FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Stone Crabs Fall to 1-5

Published on April 10, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


FORT MYERS, FL (April 9, 2014) - The best news for the Stone Crabs was that the offense showed some life for the first time in nearly a week at Hammond Stadium. After outhitting the Miracle 8-6 in a 4-2 loss in game one, Charlotte turned in its best offensive performance despite a 10-6 final in game two. However, new highs were set in runs scored, hits, and runs in one inning, while four Stone Crabs finished with two hits each. Point being: better days are coming.

Fort Myers wasted no time in taking the lead in the opener, needing just a double by switch hitting shortstop Jorge Polanco and an RBI single by first baseman Dalton Hicks to make it 1-0 three batters in. Stone Crabs starter Leonel Santiago (0-1) then settled in and allowed just a pair of singles over the next three and two thirds, striking out four in that span.

Charlotte quickly tied the game after first baseman Patrick Leonard was hit with the first pitch of the second inning. Lefty starter Mason Melotakis then unloaded two straight wild pitches to put Leonard at third, before Marty Gantt evened things up with an RBI single. The Stone Crabs later had an opportunity to take their first lead since Opening Day in the third following a walk to Hecor Guevara and a double by Leonardo Reginatto. Melotakis didn't need many pitches to retire Justin O'Conner and Leonard to retire the side and keep the score tied.

The Miracle's best inning came in the fifth when they loaded the bases with two outs for Hicks, who drove in a pair with a single into center. They added another run in the home sixth when third baseman Niko Goodrum walked with the bases loaded to make it 4-1. Down to their final three outs in the seventh, the Stone Crabs chased former first-round pick Alex Wimmers (1-0) following base hits by Tyler Goeddel and Andrew Toles. Guevara's sacrifice fly to left made it 4-2, and Reginatto's single put the tying runs on base for O'Conner. He went down looking on three pitches from Brian Gilbert, the former Seton Hall Pirate who picked up his first save.

In game two, Fort Myers led 8-0 through three innings. The highlights included a two-run home run by Adam Brett Walker in the first, all nine batters coming to the plate in the second, and triples by Polanco and Goodrum which combined to bring in three runs. After stranding a pair of runners in two of the first three innings, Charlotte got a couple of doubles in the fifth from Leonard and Gantt to finally get a run across. The fifth inning was where it all finally came together, and showed glimmers of hope and what could be with this team. Four straight base hits with two outs plated up four more runs thanks to a two run double by Leonard and RBI singles from Maxx Tissenbaum and Kes Carter. Like the Miracle in the second, all nine Stone Crabs came to the plate, erasing an 8-0 deficit to make it 8-6.

One of the main keys to the comeback was Ryan Garton's work out of the bullpen in relief of Bruedlin Suero (0-1), who only lasted an inning and two thirds. After retiring six in a row in the third and fourth, the Trinity native ran out of steam in the fifth by loading the bases and walking right fielder John Murphy to bring in a run for a 9-6 Miracle lead. Kevin Brandt's control was not its usual pinpoint self, but he came in with the bases still loaded and nobody out, surrendering just one run on a sacrifice fly to A.J. Petersen. With two more innings to go in a four run game, the Stone Crabs got a hit in both frames against Tim Shibuya (1-0), but never got the runner past first.

Notes: The Stone Crabs have not scored first through the first six games of the seasonthey have led in a game for just one inning, after breaking a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning of last Thursday's season opener, a 5-4 win against Bradentonthe six runs on 12 hits in the second game are new season highs, with the five runs in the fifth inning also establishing a new markToles, Leonard, Tissenbaum, and Gantt each finished with two hits, with all but Toles driving in at least one runGantt and Goeddel were both 2-for-3 in game oneReginatto was 3-for-4, the first three-hit game for a Stone Crabs playerthere was a 38-minute break in between both games.

The teams will play the final game of the series on Thursday night before the Stone Crabs return home for the start of a six game homestand on Friday, April 11 against the Palm Beach Cardinals. You can follow all the action by listening live on the Stone Crabs website by visiting www.stonecrabsbaseball.com. Or if you're in the Port Charlotte area, tune into WVIJ 91.7 FM on your radio dial. The Stone Crabs Pregame Show begins Thursday night at 6:45 on the Stone Crabs Radio Network.




Florida State League Stories from April 10, 2014


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