Brevard's bats bounce Yanks

TAMPA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees pounded out 14 hits and helped starting pitcher Andy Moye improve to 4-0 as the 'Tees topped the Tampa Yankees, 9-5 on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Moye (4-0, 4.32) went six innings and allowed two runs - both earned - on four hits. He walked two and struck out two as his pitching line was exactly the same as the line of his last start, which was a win against Dunedin last Saturday.

The 'Tees (6-2 second half, 35-41 overall) gave Moye run support early as Brevard plated two runs in the top of the first, thanks to a two-run home run by Jason Rogers. The homer was Rogers' first as a Manatee and was also his first extra-base hit with Brevard County.

Up 3-1 after four innings, Brevard put the game out of reach in the fifth with a couple of clutch two-out hits. Cody Hawn drove in T.J. Mittelstaedt and Mike Walker with a single to left field. Then two batters later, Shea Vucinich drove in Hawn and Brock Kjeldgaard with a two-RBI double that gave the Manatees a 7-1 lead.

Tampa (4-4, 34-41) cut Brevard's lead to 7-4 heading into the ninth, but the Manatees' offense wasn't done as Walker and Hawn each had two-out RBI singles to give the 'Tees a 9-4 advantage. Seven of Brevard County's nine RBI on Friday came with two outs and the 'Tees were 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Mittelstaedt and Rogers led the way at the plate with three hits each. Mittelstaedt also scored three times and stole two bases. Hawn and Vucinich each had two hits, with Hawn having a game-high three RBI.

The rubber game of Brevard County's three-game series with Tampa will be on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.

Drew Gagnon will get his first start for the Manatees, since being promoted from Class-A Wisconsin. Gagnon was a Midwest League mid-season All-Star with the Timber Rattlers as he went 6-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 14 starts.