Redfish Stunned After Another Great Comeback

Published on August 5, 2007 under South Coast League (SCL)
Charlotte County Redfish News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL- The Charlotte County Redfish were poised and ready to bounce back against the South Georgia Peanuts Friday night. The Redfish were up early but found themselves down late in the game. After coming back to tie the game in the top of the 8th inning, the Peanuts loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th inning. Mike Caruso broke the Redfish's hearts as he singled with the bases loaded to give edged out the 'Fish 10-9.

The Redfish did something tonight that they haven't done in their current skid: score first. After being set down in order by Peanuts' starter Austin Weilep in the 1st inning, William Plaza put one up the middle to start of the 2nd inning. Jason Hurst followed with a 4-pitch and Josh Murray drilled one down to third but Mike Caruso snared out right out of the air. Weilep though drilled Jose Gutierrez to load the bases and Mike Muscato came through with 2 RBI double that was misplayed by right-fielder Kyle Keen and the 'Fish were up 2-0. Charlotte County added another run as Jared Williams placed a single into leftfield and the Redfish had a 3-0 lead.

Ryan Amason got the start for the Redfish and was stellar early. Amason got himself out of one of his toughest spot on the night in 2nd inning. After striking out Kyle Keen to start the inning, Nick Prosise drew a walk and Jasha Balcom doubled into the gap in right field to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Amason got Steve Butler to ground to first baseman William Plaza who cut down Prosise trying to score and then got Weilep to fly out to end the inning.

South Georgia reached Amason in the 6th inning as he surrendered 3 walks to load the bases with only 1 out. The Redfish bullpen couldn't get out of the jam as Cecil Fielder brought in Daniel Chaffardet. Balcom doubled down the leftfield line to bring in a pair and Butler singled up the middle between shortstop Josh Murray and PJ Lehmann to tie the game at 3. The Peanuts added 2 more runs on an error and sacrifice fly against reliever Mike Rigazio and Aaron Simmons to take a 5-3 lead.

PJ Lehmann brought the 'Fish within a run at 5-4 with a RBI triple scoring Millard Dawson in top of the 7th inning. The Peanuts again exploded as they loaded the bases twice in the bottom of the 7th inning. South Georgia used 5 hits including two RBI singles and got two sacrifices flies to bring home 5 more runs and take a 9-5 lead. Again the Redfish came right back. In the top of the 8th, Hurst drew his second walk of the night which Josh Murray followed with a triple tattooed to the right centerfield gap to make the score 9-6. Charlotte County added 4 more runs as Jared Williams brought in on a run on a sacrifice fly and Lehmann, Billy Hogan and Plaza all hit RBI singles to tie the game at 9.

Froilan Ramirez silenced the Peanuts as he struck out the side in the bottom of the 8th inning and it seemed the 'Fish were poised to crack South Georgia. With two outs in the top of the 9th, Mike Muscato reached out and placed Peanuts' reliever Chris Webb's pitch into shallow right field. Dawson and Williams each drew walks to load the bases but Lehmann couldn't push a run home as he grounded out to second to end the inning.

Butler leadoff the bottom of the 9th with a walk and with Johnny Williams at the plate, a pitch that appeared to be a strike on the outside corner got Muscato and Fielder up in arms at home plate umpire Charles Stamper. Fielder headed to the showers and Ramirez missed on a pitch inside that clipped Williams to put two on. Muscato bounced right back and made a spectacular catch he didn't have to make. Muscato laid out behind home to catch on Tug Gillingham third-strike fouled bunt. Williams then made a spectacular catch of his own on a Goodwin flyball to leftfield for the 2nd out of the inning. The Peanuts though drew another walk to again load the bases and Andy Polk came in to try and send the game to extra innings. Mike Caruso erased that thought with the game winning RBI single out of the reach of Plaza and the Peanuts walked-off 10-9 in game that last nearly 4 ½ hours.

The Redfish conclude the short road-trip and season series against Peanuts tomorrow night, August 4th. RHP Ricardo Gomez (2-2, 2.45) takes the hill against Dumas Garcia (6-2, 2.70). Game time is set for 7:05 PM. All Redfish games can be heard on 1070 AM WKII and online at www.redfishbaseball.com. For more information, check out www.redfishbaseball.com. Charlotte County Redfish Baseball - Reel in the Fun

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South Coast League Stories from August 5, 2007


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