Brevard Manatees Win Big Against Threshers, 20-0
By Brevard County Manatees // April 30, 2014
Brevard County tallies 22 hits in historic shutout
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Right fielder Tyrone Taylor hit for the first cycle in the 21-year history of the Brevard County Manatees – and he did it in his first four at-bats – as the ‘Tees thrashed the Clearwater Threshers, 20-0 on Tuesday night at Bright House Field.
Taylor began the night rather routinely with a single in the first inning. He then got the most difficult part of the cycle out of the way with his next at-bat with a triple in the third.
In the fourth, Taylor almost homered over the left field wall, as he drove a line drive that was about a foot too low that hit off the wall for an RBI double.
Looking back at it, Taylor is probably fortunate that he did not elevate that ball enough. In his next at-bat, just one inning later, the right fielder drove a no-doubt home run well over the left field wall to complete the cycle, on his mother’s birthday.
He added another single in the ninth to finish 5-for-5 with three RBI, to become the first Manatee with five hits in a game since D’Vontrey Richardson accomplished the feat against the St. Lucie Mets on May 17, 2011.
Taylor’s was the first cycle by a Florida State League hitter since August 10, 2013. That night, Gustavo Pierre did it for the Dunedin Blue Jays against Brevard County.
Not to be forgotten, the Manatees (13-12) had solid pitching all evening to secure the shutout. Southpaw starter Hobbs Johnson (2-3, 2.33) pitched six scoreless innings on his 23rd birthday. Johnson fell just shy of a season-high with six strikeouts and only surrendered five hits to earn his second win of the season.
Martin Viramontes and Stephen Peterson combined for the final three shutout innings. Viramontes set the Threshers down in order, in both the seventh and eighth innings and recorded a pair of strikeouts. Peterson pitched a perfect ninth to finish the win.
The Manatees’ offense not only scored a season-high 20 runs, they also reached season-bests in hits (22) and home runs (four).
Before Tuesday night, the last time that Brevard County scored 20 runs in a game was on April 25, 2003 against the Daytona Cubs.
Three Brevard County Manatees hit their first home runs of the season: Mike Garza, Michael Reed and Yadiel Rivera.
Brevard also saw six different men notch multi-hit performances.
Aside from Taylor’s five knocks, Orlando Arcia and Cameron Garfield each had four hits.
Arcia was 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Garfield went 4-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two walks. Reed, Rivera, Garza and Victor Roache each had two-hit nights.
The ‘Tees have taken the first two games of the series against Clearwater (5-20) and will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Bright House Field.
Right-hander Tyler Wagner (3-0, 1.61) will take the hill for Brevard against Clearwater’s Brody Colvin (0-1, 6.00).
