Tampa Yankees Take Series Opener Against Brevard Manatees, 6-4

By  //  July 8, 2015

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The Tampa Yankees (7-5, 41-41) smacked 12 hits en route to a 6-4 victory over the Brevard County Manatees (4-8, 33-48) on Tuesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. (BC Manatees Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Tampa Yankees (7-5, 41-41) smacked 12 hits en route to a 6-4 victory over the Brevard County Manatees (4-8, 33-48) on Tuesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

The Yankees opened the scoring against Brevard County starter Javi Salas in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI groundout by Dante Bichette Jr., but the Manatees were able to answer immediately.

Taylor Brennan led off the top of the second with a single to center.

Garrett Cooper
Garrett Cooper

Garrett Cooper then laced his first triple of the season down the right field line. Brennan scored and tied the game. Cameron Garfield plated Cooper with an RBI ground out to second.

Tampa tied the game in the bottom of the second when Kyle Higashioka singled home Jake Skole. The Yankees broke the tie in the fourth with a pair of runs. With runners on second and third with two outs, Abiatal Avelino reached on a throwing error by Angel Ortega that scored two runs and gave Tampa a 4-2 advantage.

The Manatees would fight back to the tie the game, however.

Clint Coulter
Clint Coulter

With two outs in the fifth, Ortega singled to right field. He then advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher Higashioka.

Brevard County plated another run in the sixth. Chris McFarland singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Clint Coulter drove in McFarland with an RBI single to center.

The Yankees took the lead right back in the bottom half of the sixth. After Skole and Higashioka singled to put runners on the corners with no outs, Michael O’Neill grounded into a double play to score Skole. The Yankees led, 5-4.

Salas (7-5, 2.95 ERA) was removed after the sixth inning. He surrendered five runs – three earned – on nine hits. He walked two and fanned one.

Miguel Andujar hit an RBI single in the seventh and gave the Yankees an insurance run against Stephen Peterson. Peterson allowed just the one run on three hits and struck out three in two innings of relief.

Alex Smith recorded a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his sixth save of the season.

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Jordan Montgomery (2-3, 3.44 ERA) earned the win. He tossed seven innings and surrendered four runs – three earned – on eight hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out four.

The Manatees and Yankees will continue the three-game series tomorrow night. Jorge Ortega (6-5, 2.33 ERA) is scheduled to start for Brevard County. RHP Vicente Campos (0-1, 3.60 ERA) will toe the rubber for Tampa.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.