Manatees Snap Four-Game Skid, Beat Yanks 4-3

By  //  July 9, 2013

Haniger's double is winning RBI

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA – The Brevard County Manatees’ first lead of the game came at the best possible time, with Mitch Haniger’s walk-off double propelling them to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Yankees on Monday night at Space Coast Stadium.

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Manatees right fielder Mitch Haniger, seen here in a game from earlier this season, went 2-for-5 with two doubles, including the game-winner, in Brevard County's 4-3 walk-off win over the Tampa Yankees on Monday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)
Manatees right fielder Mitch Haniger, seen here in a game from earlier this season, went 2-for-5 with two doubles, including the game-winner, in Brevard County’s 4-3 walk-off win over the Tampa Yankees on Monday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Brevard County (9-8 second half, 46-38 overall) and also prevented the ‘Tees from being swept in a series for just the second time this season.

Of the Manatees’ 28 home wins, seven have come via walk-offs. T.J. Mittelstaedt has either scored the winning run or provided the final hit in five of those. Monday was no different, after Mittelstaedt reached on a one-out single in the ninth. He was able to score the winning run all the way from first when Mitch Haniger laced a two-out double to the left field corner that fell right at the base of the wall.

Until the bottom of the eighth inning, the ‘Tees trailed Tampa (7-7, 35-47) the entire way through. A trio of two-out singles from Cameron Garfield, Greg Hopkins and Ben McMahan put the tying run across the plate.

Yankees’ starter Bryan Mitchell also did not factor into the decision as he left the game after 6.2 frames with runners on first and second. He was charged with the first two Brevard County runs, which they put together with a total of six hits and four walks. Mitchell fanned just three batters.

Tampa jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Taylor Dugas led off the inning by drawing a walk. Ben Gamel then singled and after a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners with one out, Gary Sanchez cleared the bases with a two-run double.

Brevard County was able to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third. Ben McMahan led off with a double, the first of his two hits, and then advanced to third on the first of Bryan Mitchell’s two wild pitches in the inning. Four batters later, McMahan was finally able to cross the plate as Yadiel Rivera’s sacrifice fly put the Manatees on the board to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

Not backing down, the Yankees once again pushed the lead to two runs in the fourth with Saxon Butler’s leadoff double, a bunt by Jose Toussen and a sacrifice fly by Dugas.

Jacob Barnes
Jacob Barnes

Brevard County starting pitcher Jacob Barnes (6-2, 3.49 ERA) was able to make it through seven innings with just three runs allowed for his third quality start of the season. He worked around a career-high nine hits and struck out five opponents in the no-decision.

Yankees’ starter Bryan Mitchell also did not factor into the decision as he left the game after 6.2 frames with runners on first and second. He was charged with the first two Brevard County runs, which they put together with a total of six hits and four walks. Mitchell fanned just three batters.

The Manatees battled back with a run in the sixth to keep it close. Back-to-back one-out doubles from Haniger and Nick Ramirez cut Tampa’s lead to 3-2 and set up the late inning heroics. Brevard County banged out 11 hits, including four doubles on the night. Haniger, Garfield, Hopkins and McMahan each had two hits.

Not backing down, the Yankees once again pushed the lead to two runs in the fourth with Saxon Butler’s leadoff double, a bunt by Jose Toussen and a sacrifice fly by Dugas.

Earning the win in just his second appearance for the ‘Tees was southpaw Brent Leach, who threw two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts out of the bullpen.

Brevard County will open a three-game series with the Clearwater Threshers at Space Coast Stadium starting on Tuesday with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

Tyler Cravy (1-1, 3.34) will make just his second start for the Manatees after four innings of one-run ball in his only other start of the season, which ironically enough was against the Threshers, back on June 27. He also held Daytona to just one hit through four frames out of the bullpen this past Friday night.

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