Gray's walk-off caps winning first half

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (June 20, 2018) - Tristan Gray's 11^th inning walk-off base hit sent the Charlotte Stone Crabs home with a 6-5 win over Lakeland and a winning first half Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.
Wednesday's victory was the second walk-off win of the series for the Stone Crabs (34-33). Charlotte wrapped up the first half by winning eight of their last ten games to finish with a winning record.
Entering the bottom of the 11^th inning in a 5-5 game, Stone Crabs automatic runner Robbie Tenerowicz stole third base before Gray drove a ball over the center fielder's head to win the game.
Charlotte reliever J.D. Busfield (3-3) worked a scoreless top of the inning to earn the win. Trevor Charpie went three innings in relief without allowing an earned run. He struck out five and walked one.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the second, Charlotte strung together three hits before David Olmedo-Barrera drove a ball to left to make it 1-0 Stone Crabs.
Stone Crabs starter Willy Ortiz logged as season-best seven innings, striking out six while allowing five hits and two walks. Both runs that Ortiz surrendered came on a Zac Shepherd home run in the fifth.
With Charlotte down 2-1 in the seventh, Gray drove a double to right before Kevin Padlo drove him in with a sharply hit double down the left field line to make it 2-2.
After Lakeland rallied for two in the top of the eighth, Josh Lowe doubled with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Tenerowicz then pulled a single into left to tie game at wo. Gray followed with a single before Padlo doubled to left again to tie the game at four.
Down a run in the bottom of the tenth, Lowe came through with a single to right to make the count 5-5 and push the game to the decisive 11^th.
Charlotte racked up 18 hits Wednesday, leaving a season-high 15 men on base while going 6-for-23 with runners in scoring position.
After beginning the year 4-12 in one run games, the Stone Crabs have now won eight of their last ten games that have been decided by two runs or less.
The Stone Crabs open the second half on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Palm Beach against the Cardinals. Coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.