Brevard Manatees Surrender Late-Inning Runs, Fall To Daytona 6-4
By Brevard County Manatees // May 3, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Daytona Tortugas (15-8) used a five-run seventh inning to defeat the Brevard County Manatees (10-12), 6-4, at Space Coast Stadium on Saturday night.
With the Manatees leading 2-1 in the seventh and Hiram Burgos (1-3, 3.81 ERA) cruising along, the Tortugas made their move. After a single, a walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out, Phillip Ervin hit a tailor-made double play ball to shortstop.
Angel Ortega booted the grounder and allowed Taylor Sparks to score to tie the game. Burgos was then lifted in favor of Tyler Spurlin. Alex Blandino then blooped a two-run double down the right field line to give Daytona a 4-2 advantage.
The next batter, Sebastian Elizalde, smacked a two-run single up the middle to complete the five run frame.
The Tortugas took a 6-2 lead into the seventh inning stretch in front of a stunned Space Coast Stadium crowd.
Brevard County did not go away quietly, however. Taylor Brennan worked a walk with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
After a Clint Coulter fly out, Victor Roache stepped to the plate. He launched a towering, opposite field, two-run homer to cut the deficit in half. It was Roache’s sixth home run of the season and gave him 21 RBI on the year.
The Daytona bullpen combination of Jimmy Moran and Zach Weiss retired the final seven Manatees to secure the victory. Elhajj Muhammad (3-0, 1.69) was credited with the win. He allowed just the Roache homer in two innings.
Both offenses got off to hot starts in the ballgame. Three singles, including an RBI base knock by Robert Ramirez, gave the Tortugas an early cushion.
Chris McFarland followed up with a leadoff homer to right field to the tie the score. It was McFarland’s first long ball of the season.
The Manatees broke the tie in the fifth. Brennan walked with one out. Roache followed up with a soaring RBI triple off of the right-center field fence. Roache finished with a 3-for-4 night and three RBI. He finished a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Burgos was hit with the loss. He allowed five runs – four earned – on six hits. He walked one and tied a season high with eight strikeouts.
The series will wrap up tomorrow in Daytona Beach.
LHP Wei-Chung Wang (1-1, 7.71 ERA) will get the start for the Manatees.
The Tortugas will send RHP Sal Romano (2-1, 3.93 ERA) to the hill.
