Manatees Split Doubleheader with Bradenton

Johnny Davis

The Brevard County Manatees played their third doubleheader of the season on Wednesday, following the postponement of Tuesday’s game against the Bradenton Marauders. Game one went the way of the home team, 3-2, while game two was all visitors with Austin Cooley pitching a complete game three hitter and helping the Marauders to an 8-0 victory.

“It was good to come out with the victory in the first game,” said Brevard manager Joe Ayrault. “I think we’ve won the first game in all of them. That second one we just gotta keep going and keep the pedal down.”

Bradenton (20-19) got on the board immediately in game one. Kevin Newman hit one to Elvis Rubio in right field and though Rubio had to go a long way to get to the ball, he did and dropped it. It was ruled a three base error. Newman scored when Kevin Kramer followed, lacing a single to center. Manatees’ starter Eric Hanhold (2-4) bounced back nicely and got out of the inning, just allowing the one run.

Brevard County (14-26) answered back in the bottom of the second, with all the runs they would need against Marauders starter Yeudy Garcia (L, 0-4). Dustin Houle started the inning with a single and went to second on a throwing error. Taylor Brennan walked and after an out was made, Jose Cuas doubled down the right field line, bring Houle home and getting Brennan to third. Brennan came home on an RBI groundout by Brandon Diaz, which also moved Cuas to third. Johnny Davis, who drew a walk in the bottom of the first to extend his on-base streak to 23 games, singled home Cuas to make it 3-1.

The Marauders got a run back in the top of the fourth. Kramer and Pablo Reyes hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Reyes attempted to stretch his into a double, but was meat at second on a throw from Diaz in left. With two outs, Jerrick Suiter grounded out, scoring Kramer and making it a one run game. They made an effort in the top of the fifth to tie the game, with a single, walk and single loading the bases with two down. Hanhold kept his cool though and got Kramer to ground out, ending the threat.

In the top of the sixth, Hanhold got Reyes to strike out and then the rains came. A two-hour, 16-minute rain delay followed and with that Hanhold was done. He threw 5.1 innings, giving up five hits, two runs (one earned), walking one and striking out two. 49 of his 81 pitches were strikes. When the game resumed, Jon Olczak took over on the mound for the Manatees and pitched 1.2 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two. He earned his third save in the process.

The Manatees had eight hits in game one, with Davis being the only hitter with more than one. Kramer had two of the five hits for the Marauders.

For more info: Bradenton @ Brevard County boxscore (game 1)

Game two got underway at 9:28 p.m. and it quickly turned into a game to forget for the Manatees. Starting pitcher Bubba Derby, who has pitched well so far this season, gave up two singles, a walk and a wild pitch, before recording an out in the top of the first. Bradenton got another run on a sac fly. Derby got the next two outs, escaping what could have been a very big inning, only down 2-0.

Derby (3-2) ran into trouble in the fourth, as two singles bookended a stolen base, leading to a run and a double by Jeff Roy later in the inning made it 4-0. After giving up a walk to Reyes, Derby was yanked. He allowed four earned runs on six hits, in 3.1 innings of work.  He walked three and struck out two on 78 pitches, 49 for strikes.

“It was a rough start in the second game,” said Ayrault. Things happened fast (for Derby) and he was not his usual self.”

Brad Kuntz came in behind Derby and things were just as tough for him. He ran into trouble in the sixth inning and along with Kaleb Earls, combined to give up three more runs in that frame. Kuntz got the first out and then allowed three straight singles, before giving way to Earls with the bases loaded. A walk, a hit batter and another walk all scored consecutive runs for Bradenton. All of those runs were charged to Kuntz, who pitched two innings, allowing five hits and those three runs, striking out one.

Earls who was responsible for allowing those inherited runners to score, gave up another run in the seventh on a Suiter RBI single. “Just trying to get him locked in, trying to get him going,” said Ayrault of Earls when asked about his struggles. “He’s got plus-stuff… it’s in there, we just gotta get it out and get him rolling.”

The Manatees offense was held to three singles, one by Davis getting his on-base streak to 24 games. Gregory McCall and Omar Garcia had the other hits. “I told the guys to focus on the win in the first game and come in tomorrow, thinking about that win.”

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

This four-game series wraps up Thursday night with a 6:35 p.m. meeting at Space Coast Stadium. Angel Ventura (0-2, 3.86 ERA) will be on the mound for the Manatees, while Alex McRae (2-2, 2.79 ERA) takes the mound for Bradenton.

This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 5/18/16