Sweep Eludes 'Tees in Finale with Threshers

Published on May 26, 2013 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Brevard County Manatees News Release


VIERA, Fla. - Despite a strong start from Brooks Hall, the Clearwater Threshers showed patience against the Brevard County Manatees' bullpen and were able to walk away from Space Coast Stadium with a 7-5 win on Sunday evening.

Five walks from Jacob Barnes in 3.1 innings out of the bullpen matched his career high and proved to be the determining factor, as three of the seven men who scored for Clearwater reached on walks and another run scored on a bases loaded walk from Barnes.

After back-to-back, one out doubles in the first inning, which scored one run, Hall (2-3, 2.63) settled in to face the minimum number of batters until he was lifted in favor of Barnes after the fifth. Hall finished with three hits allowed and no walks, while striking out four.

Each of the first five batters reached against Barnes (4-1, 2.00) in the sixth, though leadoff man Kyrell Hudson was erased at home plate on a fielder's choice force out. After the second out had been recorded, Brock Stassi came up with a single to knock in two runs to give Clearwater a 4-3 lead.

Brevard County (27-22) had answered back from the first-inning run allowed by Hall as they took a 2-1 in the bottom of the third on a two-run double from Cameron Garfield. Mitch Haniger, who scored one of those runs, extended that lead to 3-1 with a double of his own to plate Greg Hopkins in the fifth.

After the three-run sixth, Clearwater (24-23) added another pair in the seventh despite only recording one hit in the frame. A leadoff walk followed by a single, an error, a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice accounted for the scoring to give the visitors a 6-3 lead.

The Manatees took three straight walks from reliever Colton Murray after the stretch, and two of those runners were able to score on a pair of sacrifice flies from Nick Ramirez and Garfield, bringing the game back to within one run.

Another walk by Barnes to start the top of the ninth put an insurance run on base for Clearwater as Logan Moore eventually came around to score on another free pass, a fielder's choice and a single.

After the RBI single, Andre Lamontagne entered out of the bullpen and induced two fly balls to get out of the inning with no further damage. Unfortunately for the Manatees, the offense couldn't get anything going in the ninth inning for Luis Garcia, as Brevard County went down in order and were unable to complete the sweep.

Following an off day on Monday, the two teams will continue what is essentially a six-game series, with the beginning of a three-game set at Bright House Field in Clearwater on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.

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