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Tarpons Draw 11 Walks in 7-1 Win

Gilliam Homers; McKinney Tallies 3RBI
(Mark LoMoglio)
May 11, 2018

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa batters drew a season-high 11 walks as the Tarpons (19-16) evened the series with the Florida Fire Frogs (14-21) with a 7-1 win on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Rehabbers Greg Bird and Billy McKinney combined to draw four of the walks in their second

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa batters drew a season-high 11 walks as the Tarpons (19-16) evened the series with the Florida Fire Frogs (14-21) with a 7-1 win on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Rehabbers Greg Bird and Billy McKinney combined to draw four of the walks in their second games with Tampa. Bird (1-for-2, 2BB, RBI, R) played seven innings at first base and picked up his first hit with an RBI single in the second. McKinney (1-for-3, 2BB, 3RBI, R) led the Tarpons with 3RBI and lined his first hit while playing the entire game as the designated hitter.
Florida starter Joey Wentz walked Bird and McKinney in the first and Brandon Wagner loaded the bases by reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Hoy Jun Park followed with a walk, forcing home Bird to give Tampa the early lead.
Wentz walked Timmy Robinson and Estevan Florial in the second before Bird drove in Robinson with a single to right. Florial crossed the plate as McKinney reached on a fielder's choice, with Bird forced out at second. Isiah Gilliam followed with a line drive home run over the left field wall. After a walk by Brandon Wagner, Wentz was lifted.
Nick Nelson made his second start with Tampa and retired six of the first seven batters he faced before allowing the Fire Frogs to score in the third.
Back-to-back singles by Marcus Mooney and Lucas Herbert began the inning. One out later, Taylor Murphy lined an RBI double into right-center. Nelson got two-straight strikeout to escape further trouble.
Nelson took a no-decision after allowing one run on three hits in four innings, walking three while striking out six. The right-hander threw 51 of 86 pitches for strikes.
Robinson lined a double off Troy Bacon in the third and, with two outs, Bacon walked three-straight batters to force the run home.
Wentz (L, 1-2) logged his shortest outing of the season, issuing a season-high six walks while yielding five runs on two hits in an inning and two-thirds. The southpaw struck out one batter and threw just 28 of his 64 pitches for strikes.
LHP Phillip Diehl (W, 1-1) relieved Nelson in the fourth and scattered three hits and one walk over two and two-third frames, striking out one. RHP Hobie Harris retired all seven batters he faced, striking out one over a perfect two and a third innings.
Florial (0-for-2, 3BB, 2R) extended his on-base streak to a league-best 28 games. Gilliam (2-for-5, HR, 2RBI, R) clubbed his fifth homer and logged his 10th multi-hit game of the season. Kellin Deglan (0-for-4) made his Tarpons debut at catcher, playing his first game since 2016.
The series will be decided with the rubber game on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Albert Abreu (0-0, 2.70) will make the start against RHP Ian Anderson (0-2, 3.81). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network. Join the Tarpons for the annual Cancer Survivor Event.
On "Salute to Service Members Saturday," all military receive a FREE upper reserved ticket with valid I.D. Also, select Tarpons players will be signing autographs on the concourse from 5:40-6:00 p.m.