Marlins Edge Petersburg 7-6 for Fourth Straight Win

July 23, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Morehead City Marlins News Release


MOREHEAD CITY, N.C.- The Generals turned a seven-run deficit into a one-run game in the late innings, but the Marlins were able to hold on for a 7-6 win - their fourth straight - at Big Rock Stadium on Wednesday night.

Matt Tindall, who closed the door on the Asheboro Copperheads on Wednesday, came on in the eighth with one out and two inherited runners on base and was asked to record a five out save. He struck out the last two batters to end the inning, and then struck out the side in the ninth, working around two base runners to record his third save in three chances.

"It's just one pitch at a time," Tindall said. "What's going on in the game around you effects you, but you just have to focus one pitch at a time and control the things you can control."

"[Tindall] has been huge, look at the last two games," head coach Sam Carel said. "For him to go back-to-back like he did these last two nights in games where we didn't play our best and just compete to find a way to win was huge."

In Tindall's last 12.1 innings of work, he has allowed just one earned run (.73 ERA) and has struck out 16 batters. He is also currently riding an 8.2 inning scoreless streak, which is the third longest scoreless streak by any Marlins' pitcher this year and the second longest by a reliever.

"He is getting strike one, that has been the biggest difference," Carel said.

"I just keep working away," Tindall added. "Some of my [earlier] struggles were unfortunate, and I kind of let it affect me on the mound a little bit. I have just reset my mind and I'm going one pitch at a time and I have that confidence back."

Tindall's save helped earn Davis Kirkpatrick his first win of the season on a night that he rightly deserved it. Kirkpatrick tossed six innings and allowed just two runs, both of which came in his sixth inning of work. He retired the first ten batters he faced in the game, and worked 1-2-3 innings in four of the first five. His outing Wednesday was tied for his longest of the season, and it came just one start after his shortest - a forgettable start against Wilmington on July 10.

"That was by far his best start of the year," Carel said. "Now he can get into a routine where he will be able to finish the season strong."

"I came out thinking pound the strike zone more than I did the last time when I was trying to be a little to fancy," Kirkpatrick said. "This outing I didn't have the strikeouts I usually have, but that is sometimes how it goes. When you spot up you get outs, you get a lot of ground balls."

He got nine ground balls in all, six of which were hit to Nick Lombardi at second, who made some terrific plays.

"Lombardi was great behind me today," Kirkpatrick said. "He played a heck of a game."

Kirkpatrick was helped by five early runs from his offense - three in the first and two more in the second. The Marlins stole five bases in the first inning, including a steal of home from Johnny Caputo, after he knocked in the first two runs of the inning with a single. They plated heir second inning runs when Alex Torres laced an RBI double for his third and fourth RBI in two games this season.

The Marlins tacked on two more, including the eventual winning run, in the third on a Trent Leimkuehler RBI single and an error on catcher Dylan Yankle after Leimkuehler stole third.

Caputo finished 1-for-2 with two walks and his team-leading 24th and 25th RBI, Andrew Amaro walked twice, stole two bases and scored two runs and Dalton Britt extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the seventh. The Marlins had seven stolen bases in the game, which was their most in any game this year.

With the win, the Marlins remain in first place in the CPL East over the Peninsula Pilots. Morehead City will play host to Edenton on Friday, with first pitch at 7:05 from Big Rock Stadium.



Coastal Plain League Stories from July 23, 2014


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