Link Report for Thursday 5/14 -- Rattlers Enjoy A Victory

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Colorado Springs: RHP Josh Roenicke at home vs. Memphis (Cardinals), 11:35 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

We welcome Dan Karcher, who is the longtime play-by-play voice of the Sky Sox; follow him on Twitter @SkySoxKarch

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Colorado Springs games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. The video of each game is archived online, which is a nice feature. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

NOTE: Notice that on MiLB.TV's page, you can click on "Filter", then "Milwaukee Brewers", and you'll see just the Crew's organizational TV lineup.

 

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Biloxi: LHP Hobbs Johnson at Jackson (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

We also welcome Chris Harris as the very first play-by-play voice of the Shuckers! Follow Chris on Twitter @CHarris731. We'll be looking off to his very promising "Shuck Dynasty" blog. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be radio broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV - Seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games, and Biloxi staff indicates it is hopeful it will be eight when the new stadium opens.

 

NOTE: This series is available online for MiLB.TV subscribers.

 

 

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Brevard County: LHP Wei-Chung Wang at home vs. Bradenton (Pirates), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio, as all home games and the "commuter" road games are scheduled to be broadcast in 2015.

 

No Florida State League games are available via MiLB.TV.

 

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Wisconsin: LHP Luis Ortega at home vs. Clinton (Mariners), 6:15 PM pre-game, 6:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link - WNAM

 

Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio.

 

NOTE: Forty-two (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (34) will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and remember to refer to the Rattlers' full TV schedule (scroll to bottom of link) so you can coordinate your DVR activity.

 

***

 

So, for the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sky Sox games, most Shuckers games, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

[Mass Haas]

DVR Alert!

 

Here's your Timber Rattlers TV schedule for this week --

 

THU., May 14, vs. Clinton LumberKings, 6:30 PM, TWC SportsChannel

 

FRI., May 15, vs. Kane County Cougars, 6:30 PM, MyNEW32 TV

 

SAT., May 16, vs. Kane County Cougars, 1:05 PM, MyNEW32 TV

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Colorado Springs

 

Biloxi

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

 

***

 

Look for these just prior to the respective game times --

 

Colorado Springs Media Notes - It's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Sky Sox' site.

 

Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog

 

Brevard County Media Notes - It's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Manatees' site.

 

Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog

 

***

 

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League South Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

***

 

Sortable individual stat pages:

 

Colorado Springs

 

Biloxi

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

***

 

Weather.com:

 

Colorado Springs, CO

 

Jackson, TN

 

Viera, FL

 

Grand Chute, WI

[Mass Haas]

Chris Harris part of foundation for new club

Brandon Shields, The Jackson Sun

 

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Chris Harris, left, and Jackson Generals radio broadcaster Brandon Leibhaber show their angry faces in the visiting radio booth at the game between the Generals and Biloxi Shuckers on Wednesday. (Photo: BRANDON SHIELDS/The Jackson Sun)

 

As Chris Harris has embarked on the next phase of his baseball broadcasting career this season, he and his new team from Biloxi, Miss., came home for a few days this week.

 

Harris, who was the radio play-by-play man for the Jackson Generals from 2009-14, joined the Biloxi Shuckers organization during the offseason after the Milwaukee Brewers’ Double-A affiliate moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Huntsville, Ala.

 

Harris, who is from Lexington and attended high school and college at Jackson Christian and Bethel, has gotten to experience a number of things being a part of the foundational crew for a franchise.

 

Possibly the most tangible of those experiences is the 55-game road trip the Shuckers were in the middle of when they made their first five-day stop in Jackson this week.

 

“It’s not been as bad as some people might think,” Harris said between innings in the Shuckers’ matinee win over the Generals on Wednesday afternoon. “We’ve been on the road for 34 days now.

 

“There are some things different like we have a trailer that we put some equipment we wouldn’t normally travel with if we were at home five out of every 10 days that we have to almost play Tetris in before we hit the road to make everything fit because it seems like every week we’re adding something to the pile.”

 

Because the players aren’t spending every other week at home in their apartments with their own appliances, there are plenty of opportunities for Harris to become even more familiar with his current team.

 

“There’s always a group of players going to the hotel’s laundry room every night,” Harris said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with some of those guys late at night waiting for the laundry to finish. But that’s a good thing because that just helps the relationship I need to have with all of them.”

 

Harris hadn’t dealt much with national sports media company ESPN, but the self-proclaimed world-wide leader in sports likes the potential story of a minor league team forced to spend eight weeks on the road because its new stadium won’t be complete until nearly halfway through the season.

 

“We’ve done work with them, and they’re planning on dropping in and working with us some more for a series on us,” Harris said after answering a quick call from an ESPN representative who wasn’t aware the Shuckers had a day game. “That’s been fun.”

 

Something else Harris is experiencing in Biloxi is a rabid fan base excited to see their hometown team, which they haven’t seen play unless they travel to nearby Mobile, Ala., or Pearl, which is just north of Jackson, Miss. Wednesday was the day home game tickets went on sale. Fans could purchase them online, but there were a handful who went old school and camped out at the park to make sure they were in line for the first tickets.

 

Some of the staff back at the stadium got pictures and sent them to Chris, who showed them to the players and then shared photos of the players looking at the photos on social media. Both sets of pictures were big hits in southern Mississippi.

 

“These people have waited 10 years to have their own baseball team, so today is a dream coming to fruition for them,” Harris said. “They don’t think of it as a ‘minor league baseball team.’ It’s their hometown team, and that’s an exciting environment to be a part of.”

 

There have been a few awkward moments along the way. In Jacksonville, Fla., and Pearl, the Shuckers were listed as the home team, and the games were played as such as Biloxi players took the field in the top of the first and batted in the bottom of each inning.

 

“There were some fans who seemed to not know what was going on and were a little confused,” Harris said. “But those and some of the other teams have gone out of their way to be kind and gracious to us when they don’t have to be.”

 

Examples of the Generals’ welcome home for Harris included green and black streamers and balloons in the visiting radio booth to remind him of his days as the Generals’ broadcaster. When a Generals player hit a home run in the series opener Monday, a recording of Harris’ familiar home run call “Kiss it goodbye!” played over the PA system.

 

There was also a piece of paper taped to the window in front of Harris with “SHUCKERS” written on it in big, bold letters.

 

“I actually put that up,” Harris said laughing. “One time earlier in the season I referred to my team as the Generals, and I did it one time this series. It’s still a transition for me.

 

“But there have been a lot of hours put in and not a lot of sleep by a lot of great people we’re working with down there. When we host our first home game in June, that will be a special night that will be the fruit of the work we’ve all put in.”

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via WeAreGreenBay.com: Rattlers Carlos Leal Back At Home Behind The Plate

 

Also posted in our year-long Timber Rattlers feature thread...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Colorado Springs 8, Memphis 7

 

Guez Powers Sox Early, Late In 8-7 Win

Colorado Springs Combines for Four Homers In Tight Contest

By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

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Ben Guez capped a big game at the plate with his second home run to give the Sox an 8-7 win on Thursday. (Photo by Paat Kelly)

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Sky Sox flexed their muscle early and again in the latter innings as the offense's four-home run effort helped power Colorado Springs past the Memphis Redbirds in an 8-7 victory before a crowd of 6,208 at Security Service Field on Thursday.

 

After Memphis put a run on the board in the very first innings, the Sox offense would tee-off on Redbirds left-hander, and Cardinals top-pitching prospect, Marco Gonzales in the game's first two frames to take a quick six run lead.

 

Colorado Springs would benefit from a Ben Guez two-run shot in the first before Shane Peterson opened the home second with a solo blast to left field for an opposite field home run, giving his team a 3-0 lead through six batters. Over the next five batters in the frame, the offense would load the bases with two outs. Nevin Ashley came up with the sacks full of Sox and launched a high fly ball over the left field fence on the first pitch of the at-bat, giving his team it's first grand slam of 2015 while extending the lead to 7-1 after two innings.

 

Gonzales would settle down after the ugly start, tossing two more innings and allowing just two more base runners in that time. In all, the Colorado native would finish the day having allowed seven runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two over four innings of work.

 

The Redbirds would pull themselves from the early 7-1 deficit, chipping away at the Colorado Springs lead with a big four-run inning against Sox starter Josh Roenicke in the third and two more against reliever Michael Kirkman in the sixth.

 

Roenicke pitched strongly outside of the problematic fourth, where all nine batters in the Memphis lineup reached base safely on four base hits and two walks. The veteran reliever-turned-starter tossed 4.2 innings of five run ball on seven hits and three walks, striking out six Redbirds along the way.

 

With the score knotted at seven after six thanks to Dan Johnson's sixth inning two-run triple to the right-centerfield gap, Rob Wooten (2-0, 4.82) took the hill for a scoreless seventh to preserve the tie and give the Sox a chance to pull away late.

 

Groundouts by Pete Orr and Matt Long opened the seventh, bringing Guez to the plate with two out against Memphis right-hander Tyler Waldron (0-3, 4.79). Having just missed his second home run of the day on a deep fly ball caught at the left-centerfield wall by Rafael Ortega in the home fourth, the hot-hitting Guez would not miss his chance at redemption. The outfielder would crush Waldron's 2-2 offering an estimated 445 feet over the left field wall, just inside the foul pole to give the Sky Sox the late 8-7 lead.

 

Right-handers David Goforth and Corey Knebel would finish out the ballgame for Colorado Springs as each pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout over the eighth and ninth. Knebel notched his sixth save of the season en route to securing the 8-7 win.

 

With the Sky Sox victory, Colorado Springs and Memphis finish the day with identical 13-21 records.

 

The Sox will look to secure the series on Friday night as Tyler Cravy (2-4, 5.40) leads his squad against Redbirds righty Boone Whiting (0-1, 7.36) in the four-game series-finale. First pitch is slated for 6:35 PM MDT (7:35 Central) at Security Service Field.

 

Colorado Springs Box Score

 

For a 5'10", 180 lb. dude, Ben Guez has some pop -- 34 HR's in the last two AAA seasons (less homer-centric International League); newcomers Chris Nelson and Logan Schafer off to slow starts in their very small Sky Sox samples; Schafer could be next off the 40-man when a spot is needed, but we've been predicting that for a while now; Matt Long rocks the 2B-CF versatility again...

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

[WV Brew]

Mark Williams has not been added to the roster for this game. Kaleb Earls, who left with shoulder problems yesterday might be put on the DL. Just speculation though.

[WV Brew]

Garrett Cooper pinch hit for in the 6th inning. Injury?

[TheCrew07]

Chris touched on it in yesterday's post game blog post and once again the Rattlers score in one inning and turn around and immediately give a run (could be runs) back in the following half inning.

[WV Brew]

Garrett Cooper apparently left with a chest cold, not an injury. Good news for once.

[homer]

Roache is on a double a day kick. That's one double in each of the last four games.

[WV Brew]

Manatees better end it here. Omar Garcia called out at the plate and then got run by the umpire. They have used all of the bench. I guess a pitcher would have to play the outfield if the game continues.

 

Close call but it's yet another baserunning blunder by the Manatees. Men on 1st and 2nd and one out, they sent Garcia on a single by Brennan and he was called out at the plate. Coulter then grounded out for the 3rd out. Clint 0-4 with 3 K's with men in scoring position in this game. Scott Leiser now playing right in the 12th.

[WV Brew]

Roache has now hit 2 home runs since the double Homer mentioned. Still need another run to tie in the bottom of the 12th though.

[WV Brew]

Manatees lose after they stranded men in scoring position three innings in a row, any one of which would have won the game. Roache was 4-6. After striking out his first two at bats, he had a single, double and two home runs. The first home run came in the eighth inning with two aboard to tie the game. Clint Coulter is now in a huge slump. Chris McFarland was 11-19 in the series to bump his batting average up to .310. I will have the link report in the early morning along with Biloxi.

[WV Brew]

Arcia, Wren extend streaks, but Shuckers shutout 2-0

The loss forces the rubber match of the set on Friday night

Biloxi Shuckers

05/14/2015 11:37 PM ET

 

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Kyle Wren extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Thursday night (Benton Reed Photography)

 

JACKSON, TN - A day after scoring 14 runs and pounding out 20 hits, the Shuckers were shutout by the Jackson Generals Thursday night at the Ballpark at Jackson, 2-0. The loss forces a rubber match in game five on Friday night. Despite the loss, Kyle Wren extended his hitting streak to nine games and Orlando Arcia pushed his streak to six games.

 

Biloxi went 11-for-19 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, but Thursday had its struggles, stranding 10 aboard and going hitless in six scoring opportunities. The Shuckers still remain atop the Southern League South Division by a game over the Mobile BayBears.

 

After five scoreless innings in West Tennessee, the Generals (13-18) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Hobs Johnson (5.1 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 SO) hit Jabari Blash to start the frame and Jordy Lara singled to put two on with nobody out. Gabriel Guerrero attempted to put down a sacrifice bunt, but Nick Ramirez (0x3, B) forced out Blash at third. Dan Paolini followed with a RBI double to bring in Lara and give the Generals a 1-0 lead. Austin Ross (1.2 IP, H) relieved the left-handed starter, who left in the sixth and got Zack Shank to fly out to right field. On the play, Guerrero tagged from third and scored, but Paolini was thrown out at second to end the inning.

 

Biloxi (20-14) had a chance to tie the game in the ninth when Adam Weisenburger (0x1, BB, HBP) was hit by a pitch to lead things off, but a double play off the bat of Nick Shaw ended any potential rally before Kyle Wren (2x4, BB) grounded out to end the game. Wren's performance extended his hitting streak to 10 games, which is the third-longest actively in the league.

 

Orlando Arcia (1x4, 2B) tallied his 10th double of the year with two outs in the third to put runners on second and third and extend his hitting streak to six games.

 

Biloxi sends out RHP Jorge Lopez (3-2, 2.70) in the rubber match on Friday night, whom they have won his last four starts after dropping his first two. Jackson has not announced its game five starter. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on 1240-AM WGCM, 1580-AM WPMO and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com.

 

Biloxi Box Score

 

Biloxi Game Log

[WV Brew]

Florida Today story:

 

Manatees fall in 12th despite Roache’s big night

Staff report 11:10 p.m. EDT May 14, 2015

 

 

Victor Roache tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning but it was not enough as Bradenton defeated Brevard County 7-6 in 12 innings Thursday night.

 

Roache kept the Manatees alive with his second home run of the game in the bottom of the 12th, but Brevard still fell short.

 

Bradenton’s Austin Meadows had five hits, including an RBI single in the 12th to give them the lead. Reese McGuire’s RBI single later in the inning ended up being the game winner.

 

Roache finished with four hits as he was a triple short of the cycle.

Teammates Chris McFarland and Taylor Brennan each had three hits.

 

Tristan Archer suffered the loss, giving up two runs in two innings.

 

Brevard County will travel to Tampa looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Brandon Woodruff will take the mound for the Manatees looking for his first win of the season.

 

Gabriel Encinas will start for Tampa.

[TheCrew07]

Rattlers end losing streak emphatically

Wisconsin beats Clinton 9-3 at home

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

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Sthervin Matos went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and three RBI to lead the Rattlers to a 9-3 win on Thursday night. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers/Ann Mollica)

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers defeated the Clinton LumberKings 9-3 on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Sthervin Matos led the way with three hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. The victory ended Wisconsin's twelve game losing streak.

 

Matos started the scoring for the Timber Rattlers (9-25) in the bottom of the second inning. Carlos Leal drew a leadoff walk and Matos followed with a double to drive in Leal. Luis Aviles made it 2-0 with a two-out RBI single to score Matos.

 

Clinton (15-19) rallied to tie the score in the top of the third against starting pitcher Luis Ortega. Joe DeCarlo completed a string of three straight singles with one out to drive in the first run of the inning. Ortega walked the next batter to load the bases. Then, Estarlyn Morales singled again to knock in the tying run.

 

Wisconsin grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the third. Brandon Diaz drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Francisco Castillo. Diaz stole third on ball four to Leal and scored when the throw bounced into left. Leal wound up at second on the play. Matos would double again to knock in Leal for a 4-3 advantage.

 

But, Clinton made it close again in the top of the fourth. Ortega issued a leadoff walk and gave up a two out single. An error later in the inning let a run score, but Ortega struck out DeCarlo to end the threat.

 

The Timber Rattlers got a little breathing room in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally of their own. Elvis Rubio and Leal singled. Then, Matos drove in Rubio with another single. Alan Sharkey made it a 6-3 lead with a single to score Leal and send Matos around to third base. Then, the game took a turn to the weird.

 

Just after Leal scored, the lights at the stadium went out due to a tripped breaker. The game restarted seventeen minutes later.

 

Once play resumed the Rattlers stole a run. Sharkey broke for second and got caught in a rundown on purpose. He stayed in the rundown long enough for Matos to break for the plate and score the third run of the inning.

 

Milton Gomez took over for Ortega in the top of the fifth inning and worked four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked two, hit a batter, and struck out two to pick up the victory.

 

Wisconsin added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings during a steadily increasing rain. Francisco Castillo tripled to lead off the seventh and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rubio. In the eighth, Sharkey walked and would eventually score on a single by Gregory Munoz.

 

Tyler Linehan came on to pitch the ninth inning and struck out the first batter, but walked the second. The left-handed reliever got the final batter of the game to ground into a game-ending 1-6-3 double play.

 

The victory was the first for the Rattlers since April 30. They collected ten hits, drew seven walks, and went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position to stop the long losing streak two games shy of the team record.

 

The Timber Rattlers continue their homestand on Friday night with game one of a three game series against the Kane County Cougars. Joshua Torres is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers and will be making his 2015 debut. Markus Solbach (2-2, 3.09) is the scheduled starter for the Cougars. Game time is 6:35pm.

 

The first 1,000 fans to attend the North Shore Bank Family Night Friday will receive a Scooter Gennett Timber Rattlers T-Shirt from Baycom. The T-Shirt features the Timber Rattlers logo on the front and Scooter's name on the back with his number when he was a Rattler in 2010. Children 14 and under may participate in Kids Run the Bases thanks to Molina Healthcare after the game.

 

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. MyNEW 32's Sports Showdown will televise the game beginning at 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15am. The broadcast may also be heard on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers may watch the game on MiLB.tv.

 

WP: Milton Gomez (2-2)

LP: Pat Peterson (4-2)

 

TIME: 3:02 (:17 delay)

ATTN: 2,277

 

Postgame Post – May 14, 2015

If you don't listen to another interview this year, listen to the pre-game interview linked by Chris with Rick Tomlin.

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

It's over!

 

I talked about Luis Ortega's inconsistencies in an earlier Link Report and generally speaking walks are what gets him into trouble. He never seems to walk a guy with 2 out, rather he walks the first batter(s) of the inning and then settles down.

 

Milton Gomez gave up 9 runs on 4/18, since that time he's given up 1, 1, 2, 3, and 0 this evening. I'll be honest in that I don't know if he has a MLB future in any capacity, but he's been slowing bringing his stat lines back to respectability. He's had such an odd career, repeating the DSL, then repeating the AZL, and now this year jumping past Helena.

 

In case you missed it above Carlos Leal made a super heads up play getting all the way to 2nd on a walk with a steal attempt on the same play. The ball bounced into very short left field and Carlos hustled and took that extra base, which was huge at the time. His power #s are not great from a HR perspective, but he's smacked 6 2Bs and 1 3B in addition to that 1 HR, giving him 8 XBH on the season so he's not devoid of power. Basically in addition to what I've already said I'm pointing out again that there are not many holes in his game. I'm still marveling at him jumping all the way to WI as a hitter in his first season as a position player.

 

Jake Gatewood returned to the line-up and showed good range again, he's been a pleasant surprise defensively.

 

Sthervin Matos is an enigma to me, he's either extremely hot or cold, he has no in-between, he's had such a roller coaster season so far. He had been slumping miserably with 4 hitless games last week and had been 3-12 so far this week, then just explodes with 2 doubles and the single tonight sparking the offense.

 

The rain was really coming down by the end of the game and T-Rats just kept battling, I was proud of the boys tonight.

 

Wisconsin Recap

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Ben Guez hits one out, his 2nd of the game, to help Colorado Springs to an 8-7 win over Memphis

 

***

 

VIDEO (Wednesday's Game):Biloxi's Orlando Arcia doubles in a run in the Shuckers' 14-10 win over Jackson

[Mass Haas]

It's getting there -- full photo gallery from Biloxi

 

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[WV Brew]

Brevard County Loses Wild Game To Bradenton In 12

Victor Roache Homers Twice in 7-6 Loss

Brevard County Manatees

05/15/2015 12:29 AM ET

 

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Victor Roache, pictured above, had four hits and two home runs in Thursday's loss. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

 

Viera, Fla. - The Bradenton Marauders (18-16) plated two runs in the 12th inning and survived in the bottom half of the frame in a 7-6 victory over the Brevard County Manatees (15-18) on Thursday at Space Coast Stadium.

 

With the game tied at five after 11 innings, Wyatt Mathisen singled against Tristan Archer (1-1, 2.84 ERA) to start off the frame. Chris Diaz then sacrificed Mathisen up to second. Austin Meadows stepped up and hit a sharp liner up the middle. Shortstop Angel Ortega dove and knocked the ball down. Mathisen never stopped running and attempted to score. Ortega made a weak throw from his knees and Mathisen was called safe on a close play at the plate to give Bradenton the 6-5 lead. Meadows moved up to second on the throw. He finished 5-for-6 on the night with two runs and two RBI. Two batters later, Reese McGuire lined a single to center to plate Meadows and give Bradenton a two-run cushion.

 

Brett McKinney came on for the save opportunity. Victor Roache greeted him rudely with an opposite field solo home run to right. It was Roache's second homer of the night and eighth of the season. McKinney retired Steven Halcomb, Rafael Neda and Cameron Garfield in order to end the game. He recorded his sixth save of the year.

 

It appeared that the Manatees had won the game in the previous inning. With two on and one out, Taylor Brennan smacked a single to right-center field. Omar Garcia, who had singled to lead off the inning, tried to score the game-winning run. Jose Osuna's throw was strong and Garcia was called out on a questionable call at the plate. Garcia was immediately ejected after he was called out. Clint Coulter grounded out to second to end the threat. Since the Manatees had no position players left, pitcher Scott Lieser played right field in the 12th.

 

Roache's first homer of the game forced the extra frames. Trailing by three in the bottom of the eighth, Chris McFarland and Brennan singled with nobody out. Two batters later, Roach launched a three-run, game-tying home run to right field.

Brevard County opened the scoring in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Brennan that scored Ortega. Bradenton took a 3-1 lead with a trio of runs in the fourth against starter Wei-Chung Wang. Justin Maffei hit an RBI double, Jacoby Jones recorded an RBI on sac fly and Jose Osuna singled home McGuire. Wang did not factor into the decision. He surrendered five runs - four earned - on eight hits in 6.1 innings. He walked one and struck out six.

 

The Manatees got a run back in the bottom of fifth on a RBI by McFarland. He finished the game three hits, a walk, a run scored and an RBI. In the four-game series against Bradenton, he went 11-for-19 with four runs batted in. He raised his average from .268 to .310 in the series.

 

The Marauders chased Wang in the seventh before scoring two runs to extend the lead to 5-2. After a single and a walk, Stephen Peterson came on in relief of Wang with one out. Meadows and Maffei both delivered RBI singles as Peterson allowed both inherited runners to score. Peterson pitched 3.2 innings and did not give up any runs of his own. Archer allowed just the two 12th-inning runs on four hits in his two innings of relief.

 

Isaac Sanchez (1-0, 4.56 ERA) received the win, despite a shaky outing. He surrendered the game-tying homer to Roache in the eighth. Overall, he allowed three runs on nine hits and a walk in four innings.

 

The Manatees will head to Tampa tomorrow to start a three-game series at George M. Steinbrenner Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. RHP Brandon Woodruff (0-1, 5.54 ERA) will start for the Manatees. The Yankees will send RHP Gabriel Encinas (0-0, 3.38 ERA) to the hill.

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

Brevard County Game Log

[brewmann04]

wow nice how far is the hotel? looks like you see the field from the rooms.