Stone Crabs First Inning Run Holds Up Against ‘Tees
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| 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
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| Elvis Rubio |
“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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