Pankake’s Two-Run Double Dooms Manatees

Kodi Medeiros
Kodi Medeiros

After being rained out on Wednesday, the Brevard County Manatees welcomed the Lakeland Flying Tigers to Space Coast Stadium, to start a three-game series on Thursday. The Manatees have struggled against the Flying Tigers this season, going 1-5 in their previous six meetings. 

Those struggles continued in this game, with Lakeland winning, 4-2 and snapping Brevard County’s three game winning streak.

The Manatees came into the game winning five of their last six and the offense had been performing well during that stretch. They sputtered a bit on this night, getting just five hits in the game, all of them singles. Elvis Rubio, who had a home run in his debut on Tuesday, had two of the hits Thursday, as did George Iskenderian. 

Left-hander Kodi Medeiros started for the Manatees and gave up six hits in 3.2 innings of work. He got into trouble in the top of the first, giving up two hits and a walk, the second of those hits a Kade Scivicque RBI single, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Major League rehabber Angel Nesbitt pitched the first inning for Lakeland, walking one and striking out one before giving way to Tyler Alexander. The Manatees got to him in the third inning. Dustin Houle walked and was forced out on a grounder by Jose Cuas. Rubio’s first hit if the night got Cuas to second. 

Johnny Davis reached on an error, loading the bases. Angel Ortega, who was named the Brewers Player of the Month, earlier in the day, hit a double play grounder to third, allowing Cuas to score and tie the game.

Medeiros had thrown 61 pitches through the first three innings and the top of the fourth got off to a rough start with an error by Iskenderian, on a ball hit by Wade Hinkle. Ben Verlander hit into a force play at second, but he traded places with Hinkle. A passed ball moved him to second and he went to third on a Ross Kivett ground out. After Medeiros walked the next batter, Mike Gerber singled in a run, making it a 2-1 ballgame and ending the night for Medeiros. 

When all was said and done, he gave up two runs (one earned) walked three and struck out five. He threw 88 pitches, 48 for strikes. Kender Villegas came on to get the last out in the fourth.

Brevard County (8-19) would answer in the home half of the sixth. Ortega singled to start the inning but would be forced at second on a ball hit by Clint Coulter. Coulter would go first to third when a ball hit by Iskenderian was booted by the shortstop. Dustin DeMuth would hit into a force play, allowing Coulter to score the tying run.

Lakeland (14-13) would take the lead for good in the next half inning against Brad Kuntz (1-1), who started the seventh in place of Villegas. Christin Stewart walked and went to second on a wild pitch. A Scivicque single put runners at first and third, bringing Joey Pankake to the plate. He promptly laced a double a double off the wall in center, plating two and giving his squad a 4-2 lead. That was all Lakeland would need, as the Manatees did not score the rest of the way.

For more info: Lakeland @ Brevard County boxscore


Eric Hanhold 0-3, 2.28 ERA) will try to get the Manatees back on track in game two on Friday, when he takes the mound against Jairo Labourt (2-0, 1.29 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

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

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