Fiery Frogs use big eighth to drown Hammerheads, 6-5

KISSIMMEE, FL: An unrelenting Florida Fire Frogs lineup came up with timely contact at the plate and erased a two-run deficit late to top the Jupiter Hammerheads, 6-5, on Wednesday evening at Osceola County Stadium.
Trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the eighth, Riley Unroe coaxed a walk out of RHP Lukas Schiraldi to start things off. After Shean Michel was retired, Kevin Josephina grounded a ball to first that could have easily been a double play ball to end the threat. Instead, Lazaro Alonso threw the ball into left field, enabling Unroe to move up to third.
Then came the next stage of the comeback, back-to-back run-scoring singles from Riley Delgado and William Contreras that brought the game even at 5.
Delgado became the first Fire Frog to notch three hits in a game by going 3-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. He is on a six-game hitting streak. Contreras had a multi-hit effort also.
With two outs in the eighth and two in scoring position, Jefrey Ramos hit what appeared to be a routine grounder towards short. Jupiter third baseman James Nelson came from nowhere, cutting off Jose Devers and booting the ball. Everyone was safe on the play, Delgado scored, and the final blow was given. Florida led 6-5 and wouldn't surrender the lead again.
Ramos extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-5 night at the plate, including an RBI single in the first that got Florida on the board and a run-scoring triple in the fifth that trimmed the Hammerheads lead down to 4-3.
Drew Lugbauer's RBI groundout in the first capped a two-run stanza for the home team.
Jupiter's four-run fourth against RHP Tristan Beck put them in position to win the game. Cameron Baranek, Tristan Pompey, and Alonso all had RBI singles to catapult the Hammerheads into the lead, 4-2. The second run of the inning came across during a Jose Devers bunt single and subsequent throwing error from Lugbauer that plated Nick Fortes.
Alonso added his first long ball of the season, an opposite field shot off RHP Sean McLaughlin to bump Jupiter's advantage to 5-3.
Beck received a no-decision, hurling five innings of four-run ball and allowing seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts. McLaughlin surrendered the homer to Alonso and two other hits in his two-inning stint out of the bullpen. RHP Daysbel Hernandez (2-0) went from just trying to keep the game close in the eighth to quickly dispatching Jupiter in the ninth and earning the win.    
NEXT UP: The Fire Frogs go for their first series victory of the season on Thursday afternoon at Osceola County Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
About the Florida Fire Frogs
 
The Florida Fire Frogs are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and compete in the Florida State League. The Fire Frogs play their home games at Osceola County Stadium, located at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. For more information, please visit www.FloridaFireFrogs.com, and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
 
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