Manatees win first game of doubleheader at Tampa
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| Johnny Davis |
The Brevard County Manatees traveled to Tampa Saturday for a
doubleheader, after an off-day Friday. The visitors pounded out 12 hits in game
one and earned a much-needed 7-4 victory in game one.
Brevard County (5-17) jumped out to an early lead against
the T-Yanks, coming up with three runs in the third inning. Jose Cuas led off
with a single and went to second on an errant pickoff throw. Brandon Diaz
chased him home with an RBI double, making it 1-0. Johnny Davis followed with a
bunt single, fielded by pitcher Ian Clarkin, who threw high and Davis eluded
the tag at first. With runners at the corners, Angel Ortega grounded into a
double play, getting Diaz home with the second run.
Clint Coulter capped the inning with a home run over the
left field wall. It was his first of the year and one that will hopefully
jumpstart him offensively. George Iskenderian and Dustin DeMuth had
back-to-back singles in the inning, but the Manatees were not able to add to
the lead. They sent eight batters to the plate and got six hits in the frame.
The Manatees struck again in the fourth, plating two more
runs. With one out, Cuas singled and stole second. Diaz earned a walk after a
nine-pitch battle with Clarkin. Davis singled to load the bases and Cuas came
home moments later on a wild pitch, stretching the lead to 4-0. An RBI single
for Ortega plated the fifth run and earned the Manatees their 10th
hit in four innings.
Clarkin didn’t make it out of the fourth. He was credited
with 3.2 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out
two, with all the runs against him earned. Jordan Foley came on in relief after
Clarkin threw 70 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Kodi Medeiros (2-3) cruised through the first four innings
for the Manatees, before finding trouble in the fifth, not all his doing.
Michael O'Neill reached on a swinging bunt. Vicente Conde laced a single down
the first base line, putting runners at first and third. After Cuas made a
diving catch on a ball hit by Jake Skole, Jorge Mateo reached on an error by
DeMuth at first. He bobbled the ball, but would’ve had a tough play anyway, a
tough error but one that could have gone either way. O’Neill scored on the
play, making it 5-1. One out later, Billy Fleming’s 2-run double made it 5-3.
Miguel Andujar followed with an RBI single and just like that, the Yankees were
within a run, 5-4.
Medeiros got Santiago Nessy to line out, ending the inning.
It was the last inning for the Manatees’ starter who went five innings, giving
up four runs (one earned) on six hits. He struck out three and walked one
during the 80 pitch performance. He threw 49 strikes. Jon Olczak came on in
relief.
The ‘Tees offense added some much needed insurance in the
sixth inning. Diaz drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Davis was
credited with an infield hit after the ball was bobbled by Andujar at third. A
wild pitch by Foley moved the runners to second and third. Ortega struck out
and that was the end of the night for Foley.
Dillon McNamara came on in relief and struck out Coulter for
the second out. Tampa was one out away from escaping a second and third jam and
Iskenderian had other plans. He ripped the first pitch back through the middle,
chasing Diaz and Davis home and giving the Manatees a 7-4 lead. Those runs were
big, as this was a seven inning affair. Olczak retired the Yankees in the
seventh and picked up his first save of the season.
For more info: Brevard
County @ Tampa boxscore (game 1)
Davis led the way for the Manatees offensively, with his
3-for-4 night. Coulter, Iskenderian and Cuas all went 2-for-4. It was a
much-needed offensive outburst for the Manatees, who came into the game hitting
.219 as a team. The 12 hits helped raise that average to .226 after game one.
Tampa had seven hits in the contest, but no starter had more than one hit. They
fell to 14-8 with the loss.
This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 4/30/16
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