Stone Crabs First Inning Run Holds Up Against ‘Tees

Marcos Diplan
Marcos Diplan home debut
The Brevard County Manatees were shut out for the 17th time this season on Friday night, dropping a 1-0 decision to the visiting Charlotte Stone Crabs, in the opener of a four-game series. Marcos Diplan, the Manatees 19-year-old right-hander, deserved a better fate in his first start of the season in front of the home crowd at Space Coast Stadium.

The only run he gave up was unearned, in the top of the first. MLB-rehabber Desmond Jennings, who is working his way back from a hamstring injury, drew a walk to start the game. Jake Cronenworth reached on an error by Fidel Pena at first base, moving Jennings to third. He would score on a double-play ball hit by Mac James. The Manatees turned the twin killing, but Jennings scored the decisive run.

Jennings was joined by fellow MLB-rehabber Alex Cobb, who is coming off Tommy John Surgery. Cobb has had a couple setbacks recently in his rehab, but you wouldn’t have known it watching him on Friday night. He pitched the first two innings for Charlotte, throwing 15 of 23 pitches for strikes and picking up two strikeouts. The rest of his line was full of zeros.

Benton Moss (6-7) took over for Cobb and threw five scoreless innings. The Manatees did manage
Elvis Rubio
four hits against him, including a double by Jose Cuas in the fourth. In the fifth inning, the Manatees looked poised to tie things up when Elvis Rubio singled with one out and Dustin Houle singled one out later. Rubio tried to score from second on the play, but he was cut down at the plate, by left fielder Jace Conrad.

“They made a great play there,” said Manatees manager Joe Ayrault. “We had a good chance there and had a couple chances later in the game, but couldn’t come up with the big hit.”

Diplan (0-1) was done after five innings, allowing just three hits and the one unearned run, He walked three and struck out five in an 88 pitch performance. He threw 53 of those for strikes and dropped his ERA from 6.10 to 4.11 after this outing. “Diplan had to work out of a few jams and got his pitch count up,” said Ayrault. “He did a nice job keeping us in it, only giving up the one run. They took advantage of the error in the first.”

Zach Hirsch took over in the sixth and went the rest of the way for the Manatees, giving up three hits and striking out five. “He was outstanding for us,” said Ayrault of Hirsch.

Cuas got his second double of the game with one out in the eighth, against reliever Brian Miller. Blake Allemand would draw a walk in the inning as well, but George Iskenderian grounded into a force out, ending the frame.

Fidel Pena hit a one out double in the ninth against Diego Castillo, but he got Rubio to fly out and Wendell Rijo to ground out, giving the Stone Crabs the victory and picking up his first save.

For more info: Charlotte @ Brevard County boxscore

The Manatees (10-24, 33-69) have now lost seven in a row, but Ayrault is confident that this team can break that streak. “Tomorrow’s our day,” he said. “We’ll start a streak tomorrow.”

Charlotte (18-15, 51-51) will send Chase Whitley to the mound Saturday, he is currently on a rehab assignment from Double-A Montgomery. He will face Kodi Medeiros (4-8, 5.25 ERA) at 6:35 p.m. on Star Wars Night.

This article originally appeared on 27OutsBaseball.com on 7/29/16

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