Manatees manager Joe Ayrault then had to go to his bullpen unexpectedly once Johnson came up limping during his warmup pitches before the seventh. Fellow southpaw Steven Peterson got off to a nice start once he retired the side in the seventh. He then got Tissenbaum and Goeddel to ground out to start the eighth, but his first pitch to Sale was clobbered over the wall in right center to give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead.

Lopez left after seven shutout innings in an attempt to win his first game since June 7. Kevin Brandt's night out of the bullpen started with a walk to number nine hitter Jose Sermo. He then picked off the Manatees designated hitter before getting Nathan Orf and Michael Reed to ground out to send it to the ninth. Charlotte got a one out single from Leonardo Reginatto and a walk to Patrick Leonard, but Peterson got Tissenbaum and Goeddel to fly out to center for the last two outs.

With Brandt going for his fifth save against the heart of the order, his plans were rudely interrupted by Taylor's leadoff double off the wall in deep left center. He then worked ahead of Garfield 0-2 before the catcher tied the score with a triple to the base of the fence in straightaway center. Down to his final options, Jared Sandberg brought in Ariel Soriano from center as an extra infielder, leaving Granden Goetzman and Marty Gantt alone in the gaps. An intentional walk to Victor Roache preceded a groundout back to Brandt off the bat of Mike Garza. Alfredo Rodriguez then rolled a grounder up the middle, but Reginatto's throw to the plate sailed to the backstop and Garfield scored the winning run.

The series continues on Sunday night at 5:05 PM when Marcus Jensen (3-3, 3.05 ERA) makes his second start of the season against the Manatees Damien Magnifico (5-5, 3.95 ERA). You can follow all the action by listening to the game on www.stonecrabsbaseball.com via TuneIn Radio, or tuning into 91.7 FM-WVIJ in the Port Charlotte area. The Stone Crabs Pregame Show starts at 4:45 PM on the Stone Crabs Radio Network!

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Florida State League Stories from July 13, 2014


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