Brevard Manatees Utilize Seventh-Inning Cooper Homer To Defeat Miracle 4-1

By  //  July 17, 2015

Brevard-Manatees-580-4
Garrett Cooper’s clutch home run led the Brevard County Manatees (9-11, 38-51 overall) to a 4-1 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle (12-9, 50-41 overall) on Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium. (BC Manatees Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Garrett Cooper’s clutch home run led the Brevard County Manatees (9-11, 38-51 overall) to a 4-1 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle (12-9, 50-41 overall) on Thursday night at Space Coast Stadium.

With the game tied at one in the seventh inning, Cooper stepped to the plate with two on and nobody out. He launched a thee-run home run over the left-center field fence and broke the tie. It was Cooper’s fourth home run of the season and gave him 41 RBI.

Brevard County starter Wei-Chung Wang (7-2, 4.15 ERA) was brilliant over seven innings to earn the victory. He surrendered just one run on six hits. Wang walked three and struck out one. Wang is now 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in his four second-half starts.

The Miracle originally opened the scoring in the first inning. Zack Granite singled up the middle to lead off the game. He then stole second and scored on a Mitch Garver RBI single.

Brevard County tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cooper blooped a broken-bat single to left field. Taylor Brennan then lined a single to right field and advanced Cooper to third. Michael Ratterree bounced into an around-the-horn double play, but Cooper scored and tied the game.

Florida Tech DB Manny Abad Nominated For 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works TeamRelated Story:
Florida Tech DB Manny Abad Nominated For 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

Preston Gainey tossed the final two innings to earn his second save of the season.

Fort Myers starter Ryan Eades (6-2, 3.05 ERA) was hit with the loss. He allowed four runs in 6.1 innings. Eades struck out seven.

The Manatees and Miracle will play game three of the four-game series tomorrow night. RHP Tristan Archer (1-3, 4.54 ERA) will toe the rubber for Brevard County. Fort Myers will send RHP Mat Batts (3-2, 1.71 ERA) to the hill.