Dunedin Drops Manatees In 12 Innings

By  //  August 8, 2012

Williamson Seeks Third Win Tonight

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA –Brevard County was one out away from victory until the Dunedin Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the ninth inning and eventually defeated the Manatees 3-2 in 12 innings on Tuesday night at Space Coast Stadium to open up a three-game series.

Pitcher Casey Medlen was unable to close out the game for Brevard County against Dunedin on Tuesday night. (Image courtesy Brevard County Manatees)

With a 2-1 lead heading into the ninth, Brevard (24-21 second half, 53-60 overall) called on Casey Medlen to close out the game. Jack Murphy and Kevin Ahrens led off the inning with back-to-back singles, to put two runners on for Dunedin (23-22, 65-47) with no outs.

After Oliver Dominguez sacrificed the runners over, Marcus Knecht was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the double play. Jon Berti would make sure that didn’t happen as he sailed a fly ball to right for the second out, but it was far enough to allow pinch runner Justin Jackson to score and tie the game. Medlen would punch out Kenny Wilson to end the inning and send the game to the bottom of the ninth tied 2-2.

The Manatees went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and the Blue Jays were unable to muster a run in the top of the tenth as the ‘Tees now had another chance to win it. Shea Vucinich led the frame off with a walk and then Parker Berberet attempted the sacrifice bunt and was successful and able to reach base himself thanks to a throwing error by pitcher Frank Gailey.

Now with runners on first and second with no outs, John Dishon laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out and the winning run 90 feet from home plate. That run would not score however as both Juan Sanchez and Franklin Romero Jr. struck out swinging to end the threat and the inning.

Alan Williams relieved Medlen in the 11th and retired Dunedin in order to give Brevard another chance for the win. A one-out single by Nick Shaw and then a walk by Jason Rogers put two runners on for Mike Walker. Walker was able to move the runners over on a ground out to third to again put the winning run 90 feet from home plate. Vucinich was then intentionally walked to set up a force at any base and then Berberet, who was ahead 3-0 in the count, would end up in a full count and ground out to second to end another ‘Tees threat.

Williams came out for his second inning of work and allowed a lead-off single to Wilson and then Jonathan Jones reached on a throwing error by Vucinich to put runners on first and second with no outs. Kevin Pillar then laid down a successful sacrifice bunt and would reach first as well thanks to a throwing error by Williams, as the bases were now loaded. Jon Talley then singled to left to plate Wilson and give Dunedin a 3-2 lead. Williams would then retire the side and give the Manatees one last chance to keep the game going.

Blue Jays closer Danny Barnes had other ideas as he pitched around a two-out single by Romero Jr. and was able to close out the game for Dunedin as the Manatees dropped the first game of a six-game homestand.

Brevard County had a 2-0 lead early, thanks to a two-out RBI double by Nick Shaw in the third and a two-out RBI double by Romero Jr. in the fourth. Manatees starting pitcher Taylor Jungmann (9-6, 3.69) gave up his only run of the evening on a RBI ground-rule double by Talley in the top of the sixth.

Jungmann was unable to win his tenth game of the year as he did not factor into the decision. He yielded four hits in six innings of work and walked two, while striking out four. The 2011 first round pick has now allowed just one run in his last 13 innings of work over his last two starts.

Offensively, Romero Jr. recorded four hits on the night, which marked his first four-hit game since July 18, 2010 with Helena.

Brevard County will look to snap Dunedin’s five-game winning streak as the two teams meet again on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m.

Brandon Williamson (2-9, 6.62) will take the mound for the Manatees and is looking for his first victory since July 14. He has a 7.01 ERA in seven second half starts.

Casey Lawrence (7-5, 3.63) will get the ball for the Blue Jays. He is 5-2 with a 2.49 ERA in ten road starts this season.