FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Stone Crabs Split Doubleheader with Manatees

Published on June 3, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (June 2, 2014) - The Stone Crabs offense has endured one of its most trying stretches over the last week on this eight game homestand. On Saturday night, three base hits in the ninth appeared to revive the bats briefly as they put the Manatees away in the opener 3-2. A rainout Sunday led to a twin bill on Monday night at Charlotte Sports Park, where the teams split the two games in a series controlled by pitching. In game one, the Stone Crabs came away victorious with a 2-1 win before getting shutout by Hobbs Johnson in the second game 3-0.

With Reinaldo and Jorge Lopez on the hill in game one, both righties were perfect in the first. The Stone Crabs Reinaldo made one early mistake to designated hitter Nicky Delmonico in the second, who crushed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right to put the Manatees ahead 1-0. However, Lopez rebounded strongly, and the Manatees would fail to score over the course of the next eight innings.

Once Jorge got through the fourth despite putting a pair of runners on base with one out, the Stone Crabs got even in the fifth. Maxx Tissenbaum opened the frame with a screaming line drive to the wall in right center for a leadoff double. A wild pitch and a walk to Josh Sale put runners at the corners with nobody out for Marty Gantt, who tied it up despite hitting into a 6-4-3 double play.

With both games scheduled for seven, the Stone Crabs got seven strong innings from Lopez before Kevin Brandt took care of the rest. Needing just 15 pitches to get through the eighth and ninth, Brandt's (2-0) only baserunner was a two out single by Mike Garza in the 10th inning. The lefty then struck out Brandon Macias to give the Stone Crabs another chance to end it. It all happened so quickly once Gantt drew a one out walk against Stephen Peterson and Jonathan Quionez won it with a game-winning double to the left center field fence.

Any confidence the `Crabs had heading into game two was brushed aside by lefthander Hobbs Johnson, who retired the first 13 hitters he faced before surrendering a one out single to Kes Carter in the fifth. A bloop single to left by Jake DePew put the tying runs on base, but Johnson fanned Gantt and Julian Ridings to retire the side. The Manatees had staked him to a 2-0 lead following an RBI single by Tyrone Taylor in the third, and a sacrifice fly by Parker Berberet in the fourth. They added their final run against Nick Sawyer in the sixth after Jose Sermo walked with the bases loaded. Mark Williams later pitched a perfect seventh for his second save to give the Manatees their first game in the series, and a chance at a split in the finale on Tuesday night.

NOTES: The Stone Crabs have now played three doubleheaders: losing one, winning one, and splitting one.they improved to 6-0 in extra-inning games, including a 4-0 mark at homeQuionez ended Saturday night's game with the game-winning single in the ninthin game one, the Manatees only had two baserunners for the rest of the game after Nathan Orf's two out single in the fifthMarcus Jensen (2-3) made his first start since 2010 in game two, allowing two runs on seven hits, while striking out three in four innings of workthe Stone Crabs were shut out for the third time on the homestand, and fifth time this seasonTommy Coyle matched Patrick Leonard's team-best 11-game hitting streak with a one out single in the sixthSawyer walked a season-high eight batters in 2.2 IP.

The series concludes on Tuesday night at 6:30 PM when Bruedlin Suero (3-2, 3.97 ERA) takes on the Manatees Tyler Wagner (4-3, 1.94 ERA). It's $2 Tuesday, and reserved seats can be found for just $2! Fans can also get 12 oz. domestic drafts and sodas for only $2 until the end of the 5th inning. There are still great seats available, so visit www.stonecrabsbaseball.com or call 941-206-HITS (4487) to order your tickets now!

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Florida State League Stories from June 3, 2014


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