Daytona Dominates Manatees, 13-2

Manatees hitless through 6.1 innings

Manatees starting pitcher Jed Bradley allowed seven runs in 4.1 innings in Brevard County's 12-3 loss to the Daytona Cubs on Saturday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography image)
Manatees starting pitcher Jed Bradley allowed seven runs in 4.1 innings in Brevard County’s 12-3 loss to the Daytona Cubs on Saturday night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography image)

BREVARD COUTNY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Not many Florida State League bats would have been able to touch Daytona Cubs’ starting pitcher Tayler Scott on Saturday night.

Tayler Scott
Tayler Scott

The right-hander held the Brevard County Manatees hitless through 6.1 innings and finished with a two-hit performance over seven innings, as the Cubs picked up their first win of 2014, by beating the Manatees 13-2 on Saturday night at Space Coast Stadium.

Scott started strong and never lost his touch. The South African native began the game by retiring the first seven men he faced. Even after an error allowed Parker Berberet to reach base in the third, Scott immediately induced a double play to get out of trouble.

Daytona’s starter recorded two double plays in his outing and faced the minimum 19 batters before Orlando Arcia broke through with the Manatees’ first hit with one out in the seventh. Scott allowed one more hit in the inning to Victor Roache, but that was all the Manatees could manage off the righty.

On the offensive end, Daytona began to build its lead in the third inning. The Cubs struck first when Pin-Chieh Chen doubled home Tim Saunders. Later in the frame, Albert Almora extended the lead to 2-0 with a single to score Chen.

Daytona grew its lead over the next three innings. Between the fourth and sixth frames, the Cubs added seven runs to their lead, including a Jeimer Candelario solo home run to lead off the fourth.

Michael Reed
Michael Reed

Four more runs in the eighth made the score 13-0 Daytona. The Manatees’ only runs came in the bottom of the ninth inning on a Michael Reed single.

‘Tees starting pitcher Jed Bradley was saddled with the loss as he allowed seven runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Almora, Chen and Saunders all had three RBI nights for the Cubs. Almora finished with a 5-for-6 performance. Chen’s 3-for-5 evening consisted of all doubles. Meanwhile, Saunders he went 3-for-5 with a double and a walk. All three also scored twice.

Jorge Lopez
Jorge Lopez

With their first win, the Cubs improved to 2-1. The Manatees fell to 2-1, but the teams will meet again on Monday night in Daytona in the series finale.

Right-hander Jorge Lopez is scheduled to start for Brevard County, while fellow righty Rob Zastryzny is expected to take the hill for Daytona. First pitch at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark is slated for 7:05 p.m.