Bickford Fans 10, Manatees lose in 10 innings

Blake Allemand
Blake Allemand

Phil Bickford was impressive in his second start of the season for the Manatees on Saturday, striking out 10 Dunedin Blue Jays in five innings of work. Unfortunately, he did not factor into the decision, a 4-3 victory in 10 innings for Dunedin.

Despite Bickford’s performance, Dunedin opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Dickie Joe Thon singled and went to second on a wild pitch. He stole third, as J.D. Davis was striking out. Ryan McBroom, who would be heard from again later, knocked Thon home with a single.

Bickford ended up striking out the side in the inning and went on to strike out two in the second inning and two more in the third. He added one more in the fourth and two in the fifth. The Manatees offense rewarded him with two runs in the top of the sixth, against Dunedin starter Luis Santos.

Fidel Pena singled with one out and rode home on a Blake Allemand double. One out later, Mitch Ghelfi, scoring Allemand and giving the Manatees a 2-1 lead. 

Bickford did not come out for the sixth, but thanks to the two runs in the top of the inning, he left on the winning side. He allowed four hits and one earned run in five innings. He walked only one, to go with those 10 strikeouts. Bickford threw 84 pitches, 55 strikes.

Devin Williams, called up earlier in the week from Low-A Wisconsin, gave up a single in the sixth, but had a double play turned behind him and got the final out of the inning on a strike out. L.B. Dantzler greeted him in the seventh with a leadoff home run, tying the game, 2-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Williams got McBroom to ground into another double play and he finished his night, striking out the side in the ninth, all swinging. He did allow one walk in the frame, but he finished with five strikeouts, in four innings. He allowed three hits, one run and walked two, throwing 34 of 58 pitches for strikes. Despite the homer, Williams pitched well in his Brevard County debut.

Brevard County (14-35, 37-80) got the run back in the top of the 10th against reliever Jose Fernandez, who came in to start the eighth inning. With one out, Malik Collymore singled and went to second on a wild pitch. After Corey Ray walked, Pena hit into a force at second, putting runners at first and third.

Allemand came through again, with an RBI single to center, giving the Manatees a 3-2 lead. Jon Olczak, who was looking for his ninth save, came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th.

Josh Almonte bunted one up the third base line to start things and Jose Cuas came up throwing, but his throw to first was wide and Almonte took second on the error. After a passed ball got Almonte to third, Olczak came back to strike out Jorge Flores.

Thon was then hit by a pitch and stole second, putting the winning run in scoring position. A wild pitch scored Almonte with the tying run and McBroom came through moments later, with a walk-off single, giving the first place Blue Jays a 4-3 win.

For more info: Brevard County @ Dunedin boxscore

Allemand (2-for-5, 2 RBIs, 1 run) and Ghelfi (2-for-4, RBI) had four of the Manatees eight hits. McBroom (2-for-5, 2 RBIs), led Dunedin’s nine hit attack.


The Manatees return home Sunday, for the front end of a home-at-home series with the Daytona Tortugas. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. EDT. No official starter has been named, but it will likely be Jon Perrin taking the mound for the Manatees.


This article originally appeared on 27OutsBaseball.com on 8/13/16

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