Brevard edges Dunedin, 6-5

VIERA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 3-0 deficit and held on to defeat the Dunedin Blue Jays, 6-5 on Friday night at Space Coast Stadium.

The Manatees' (2-0 second half, 31-39 overall) rally in the sixth started with a lead-off walk by T.J. Mittelstaedt. Jason Rogers and Mike Walker then had back-to-back singles, with Walker's driving in Mittelstaedt and chasing Dunedin (0-2, 42-27) starter Marcus Walden from the game.

The new reliever Boomer Potts faced just one batter as he walked Cody Hawn to load the bases. Dustin Antolin came in for the Blue Jays and was rudely greeted by Shea Vucinich who singled to plate Rogers and cut Dunedin's lead to 3-2.

Antolin retired the next two hitters but then allowed a bases-loaded, two-out walk to Nick Shaw that tied the game at 3-3. Reggie Keen then stepped in and hit a hot shot to second baseman Ryan Schimpf for an infield single. Schimpf tried throwing out Vucinich at third, but his throw was wild as the Manatees took a 5-3 lead.

As quickly as Brevard County took the lead, Dunedin tied the game back up in the seventh as Seth Harvey allowed a two-out, two-run homer to Jake Marisnick. The Blue Jays lead would be short lived though as the 'Tees took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI double to left by Hawn.

Brevard was unable to plate any insurance runs in the eighth, despite two hits in the inning. The Manatees ran themselves out of the inning, as Shaw was thrown out stealing second and Keen was caught in a rundown for the final out of the inning.

Dunedin made the top of the ninth interesting against Brevard's All-Star closer Casey Medlen. After striking out Michael Crouse, Medlen walked Jonathan Jones and allowed a single to Kevin Nolan, which put the go-ahead run on base. Medlen then settled down and forced a fly out in foul territory and a strike out to seal the game and give the 'Tees their second straight win.

Manatees starting pitcher Brandon Williamson (1-4, 5.87) threw five innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out three as he did not factor in the decision. Walker led the way at the plate for Brevard as he went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. Both Hawn and Keen had two hits each as Hawn had two doubles and Keen drove in two runs.

Brevard County will be going for the three-game sweep of the first half champion Blue Jays on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. Andy Moye (2-0, 5.06) will toe the rubber for the 'Tees. He struck out five in three innings of relief in his only other appearance against Dunedin back on May 25.

The Blue Jays will send Jesse Hernandez (0-1, 40.50) to the mound for his second start in the Florida State League. In his first start after being called up from Class A Lansing, Hernandez went just 1.1 innings and allowed six runs against the Clearwater Threshers this past Monday.