Manatees Topple Mets on Houle’s Two-Run Double

Dustin DeMuth

The Brevard County Manatees traveled to St. Lucie Friday night to take on the Mets in game one of a split home-at-home series. It was a tight game throughout, before Dustin Houle came through with a two out, two-run double in the top of the ninth, breaking a 4-4 tie and carrying the Manatees to 6-4 win. Considering Houle didn’t come into the game (replaced Adam Weisenburger in the bottom of the second), it is an even more satisfying outcome.

It was a see-saw battle with the Manatees jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. With two outs and Dustin DeMuth at first, Elvis Rubio took Mets starter Ricky Knapp deep over the left field wall, staking the ‘Tees to the early lead.

St. Lucie answered in the bottom of the first when Champ Stuart led off with the first of his two triples against Manatees’ hurler Eric Hanhold. Jonathan Johnson’s sacrifice fly made it 2-1, before Hanhold came back to retire the next two batters.

The Mets (26-28) used another leadoff triple in the fourth to help tie the game. This one was off the bat of Amed Rosario. One out later, a single by Michael Katz, tied the ball game. St. Lucie would take the lead in their half of the fifth. Patrick Biondi doubled and Johnson drew a walk. The Mets then pulled off a double steal, putting runners at second and third. Rosario came through again, with his second triple in as many innings, chasing home both runs and giving the Mets a 4-2 lead.

The triples barrage continued in the seventh when Mike Hepple replaced Knapp. Malik Collymore started things with a single and one out later, Angel Ortega hit his first triple of the season, driving in Collymore and cutting the lead to 4-3. Ortega wouldn’t be out there long, as DeMuth traded places with him, hitting his first triple of the season and bringing in the tying run.

Hanhold was done after six innings. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out two. He threw 96 pitches, 61 for strikes. Brad Kuntz came in from the bullpen to pitch for the Manatees.

Clint Coulter almost put the Manatees in front in the eighth inning when he sent a long fly ball to the middle of the warning track in the top of the eighth. That would’ve capped a decent night for Coulter, who doubled in the fifth inning, but he came up short when the ball fell into the glove of left fielder John Mora. Coulter, who was hitting in the seventh spot in the lineup Friday, ended the night 1-for-4.

Corey Taylor came out of the Mets’ bullpen, just trying to get the game to the bottom of the ninth, tied. 

Dustin Houle

The Manatees had other ideas. Collymore led off with a single and went to second on a sac bunt by Johnny Davis. Collymore went to third on a wild pitch. Ortega drew a walk and stole second, as Mets’ catcher Tomas Nido decided to hold the ball, keeping Collymore at third.

St. Lucie decided to walk DeMuth and load the bases. Seemed like the right decision at the time, since DeMuth went 3-for-4 on the night with that walk and the RBI triple. After striking out Rubio, Houle stepped to the plate and rocketed one over the head of Stuart in right-center field. Stuart attempted to grab it on the bounce, but it was out of his reach, as it hopped over the wall, for the decisive hit in the ballgame. 

Gage Smith came on to pitch the ninth and earn his second save of the season. He preserved the win for Kuntz, who improved to 2-1 on the season.

Offensively, the Manatees pounded out 11 hits, including two doubles, two triples and a homer. They did hot for the cycle as a team. The top four men in the order, Johnny Davis, Ortega, DeMuth and Rubio had seven hits combined and Collymore the nine hitter added two more and scored two runs.

For more info: Brevard County @ St. Lucie boxscore

The series continues Saturday at Traditions Field with Bubba Derby (4-3, 4.05 ERA) taking the hill for the Manatees, against Scarlyn Reyes (2-6, 6.31 ERA).

This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 6/3/16