FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Wild Win Puts Stone Crabs 20 Games over .500

Published on June 6, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - Just one night after playing in what manager Michael Johns called "their biggest win of the year," the Stone Crabs may have played their wackiest game on Saturday night before their final off day of the first half. They're not always going to be pretty, and the final game of the series with the Hammerheads was far from it. Amidst the fanfare surrounding Jose Fernandez in his 2015 debut, Charlotte's offense was more than up for the challenge. When all was said and done, the Stone Crabs hung on for a 7-6 win and the sweep despite wasting leads of 5-1 and 7-4.

For the second straight night, Jupiter took the early lead three batters in after Kirby Yates walked Yefri Perez to get it started at 7:02. The Hawaiian reliever, pitching for the second time in three days during his rehab assignment, got Avery Romero to fly out to right after Perez stole second. Austin Dean then delivered his team-leading 29th run batted in with a sacrifice fly to left, and the Hammerheads had a 1-0 lead without the benefit of a hit.

Fernandez, the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, worked around singles by Kean Wong and Jake Bauers in the first. Sporting an impressive mid-90s fastball a little more than a year removed from Tommy John surgery, the 22-year old gave up singles to Mike Marjama and Armando Araiza in the second to put runners at the corners. Braxton Lee tied it with a single back up the middle and Dayron Varona gave Charlotte the lead with a two run double to the left field wall.

In the third, Willy Adames led off with a single against Fernandez before Bauers drew a walk. Granden Goetzman then lifted a flyball to center that was deep enough for the runners to tag into scoring position. Marjama's second single brought in a pair of runs to make it 5-1, but Fernandez (0-1) got out of the inning when he snagged a liner off the bat of Pat Blair and threw back to first to double up Marjama and retire the side.

For the second time this year, Jacob Faria pitched in long relief after a big league rehabber. He went 1-2-3 in the second and third, but may have had his worst inning in an otherwise impeccable season in the fourth. A one out double by Dean and a walk to Felix Munoz preceded a strikeout of Brian Anderson. Faria then lost his grip and his second wild pitch put runners at second and third for Justin Bohn to strike a two run single into right and cut the deficit to 5-3. A throwing error by Blair at third base later in the frame scored Bohn to make it a one run game. The Stone Crabs rally in the fifth off lefthander Miguel Del Pozo started with a two out single and a stolen base by Bauers. Goetzman's line shot into center scored the first baseman to make it 6-4 and Marjama's third single brought in his third run for a 7-4 advantage. The Hammerheads got a leadoff home run from Bohn on the first pitch of the seventh, signaling the first longball surrendered by Faria (10-1) all season. They'd score another unearned run off Josh Kimborowicz in the eighth to get back to within a run. Brad Schreiber then came in to close it out, and pitching on consecutive days, locked up his 15th save with a perfect ninth to send the Stone Crabs into their final off day of the first half 20 games over .500 at 38-18.

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Florida State League Stories from June 6, 2015


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