Cubs take opener from 'Tees 8-3

Daytona's bullpen allowed one run over six innings of work in an 8-3 victory over the Brevard County Manatees on Tuesday. Nelson Perez, John Andreoli and Greg Rohan hit a combined 7-14 with four runs and three RBIs.

June 12, 2012

Viera, FL - Another early offensive output powered the Daytona Cubs to their second-straight win, a 8-3 decision over the Brevard County Manatees in the series opener on Tuesday night at Space Coast Stadium.

The Cubs scored twice in the top of the second inning off RHP Brooks Hall (L, 1-3), thanks to an RBI single from DH Richard Jones and a run-scoring double by SS Arismendy Alcantara. The Manatees responded with two in the home half against RHP Eduardo Figueroa. 2B Shea Vucinich led off with a single, and DH Cody Hawn knocked Vucinich in with a triple. C Joey Paciorek capped the rally with an RBI groundout to tie the score at 2-2.

Figueroa finished after tossing three innings of two-run, five-hit baseball with no walks and four strikeouts.

Daytona took the lead for good with a bases-loaded groundout from Jones in the third, and padded the lead with a four-run fourth inning. C Chad Noble led off with a triple and scored on Alcantara's sacrifice fly. 2B Roni Torreyes then reached on an error, moved to third on LF Nelson Perez' single to right, and scored on 1B Greg Rohan's RBI single. With the one-out base knock, Rohan extended his league-leading RBI total to 55. CF Rubi Silva made it 6-2 with a sacrifice fly, and RF John Andreoli gave the Cubs a four-run cushion with a run-scoring single.

Daytona added another run in the ninth on a lead-off homer from LF Nelson Perez. He reached base four times and finished 3-4 with a home run, two singles and two runs scored. Perez is now tied with Rohan for third in the league with 11 homers and is tied for third in the league with 42 RBIs.

Hall allowed seven runs #four earned# on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts over four innings of work, and Daytona managed just two hits over the final five innings against LHP Philippe Valiquette, LHP Thomas Keeling, and RHP Eric Marzec.

The Cubs bullpen pitched admirably in relief of Figueroa, as RHP Ryan Searle #W, 4-1# and knuckleballer RHP Joseph Zeller combined to pitch four scoreless innings to keep the Manatees at bay. LHP Jeff Lorick tossed the eighth and ninth, allowing one run on two hits.

The Cubs and Manatees will square-off again on Wednesday at Space Coast Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35p.m.