Marlins Come up Short in Close 3-2 Loss to Petersburg
Published on June 6, 2014 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Morehead City Marlins News Release
PETERSBURG, V.A.- The Marlins put together a rally with two men on in the ninth, but failed to mount a comeback as they fell 3-2 to the Petersburg Generals Friday to kick off a five-game road trip.
Morehead City collected nine hits in the game, but left 10 men on base, as they were only able to push across two runs - both of which came in the sixth inning. In that inning, Nick Lombardi (1-for-3) led off with a double and later scored on a balk from starter Grant Crain, and Garrett McKinzie (1-for-4) drove in his team-leading fifth run of the season with an RBI single. Aside from that, the Generals were able to work out of jams, stranding at least on Marlin on base in every inning but the third and the eighth. In the ninth, the Marlins failed to score the tying run despite him being on third with just one out.
"We are getting guys on, and putting ourselves in good positions," said assistant coach Aaron Meade. "We have to find a way to make it happen, and get a grounder or sacrifice fly and get that run across."
Crain, who ended up tossing seven innings got the win in the ballgame, while the loss went to Jordan Knutson, who allowed the go-ahead run to score in the sixth.
In that sixth inning, Knutson retired the leadoff batter on a groundout, but then allowed three straight singles to load the bases. Generals' right fielder Ryan Owens smoked a ball to left field, deep enough to score the run from third without a throw.
Prior to Friday, Knutson had not allowed a hit this season, but was touched up for five hits in two innings of work against Petersburg.
"He made a few good pitches, balls just kind of found holes a little bit," Meade said. "He is throwing great, he is a big part of our bullpen and it is going to stay that way, but when we put up runs and put up a lead or tie the game we have to be able to hold it. "
That was the difference maker in a game that featured a lot of base runners, and some gutsy performances on the hill to work out of jams.
Kyle Driscoll, who started his first game for the Marlins, danced around a bases loaded situation in the first, and a runner on third in the third inning, but escaped those unscathed as he departed after allowing a leadoff single in the fourth. He exit was due in part to a high pitch count caused from walking five batters.
"That was the biggest thing," Meade said. "He threw really well. [But] you can't give them free passes. I told him, if he throws strikes nobody is going to hit him. If he can eliminate [walks], that kid has great stuff and he going to go a long way for us."
The bullpen picked up Driscoll, keeping it a close game for the duration despite some close calls with sticky situations. Scott Edge also worked out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, and Chris Good got a line-drive double play to prevent any damage after a one-out base runner in the eighth.
But he Generals worked themselves out of just as many dangerous innings, including two base runners on in the first, second and ninth without allowing any of them to score. In the end, the lone hiccup from Marlins' pitching in that sixth inning is what ultimately allowed Petersburg to win its fourth straight.
The Marlins will be back in action Saturday for the second game of their week-long road stint, as they will head to Peninsula to take on the Pilots. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 6, 2014
- Blowfish Fall 8-5 at Gastonia - Lexington County Blowfish
- Marlins Come up Short in Close 3-2 Loss to Petersburg - Morehead City Marlins
- SwampDogs Win Third in a Row - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- SwampDogs Bite Sharks, 5-1 - Fayetteville SwampDogs
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