Dunedin Sweeps Doubleheader from Manatees

Corey Ray
Corey Ray's Leaping Catch (5th inning)
Saturday night turned into Sunday morning at Space Coast Stadium, as the Dunedin Blue Jays and Brevard County Manatees played two, with a two hour, 45-minute rain delay thrown in. When all was said and done, the Manatees were their own worst enemy, as errors directly affected the outcome of both games. Dunedin took game one 1-0 and game two, by the score of 4-3.

In game one, Kodi Medeiros walked the first batter he faced in Anthony Alford, but he was caught stealing. Jorge Flores drew a walk and Gunnar Heidt hit one to third that was dropped by George Iskenderian. He picked it up, but rushed the throw and it sailed. Both runners were safe at first and second.

One out later, Jonathan Davis ripped a single to left, scoring Flores and putting the Blue Jays up 1-0. That was the downside of the defensive spectrum for the Manatees, but Corey Ray showed the upside in the fourth inning. Ryan McBroom hit one to right center that was sinking away from Ray. He went into a full out dive and caught the ball. That followed Ray’s triple in the third inning with one out, that the Manatees couldn’t take advantage of.

Ray Diving Catch (4th Inning)
The good defense continued for the Manatees in the fifth, when Michael De La Cruz hit one toward the left field corner, that newcomer David Denson tracked down at the wall. In the sixth, it was Ray’s turn again. Heidt got a hold of one and sent it deep to left center. Ray got a great jump on the ball and made a leaping catch, bringing the ball back and taking away a home run.

Mitch Ghelfi gave the Manatees a chance in the bottom of the seventh, when he hit one to left that was misplayed, as Dickie Joe Thon seemed to lose it in the lights. Dustin Houle came up with a chance to tie the game, but Fisk (7-3) struck out Dustin Houle to end it.

Unfortunately, even with all that great defense, that one mistake early held up as the difference, as the Manatees were shut out for the 19th time this season.

For more info: Dunedin @ Brevard County boxscore (Game 1)

Game two got underway at 10:20, with Cody Ponce on the mound for the Manatees (13-29, 36-74). He got off to a great start, striking out the side in the first and the first batter in the second, but his defense let him down shortly after.

Dantzler rolled one toward first that Ghelfi made the play on, but shoveled low to first and Ponce couldn’t scoop it. After Thon walked to load the bases, De La Cruz stroked a two-run single to left. Josh Almonte followed with a two-run single of his own, making it a 4-0 game.

Rubio Celebrates 3-Run Homer
Dunedin starter Francisco Rios was in good shape until the fourth inning. Fidel Pena walked to start the inning and Iskenderian singled. That brought Elvis Rubio to the dish and he got all of a fastball and took it 390-feet over the left field wall. All of a sudden, it was a 4-3 game.

Rios (5-4) settled down and got the complete game victory, allowing three hits. Ponce had the one tough inning, but he went five, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He walked one and struck out six, throwing 83 pitches.

For more info: Dunedin @ Brevard County boxscore (game 2)

The series wraps up Sunday, with Jon Perrin (2-7, 2.73 ERA) taking the mound for the Manatees.  

This article originally appeared on 27OutsBaseball.com on 8/6/16


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