Tampa Sweeps Brevard County


Kender Villegas
Kender Villegas
The Tampa Yankees completed a three-game sweep of the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday, winning the series finale 5-1 in front of 1,568 fans on a Thirsty Thursday. The Manatees did score their first run since the third inning of Tuesday’s series opener, when Jose Cuas drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth.

Bubba Derby (6-9) started for the Manatees and had a very un-Derby like performance. The Yankees were teeing off on him early in counts to open the game and it cost him four runs in the second inning. He gave up back-to-back singles to Trey Amburgey and Austin Aune, before retiring a batter on a fielder’s choice. A ground-rule double by Connor Spencer and an RBI ground out by Wes Wilson made it 2-0. Jorge Mateo followed with an RBI double and Rashad Crawford finished the inning with an RBI single. Derby did get the next two outs, but the Yankees were comfortably ahead, 4-0.

“They jumped on him early in counts, especially in that second inning,” said Manatees manager Joe Ayrault of Derby. “It wasn’t his usual stuff.”

The Yankees (18-16, 60-43) scored one more in the third inning. Amburgey started it with a single, and after Derby retired the next two, Spencer singled, putting runners at first and third. Wilson floated one into short right, that dropped, scoring Thairo Estrada, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Right fielder Clint Coulter came up firing and his throw to third was in time to get Spencer and end the inning.

Manatees reliever Kender Villegas kept the Yankees from adding to their lead with three shutout innings, behind Derby. He only allowed one hit and struck out two, throwing 19 of 28 pitches for strikes. Preston Gainey followed with a scoreless inning in the ninth, giving up a hit, striking out two and walking one. He threw 18 pitches, 11 were strikes.

“Villegas did a real good job for us and aside from one bad outing, Gainey has done a nice job,” said Ayrault. “It was a good night for both of them.”

With a 5-0 lead, Tampa starter Josh Rogers was cruising along. He allowed four hits in six innings pitched, walking one and striking out five. He threw 60 of his 87 pitches for strikes and kept the Manatees off-balance for much of the night. Their best chance against Rogers came in the fourth, when George Iskenderian walked and Elvis Rubio singled, before the next three Manatees were retired.

Brevard County (10-23, 33-68) put together a threat in the bottom of the eighth against Willie Gabay, Blake Allemand singled and Cuas walked to start the frame and they both moved up on a wild pitch. Corey Ray walked one out later, loading the bases. Andrew Schwaab was called on to stop the rally and did just that, as he got Iskenderian on strikes and Rubio on a ground out.

The Manatees loaded the bases again in the ninth with Coulter and Pena getting singles. Pena’s hit was originally scored an error on the youngster, Gleyber Torres, but was later changed to a hit. Allemand followed that with a single, to load the bases again. Cuas followed with the walk that scored Coulter and got the home nine on the board.

“We had some opportunities, but we were 1-for-9 with runner in scoring position,” said Ayrault. “That hurts a little bit looking for that big hit.” The struggles with runners in scoring position on Thursday, followed an 0-for-8 in the same category on Wednesday.

For more info: Tampa @ Brevard County boxscore

The Manatees will look to get back on track Friday, as they welcome the Charlotte Stone Crabs for the start of a four game series. Right-hander Marcos Diplan (0-0, 6.10 ERA) is scheduled to make his home debut for the Manatees. Charlotte has not confirmed their starter, but reports are that MLB rehabber Alex Cobb will start the game and go at least one inning. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m.

This article originally appeared on 27OutsBaseball.com on 7/28/16

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