Sports stats



VBDs Inch Closer to Playoffs with 9-5 Win

August 28, 2004 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Vero Beach Devil Rays News Release


(Jupiter, FL) - The Vero Beach Dodgers saw their magic number dip to three Saturday night as they avoided their first three-game losing streak in the second half, storming back to knock off the Jupiter Hammerheads 9-5 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. They now lead second place Palm Beach by 5.5 games with only seven left to play.

RHP Mike Rodriguez, the Dodger starter, spotted the Hammerheads a 3-0 lead in the second inning, but it was all he would allow on the night. He would go on to toss five solid frames en route to his seventh win of the season.

A bases-loaded single by 1B Trey Dyson in the third pulled the Dodgers to within 3-1 before RF Matt Kemp knotted it up in the fourth with his first homer, a two-run shot to left field. The game stayed tied until the sixth when the red-hot SS Tony Abreu's two-out single plated Kemp to give the Dodgers their first lead of the series. The run was the first RHP Matt Overman had allowed against the Dodgers in seven 2004 appearances.

C Russell Martin added to the one-run Dodger lead in the seventh, taking Overman deep for a two-run homer, his 15th on the year. The insurance would be necessary as DH Wil Cordero answered with a two-run dinger of his own in the eighth, blasting RHP Rich Bartlett's pitch over the left field well.

Kemp's big night resumed in the ninth as he drove in his third run of the affair with an RBI double, 3B Andy LaRoche had a sacrifice fly and another tally scored on a fielding error, helping the Dodger to a 9-5 advantage. While Rodriguez earned the win, the loss went to Overman (6-4) and Bartlett picked up his sixth save with a perfect ninth.

The season series between the Dodgers and Hammerheads comes to a conclusion Sunday afternoon at 4:05 PM at Roger Dean Stadium. LHP Mike Megrew (7-5, 3.30) will go for his third consecutive win for the Dodgers against RHP Henricus Vanden Hurk (1-3, 3.23).



Florida State League Stories from August 28, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Vero Beach Devil Rays Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central