Manatees Halt Dunedin’s Win Streak
By Brevard County Manatees // August 9, 2012
Williamson Pitches Effectively
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Brevard County Manatees snapped the Dunedin Blue Jays’ five-game winning streak and kept pace in the jumbled North division race as they won 5-1 in a rain-shortened, seven inning game on Wednesday night at Space Coast Stadium.
Manatees starting pitcher Brandon Williamson (3-9, 6.20) had his best start of the season with Brevard (25-21 second half, 54-60 overall). He allowed just one run on one hit on a solo homer by Jon Talley to lead off the second while walking one and tied a season-high with five strikeouts.
For Williamson, it was his first win since July 14 and his first quality start since April 25.
After Dunedin (23-23, 65-48) took a 1-0 lead in the second, the ‘Tees tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Mike Walker led off the inning with a double and came home two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Joey Paciorek.
Brevard’s bats busted out in the bottom of the fifth against Blue Jays starter Casey Lawrence as they roughed him up for four runs in the frame, all with two outs. With runners on first and second, Reggie Keen cleared the bases with a single to right and then took second on the throw home. Then back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from Jason Rogers and Walker gave the Manatees a 5-1 lead.
Eric Arnett pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief of Williamson and after Brevard batted in the bottom of the inning, the rain started and the tarp went on the field. After about a 30 minute delay, the umpires made the decision to call the game and give the ‘Tees just their fifth win in 14 games against Dunedin.
The duo of Williamson and Arnett held the Jays to just three base runners. At the plate, the meat of the order got the job done for Brevard as Keen, Rogers and Walker had two hits each. Keen also drove in two runs.
The ‘Tees will close out their three-game set with Dunedin on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m.
Drew Gagnon (0-1, 3.21) will toe the rubber for Brevard as he is still in search of his first win as a Manatee. Gagnon has gone at least six innings in five of his seven starts with the ‘Tees.
Dunedin will send undefeated southpaw Sean Nolin (9-0, 2.18) to the hill. In his only other start against Brevard back on April 12, he threw 5.2 shutout innings and struck out 11.
