TAMPA, Fla. (June 1, 2017) - Lefty Dalton Moats escaped a bases loaded, no outs jam in the eighth inning to preserve the Stone Crabs' lead in a 6-4 win over the Tampa Yankees Thursday.With Charlotte (25-26) leading 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, reliever Brandon Lawson loaded the
TAMPA, Fla. (June 1, 2017) - Lefty Dalton Moats escaped a bases loaded, no outs jam in the eighth inning to preserve the Stone Crabs' lead in a 6-4 win over the Tampa Yankees Thursday.
With Charlotte (25-26) leading 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, reliever Brandon Lawson loaded the bases with no outs. Moats came in to retire the next three batters in a row, allowing only one run to score on a sacrifice fly.
Moats then worked a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season, and his second with the Stone Crabs.
The Stone Crabs walked a season-high ten batters on the night. Starter Taylor Hawkins danced around six free passes to work 4.1 innings of one-run ball.
The Yankees (27-27) went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 men on base.
Charlotte got the scoring going early against Tampa starter Brody Koerner (0-1). After a Peter Maris walk put a man at first with two outs, Ryan Boldt singled to center to push runners to first and second. David Rodríguez followed with an RBI single to right, which banked off the body of Yankees right fielder Austin Aune. The ball caromed to the gap, allowing Boldt to score from first and make it 2-0 Stone Crabs.
After a Chris Gittens home run made it 2-1, Stone Crabs second baseman Brandon Lowe led off the sixth with an opposite-field double. Boldt then laid down a bunt. Yankees catcher Wes Wilson threw the ball off the glove of first baseman Greg Bird, allowing Lowe to score and make it 3-1.
After a walk and a sacrifice moved runners to second and third, the Yankees intentionally walked David Olmedo-Barrera to load the bases. Two batters later, Josh Rapacz pulled a base hit into left to give the Stone Crabs a 5-1 lead.
They tacked on another run in the eighth on a Rodriguez double and Yankees error.
The Stone Crabs will look to win the series Friday at 7 p.m. Roel Ramirez (2-0, 2.70) makes the start for Charlotte against Erik Swanson (1-2, 4.13) of Tampa. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.
