Offense dominates in 8-5 Manatees win

Brevard finishes series, triple header with two wins over Charlotte

By Frank Longobardo

June 27, 2012

VIERA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees capped off a long but successful day of baseball at Space Coast Stadium on Wednesday as they took the final game of three from the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 8-5 in seven innings.

For the second straight game of the day, Brevard's (5-1 second half, 34-40 overall) bats came to life as they mashed 11 hits, with five of them going for extra bases. Down 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, the 'Tees plated five in the frame to put the game out of reach from the Stone Crabs (2-3 second half, 31-41 overall).

With one out in the third, Reggie Keen tripled to left and was then driven in on a RBI double by T.J. Mittelstaedt. Following a Jason Rogers walk that put two on with one out, Mike Walker cleared the bases with a double into the right field corner as the Manatees took a 4-2 lead.

Brock Kjeldgaard then hammered a two-run homer to left field that would have kept going if the scoreboard wasn't in the way, to give Brevard County a 7-1 lead. The homer was Kjeldgaard's 36 in a Brevard County uniform as he extended his own record for most homers as a Manatee.

'Tees starting pitcher Brooks Hall (3-3, 4.35) was the benefit of the run support as he went five innings and gave up three earned runs. He allowed six hits, while walking four and striking out one. Hall is 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA in five June starts.

The first five hitters in Brevard County's order - Keen, Mittelstaedt, Rogers, Walker and Kjeldgaard - combined to go 9-for-14 with eight runs scored, seven RBI, four walks and five extra base hits.

With Wednesday's historic "triple header" behind them, the Manatees will hit the road for a six-game road trip. The trip will begin with a three-game set against the Tampa Yankees on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.

Brandon Williamson (1-4, 5.87) will toe the rubber for the 'Tees as he is looking for his first win since May 19. In his only other start against the Yankees, Williamson allowed one earned run in six innings of work. Tampa is slated to send Jose A. Ramirez (2-4, 4.14) to the mound.