Daytona Deals Manatees Loss in Final Game Of Year

By  //  September 3, 2012

Team Sets Best Winning Percentage Since '09

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – The Brevard County Manatees’ 2012 season came to a close in dramatic fashion, but on the losing end as they fell 3-2 to the Daytona Cubs on Sunday evening at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.

Brevard County's Franklin Romero Jr. hit an RBI single in the Manatees' final game of the 2012 season Sunday in Daytona Beach. (Image courtesy Brevard County Manatees)

The Manatees were the first to get on the scoreboard and took a 2-0 lead after the fourth inning thanks to RBI single from Franklin Romero Jr. and Cody Hawn in the third and fourth innings respectfully. Brevard mustered just four hits and struck out eight times on the evening.

Brevard starting pitcher Nick Bucci was cruising until Javier Baez hit a solo homer to lead-off the fifth and cut the ‘Tees lead to 2-1. Baez would get to Bucci again in the seventh with another solo homer to tie the game.

Bucci would go eight innings and scattered six hits, fanned six and walked just one.

Alan Williams relieved Bucci in the ninth and allowed the winning run to reach base as Nelson Perez hit a one-out triple to center. Williams then intentionally walked Baez to get to Taylor Davis.

While Brevard wouldn’t let Baez beat them; it was Davis that would end the game on a single to the left field wall to plate the winning run.

With the loss, the Manatees end the season with a three-game losing streak and finish 9-11 against the rival Cubs.

However, Brevard County’s .467 overall winning percentage was the team’s best mark since the 2009 season when the ‘Tees finished with a .622 winning percentage.