Rieger's Walk-Off Hit Wins Game One
JUPITER, Fla. - Ryan Rieger's walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Jupiter to a 2-1 win over the St. Lucie Mets in game one of a scheduled double-header Saturday night at Roger Dean Stadium.
Two-out singles by Joe Mahoney and Isaac Galloway set the stage for Rieger's game-winning hit-the Hammerheads' second straight walk-off winner.
Josh Adams hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning Wednesday night to beat Clearwater. Jupiter's series finale with the Threshers on Thursday was cancelled due to rain. Friday night's series opener with St. Lucie was postponed, setting up Saturday night's double-header.
Game one Saturday night marked the first nine-inning game Jupiter has played since last Friday-nine days ago. In between three postponed games and one that was cancelled, the Hammerheads have played three double-headers. The only day they didn't play two was Wednesday night's walk-off win-which went 10 innings.
Game two Saturday night was suspended after the top of the seventh with Jupiter and St. Lucie locked in a 1-1 tie. They'll pick up where they left off Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Game three of this weekend series is scheduled to follow.
Mahoney put the Hammerheads on the board with a solo home run in the fourth inning of game one Saturday night. He's now batting .333 (10-for-30) with two home runs in eight rehab games with Jupiter.
Fellow Major League rehabber Donovan Solano went 2-for-4 with a double in game one, raising his average to .600 (6-for-10) in three rehab games with the Hammerheads.
Giancarlo Stanton went hitless in games one and two Saturday night. He's now 0-for-12 in four rehab games.
RHP Josh Hodges pitched 4.2 strong innings in game one for the Hammerheads, allowing just five hits and two walks. He yielded one run thanks to a soft pop up to that fell between the second baseman and right fielder with two outs in the inning. Hodges was taken out of the game after allowing a hit to the next batter.
The 6-foot-7, 235-pound right-hander has pitched lights-out since returning from a short DL stint last month. In his last 20.2 innings (five outings, two starts), Hodges has given up just two earned runs on 15 hits and six walks, lowering his season ERA to 2.57.
Three Jupiter relief pitchers (RHP Pete Andrelczyk, RHP Nick Wittgren and RHP James Nygren) combined to throw 4.1 scoreless innings in game one, allowing just three hits and two walks. Nygren was credited with his fourth win of the season after pitching the top of the ninth.
LHP Andrew Heaney tossed himself a gem in game two, yielding just one earned run on three hits, striking out four and peaking at 95 mph on the stadium radar gun. Now four starts into his 2013 campaign, the Marlins' 2012 first-round pick has a 1.56 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.
Austin Nola went 3-for-3 in game two, batting from the two-hole for just the eighth time this season.
Adams' RBI single in the bottom of the fifth tied the game up at one before a 91-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth. The rain stopped long enough to complete the allotted seven innings for a double-header game. But the skies opened up again as the bottom of the seventh ended, forcing the suspension. Play will resume Sunday at 5:05 p.m.
The Hammerheads will start RHP Anthony DeSclafani (4-2, 1.88 ERA) in game three Sunday night. He'll be opposed by Mets' RHP Matt Bowman (3-0, 2.81). First pitch is scheduled for approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Saturday night's suspended game.
For more information on the Jupiter Hammerheads, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins, please call (561) 775-1818 or visit JupiterHammerheads.com. For tickets and more information about Roger Dean Stadium, visit RogerDeanStadium.co