Walk-Off Slam by Conde Leads Tampa to Sweep


Jon Perrin
Jon Perrin
The Brevard County Manatees have had a lot of tough losses in the 2016 season and Tuesday’s loss in the series finale at Tampa ranks up toward the top. Vicente Conde, who was the Manatees worst enemy in a doubleheader sweep on Monday, put the icing on the cake Tuesday, with a walk-off grand slam against Jon Olczak, leading Tampa to a 5-2 win at George M. Steinbrenner Field. 

With the win, Tampa swept the three-game series and improved to 4-2 in the second half and 46-29 overall.

The Manatees looked primed to win their first game of the second half and snap a 10-game losing streak. It was not meant to be, as they watched a 2-1 lead disappear with one swing of the bat. The loss erased a good start by Jon Perrin and a great relief appearance by Kender Villegas. Offensively, 
Dustin DeMuth reached base all four times for the Manatees but in the end, it didn't matter. 

Tampa took the lead in the bottom of the third when Conde, Wes Wilson and Devyn Bolasky all singled against Perrin, to load the bases. That brought Jorge Mateo to the plate. He hit into a force out at third, allowing Conde to score and put the Yankees up, 1-0.

The Manatees came right back in the top of the fourth against Tampa starter James Reeves. DeMuth had a nice hustle double with one out and rode home on a single by Clint Coulter, tying things up at one. Some nice defense in the bottom of the inning helped Brevard County preserve the lead. With a runner at second, Zack Zehner hit one in the air that shortstop Jose Cuas made an over the shoulder, basket catch on. After the next batter walked, Coulter robbed Conde of a hit and at least one RBI, with a sliding catch. Coulter made another big play in the bottom of the fifth, when he threw a runner out at second.

The Manatees (23-51, 0-6) got five good innings out of Perrin, who despite giving up eight hits, only allowed one run, walked one and struck out four. He threw 90 pitches, 63 for strikes. He was in line for the win, after the Manatees took the lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs, DeMuth hit a broken bat grounder back to the mound. The bat hit Reeves in the pitching hand and he was removed from the game, in favor of Gabriel Encinas. Elvis Rubio’s ground-rule double moved DeMuth to third and came home on a wild pitch by Encinas, giving the Manatees their first lead of the series, 2-1.

Villegas took over for Perrin in the bottom of the sixth and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced, before giving way to Jon Olczak in the ninth. Abiatal Avelino started things with an infield single. Zehner hit a bloop single to right that Coulter fielded and came up throwing to second. His throw eluded Cuas and hit off the facing of the dugout, putting runners at second and third. Olczak then intentionally walked Jake Skole, to load the bases for Conde. He unloaded them in a hurry, with his first big fly of the season, a walk-off grand slam.

For more info: Brevard County @ Tampa boxscore


The Manatees will look to get on the winning side of the ledger when they return home Wednesday, to host Daytona at 6:35 p.m.

This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 6/28/16

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