FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Tigers Even Series with 9-7 Win

Published on July 31, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - Friday night's game between the Stone Crabs and Tigers got off to a blistering start less than 24 hours after a five hour and thirty minute crucible in game one. Drew Smyly's return to the mound at Joker Marchant Stadium got off to a shaky start when the Tigers scored three runs on five hits in the first. After coming back from two early deficits, Andrew Velazquez put the Stone Crabs ahead 7-5 with a two run single in the seventh. However, Lakeland's resilience paid off when they sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth and scored four times to even the series at a game apiece with a 9-7 win.

Smyly, originally a second round pick by the Tigers out of Arkansas in 2010, returned to Lakeland where he made 14 starts in 2011. Still working his way back from a left labrum issue, the southpaw surrendered a leadoff single to Jiwan James in the first. The center fielder stole second and scored on Raph Rhymes' whistling double down the left field line. Another single from Javier Betancourt put runners at the corners with one out, and base hits from Curt Powell and Ben Verlander added a pair of runs to make it 3-0 after the first.

The `Crabs then went to work in the second against former Dunedin starter Jairo Labourt, who was making his Flying Tigers debut after coming over in the David Price trade just a day earlier. He got himself into trouble when he walked Jace Conrad and Marty Gantt after plunking Granden Goetzman with a 2-1 pitch to start the frame. Braxton Lee opened the scoring with a line single up the middle, and another single from Velazquez got Charlotte to within a run at 3-2. Pat Blair soon tied the score with a sacrifice fly to center, and they were off and running.

Mike Marjama led off the third with his second triple in as many games on a deep drive to right center field that ended up at the wall. Two batters later, Conrad knocked a single to put the Stone Crabs ahead 4-3. However, Lakeland had an answer in the bottom half when Francisco Martinez took Smyly's first pitch over the left field wall for his ninth home run to tie the score. Smyly then struck out Verlander and Grayson Greiner, but Jared Reaves hit a single to break the tie and put the Tigers ahead 5-4.

With both starters out, the Stone Crabs went after Trent Szkutnik in the fifth. Goetzman opened the inning with a hard double down the left field line, and Armando Araiza singled him home with a shot into left center to retie the score at five. In the seventh, Szkutnik needed just five pitches to get the first two outs but soon surrendered singles to Araiza and Gantt. An 0-1 pitch buzzed up and in and struck Lee to load the bases for Velazquez, who came through with a two run single for a 7-5 lead.

Buddy Borden had only allowed only one base hit through his first three and two thirds until the eighth. His control faltered as he walked Reaves on five pitches before Tyler Hanover singled to put the tying runs on base for the top of the order. Rather than bunt to advance the runners, James swung away at an 0-1 pitch and hooked his fifth home run over the right field wall for an 8-7 Tigers lead. Later in the frame, Verlander tacked on a run with a single and made it easier for Whit Mayberry to nail down his first save.

The series continues on Saturday night at 6:00 PM when Greg Harris (1-0, 3.86 ERA) goes up against Locke St. John (2-10, 5.00 ERA). You can follow all the action by listening to the game on www.stonecrabsbaseball.com via TuneIn Radio, or tuning into 91.7 FM-WVIJ in the Port Charlotte area. The Stone Crabs Pregame Show starts at 5:40 PM on the Stone Crabs Radio Network!

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Florida State League Stories from July 31, 2015


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