Brevard County falls to Hammerheads, 3-1

VIERA, Fla. - Despite taking an early lead, the Brevard County Manatees fell to the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday night, 3-1. 

Brevard County took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, as Dustin DeMuth led off the inning with a line drive single to right. After a groundout moved DeMuth to second, Elvis Rubio doubled to left and allowed DeMuth to cross home for the Manatees only run of the game. 

From that point, Jupiter was able to take control. In the fifth inning, the Hammerheads' Avery Romero drew a lead off walk to begin the inning. With a sacrifice bunt and ground out, Romero was able to move to third and score on a base hit by Rony Cabrera to tie the game. Then in the sixth, Dexter Kjerstad reached on an error and with back-to-back singles by John Norwood and Brad Haynal, Kjerstad scored to give Jupiter the 2-1 lead. The Hammerheads would add their third and final run on sacrifice fly by Romero. 

'"Lead off walks will bite you." Manatees manager Joe Ayrault said, "It's a very high percentage that when you have a lead off walk, they usually score. That's one of those things, and you don't want to be out there thinking 'I don't walk this guy'. "

For the Manatees, Kodi Medeiros went five innings, giving up three runs (one earned) and Clint Terry pitched the final four innings, giving up just two hits and striking out three. 

"Medeiros worked in a lot of deep, three-ball counts." Ayrault said, "He is really coming along as one of the youngest pitchers in the league. He has got the stuff, but it's just commanding it, getting ahead and not working into deep counts so that he can go deeper into ball games."

The Manatees threatened in the bottom of the seventh, as with two outs and Fidel Pena on first, Jose Cuas hit a deep fly ball into centerfield. With the ball bouncing off the ground and then off the wall above the boundary line, the hit was ruled a ground rule double. Pena, who had crossed home plate, was sent back to third and Cuas to second. The next batter, Malik Collymore then lined out to end inning and the threat. 

"Some tough luck on that." Ayrault said "It would have been 3-2, and it certainly would have been nicer for it to have been a one run game at that point. But if you compare last night's homer that hit there as well, to tonight's ground rule double, it wasn't a big game changer, but it was some tough luck."

On the mound for Jupiter, starter Michael Mader gave up one run over seven innings and struck out six. Ben Holmes came on the register the final out and the save. 

Brevard County out hit the Hammerheads at the plate 8-to-6. as Corey Ray and Dustin DeMuth each went 2-for-4 on the night. One of Ray's two hits included a lead off bunt in the first at-bat of the game for the Manatees. 

"That was one of the exciting parts of the game." Ayrault said, "Having never done it in college, it is something that since he has arrived here he has gotten in early to work on. It will be a big weapon in his arsenal, and to see him do it on his own to lead off the game, and get the base hit was exciting to watch."

Brevard County will play Jupiter once again on Friday, as it will be Vote Brevard Night at the Stadium. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to hear from Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott, and be able to cast their vote for Manatees related questions at our sample ballot boxes. First pitch will be at 6:35pm from Space Coast Stadium.