Mittelstaedt Walks Off Again With 12th Inning Blast
By Brevard County Manatees // August 8, 2013
Brevard takes series opener from Tampa 4-2
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BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – T.J. Mittelstaedt’s third walk-off home run of the season lifted the Brevard Manatees to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Yankees in 12 innings on Wednesday night at Space Coast Stadium.
It was the ninth walk-off win for the ‘Tees (19-24 second half, 56-54 overall) on the season and the sixth that Mittelstaedt has been a part of. He has also recorded a game-winning double and scored two game-winning runs.
With the game tied 1-1 after nine innings, both teams scored a run in the tenth. After Tampa (21-21, 49-61) scored on Peter O’Brien’s RBI triple, Brevard staged a rally in the bottom of the frame.
Cameron Garfield walked to open things up, though pinch runner Ben McMahan was erased on a fielder’s choice that allowed Cody Hawn to reach. Greg Hopkins then singled up the middle and then Mittelstaedt reached on an error to load the bases.
Manny Barreda sailed a wild pitch, allowing Hawn to score the tying run, but Barreda was able to settle down and strike out the next two batters to end the inning and the threat.
Both teams battled all night long, with Brevard County taking an early lead in the bottom of the second. Mitch Haniger led off with a single, moved to third on a single by Garfield and then scored on a Hawn sacrifice fly.
TAMPA EVENS THE SCORE
Right away, the Yankees even the score after Rob Refsnyder doubled to start the third and scored two batters later on O’Brien’s single.
Both pitching staffs kept the contest low-scoring, with the starters each taking no-decisions despite strong performances.
Brevard County’s Brent Suter (7-7, 3.30 ERA) scattered seven hits in his seven innings of work as he walked only two, while recording four strikeouts and giving up just the one run in the third inning.
Making his first career start after 101 relief appearances, Tampa’s Branden Pinder held the Manatees to one run on three hits in four innings. He did not issue a walk and notched a pair of strikeouts.
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte threw a perfect fifth before giving way to Dietrich Enns, who was on for the Manatees run in the tenth but posted an impressive line of five strikeouts and just two hits in 4.1 innings of work for the Yankees.
It was the ninth walk-off win for the ‘Tees on the season and the sixth that Mittelstaedt has been a part of. He has also recorded a game-winning double and scored two game-winning runs.
The loss went to Barreda, who worked 2.1 innings and gave up three hits, while striking out three.
After three innings of work from Stephen Peterson, Tommy Toledo picked up the victory with two innings of one-hit ball.
Both Nick Ramirez and Greg Hopkins went 2-for-5, while D’Vontrey Richardson’s 14-game hitting streak was snapped as he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
The Manatees and the Yankees will square off again on Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Jacob Barnes (6-5, 3.24 ERA) is scheduled to take the hill for Brevard County against Tampa’s Scottie Allen (8-4, 3.51 ERA).
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