Stone Crabs drop opener to the Hammerheads 10-4

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (July 19, 2018)-The Stone Crabs allowed double digits for the second straight night, dropping the series opener 10-4 Thursday against the Jupiter Hammerheads at Charlotte Sports Park.
Jupiter (52-44, 11-16) drew first blood in the top of the first inning courtesy of back-to-back doubles from James Nelson and Lazaro Alonso.
The Stone Crabs (49-46, 15-13) would answer in the second with an RBI double from Jesús Sánchez  to tie the game up at 1-1.
However, the Hammerheads regained the lead in the second on a single to left off the bat of Anfernee Seymour to make it 2-1 Jupiter.
Jupiter would start off the fourth inning with a single from Cameron Baranek, which was followed by a walk from Aaron Knapp. The catcher B.J. López then moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Anfernee Seymour followed by driving a triple off the wall in right to clear the bases and extend the Hammerheads lead to 5-1. Riley Mahan would then drive in a run with a sacrifice fly to center to cap the inning at 6-1.
Robbie Tenerowicz would start to close the gap with a solo home run to left making the score 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
In the seventh, Mahan singled to right before advancing to second on a passed ball. James Nelson was then hit by a pitch before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. The Stone Crabs then elected to intentionally walk Lazaro Alonso, loading the bases.
After Zack Mozingo caught Jhonny Santos looking for the second out, Baranek tripled to right, clearing the bases and extending the lead to 9-2. The Hammerheads added one more run in the seventh on a single to right form Knapp, making it 10-2.
The Stone Crabs cut the lead to 10-4 off a two-run home run to right field courtesy of Tristan Gray.
Rays southpaw Jonny Venters pitched one inning in a rehab effort, facing three batters to work a scoreless inning.
The Stone Crabs will look to even the series Friday, sending left-hander Kenny Rosenberg (7-1) to the mound. He will be opposed by right-hander Ethan Clark (1-3). Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.