Manatees stomp Stone Crabs, 9-1

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees' offense continued to stay hot and Taylor Jungmann earned his first win in his last seven starts as the 'Tees topped the Charlotte Stone Crabs 9-1 on Tuesday night at Charlotte Sports Park.

The Manatees (18-26) gave Jungmann run support before he even took the hill as Brevard scored three runs in the first inning. Nick Shaw led the game off with his 11th double of the season and was driven in two batters later by a Cody Hawn RBI single.

Shawn Zarraga then doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Then Mike Walker hit a ball out to left that was misplayed by Cody Rogers which allowed Hawn and Zarraga to score and Walker to reach second.

Charlotte (22-22) plated their only run off Jungmann and Brevard County in the second as Philip Wunderlich hit a one-out, solo homer to right. Jungmann (3-3, 2.90) shut the Stone Crabs down the rest of the way as he allowed just the one run in 7 2/3 innings. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out a career-high eight.

Eric Arnett relieved Jungmann in the eighth was perfect in 1 1/3 innings of work with two strikeouts.

It stayed a 3-1 game until the sixth when Reggie Keen hit a two-run homer to give the 'Tees a 5-1 lead. Keen recorded another RBI in the seventh as he drove in Hawn with a sacrifice fly to center.

Brevard put the game out of reach in the eighth as Walker had a two-out, two-RBI single and then Keen hit a ground-rule double to plate Zarraga.

Zarraga and Keen had three hits each, while Walker and Franklin Romero Jr. each recorded two hits. Keen also drove in four with Walker driving in three.

Brevard pounded out 13 hits as the 'Tees are hitting .315 and have scored 38 runs in their last four games. The Manatees will look to continue their torrid hitting in the third game of their four-game set with the Stone Crabs on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.

Jimmy Nelson (2-4, 2.40) will take the mound for Brevard as he is look for his first win since April 16. In his last start this past Friday against Fort Myers, Nelson threw a complete game but was saddled with the tough-luck loss in a 2-1 game.

If Brevard County wants their bats to stay hot, they will have to do it against the reigning Florida State League Pitcher of the Week. Charlotte will send C.J. Riefenhauser (6-0, 0.70) to the mound. Riefenhauser has not allowed an earned run in his last 26 innings of work.