Manatees Down Jays 12-2 Sunday, Play Again Tonight At 6:35
By Brevard County Manatees // June 24, 2013
southpaw Brent Suter picks up sixth win
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Two runs would have been enough for a win, but the Brevard County Manatees’ offense put up an extra ten in a 12-1 win over Florida State League North Division first half champion Dunedin Blue Jays to open a three-game series on Sunday evening at Space Coast Stadium.
Brevard County (2-2 second half, 39-32 overall) southpaw Brent Suter (6-4, 3.15) stifled the Blue Jays (1-3, 38-32) to the tune of one run that came on a single swing of the bat.
K.C. Hobson’s second inning homer was the first run of the game and one of just three hits for Dunedin. Hobson finished with two of those three hits, with Suter allowing all three in his six innings of work with six strikeouts – three of which came in a twelve pitch sixth – and two walks.
THREE RUNS IN THE SECOND
Brevard County answered back with three runs in the bottom of the second, with a Ben McMahan RBI single scoring Nick Ramirez before Rafael Neda drove in both Greg Hopkins and McMahan.
Neda went 3-for-4 with two RBI and had his first three-hit game since August 15, 2012 with Class-A Wisconsin.
Yadiel Rivera’s second long ball of the season led off the third inning, giving the Manatees a 4-1 lead.
In the fifth, the Manatees took advantage of three errors committed by Dunedin to score four unearned runs and extend the lead to 8-1. After Ramirez drew a one-out walk, Hopkins hit a dead double play ball that snuck through the legs of third baseman Gustavo Pierre to put runners on first and second.
Cody Hawn followed with a grounder that the first baseman Hobson made a diving stop on, he then elected to shovel the ball to second with no coverage at first base.
His toss escaped the glove of Peter Mooney, the shortstop covering the bag, dribbling into left field where he went back and picked it up as Ramirez scored. He threw over to third base, where Hopkins was attempting to advance to and threw the ball away from Pierre for the second error on the play. Hawn also advanced to second.
MCMAHAN GOES 4-FOR-5
Without the errors on the play, the three-run homer that followed by McMahan likely would have been a grand slam, with all four runs being unearned either way. McMahan went 4-for-5 on the night with a career-high four RBI and two runs scored. It was the third four-hit game in McMahan’s career and first since May 9, 2012 with Wisconsin.
Ramirez did notch a grand slam for the ‘Tees in the sixth inning, the second salami of the year for the Manatees to make it a 12-1 rout. Hopkins notched the other one all the way back on April 10 at Lakeland.
Ramirez did notch a grand slam for the ‘Tees in the sixth inning, the second salami of the year for the Manatees to make it a 12-1 rout. Hopkins notched the other one all the way back on April 10 at Lakeland.
Tyler Cravy and Andre Lamontagne combine to hold the Blue Jays hitless and scoreless through the final three frames.
Dunedin starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx was tagged with the loss, as he was charged with eight runs even though just four were earned in his five innings on the bump. He yielded nine hits and just one walk with three strikeouts.
Damien Magnifico, who was recently promoted to Brevard County from Wisconsin, will get his first start with the Manatees on Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. His counterpart from Dunedin will be Florida State League All-Star Scott Copeland (6-2, 2.49).
