Manatees Score Three Late To Top Threshers 4-2
By Brevard County Manatees // July 11, 2013
Brevard rallies in 8th to win third straight
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA – Following up on a performance that saw seven runs in the final two team at-bats on Tuesday, the Brevard County Manatees took advantage of the Clearwater Threshers’ bullpen again on Wednesday night with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 4-2 win at Space Coast Stadium.
With relief pitcher Jordan Guth entering the game, Brandon Macias led off the big inning by poking a single to left, and then D’Vontrey Richardson pushed him over on a sacrifice bunt. Consecutive walks to Yadiel Rivera, Mitch Haniger loaded the bases, with a third straight walk to Nick Ramirez forcing home Macias for the tying run.
Cameron Garfield then hit a grounder to second baseman Carlos Alonso, who tossed to second to get the first out, but the throw by shortstop Jose Mojica to first to try double play sailed wide and gave Mitch Haniger time to score from second.
A fourth walk by Guth to Greg Hopkins loaded the bases again, but Brevard County (11-8 second half, 48-38 overall) left them loaded though the damage had already been done.
None of those runners needed to score in the end, as left Brent Leach came on and posted his third straight scoreless outing for the save. He allowed his first hit in a Manatees’ uniform, but struck out the side.
The Manatees scored first in the second, with Ramirez taking a leadoff walk and scoring when Ben McMahan grounded into a bases-loaded double play.
Three base runners and the run in that frame were the most that the ‘Tees could muster against Threshers’ southpaw starter Mario Hollands, who matched a career-high nine strikeouts in seven innings. He walked one and ceded just four hits, but did not factor into the decision with Guth taking the loss in his rocky eighth frame.
DAMIEN MAGNIFICO HURTS HAND
Brevard County starting pitcher Damien Magnifico (0-1, 6.59 ERA) made it through the first pitch in the second inning before leaving, with the trainer and coaches looking at his right hand.
Alex Moore, who was drafted in the 28th round of last month’s MLB First-Year Player Draft, made his Class A-Advanced debut, in relief of Magnifico. He threw three shutout innings and allowed just two hits and two walks as he left the game in line for the win.
Clearwater (9-9, 44-42) took a 2-1 lead in the fifth against Matt Miller, using a Carlos Alonso run-scoring triple and Aaron Altherr’s RBI single to plate the two runs.
Final game of both the three-game series and the season series between the Threshers and the Manatees is scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch tonight at Space Coast Stadium.
Cody Scarpetta (0-3, 5.59) will start on the mound for Brevard County and he will be matched up against lefty Hoby Milner (8-4, 4.24) for Clearwater.
