Canes Walk Off With 4-1 Win

Feb. 18, 2012

Box Score

89101112RHEW: A. Salcines (1-0)Rutgers001000000000162L: D. O’Neill (0-1)Miami100000000003471 

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – An extra-inning pitching duel at Alex Rodriguez Park was won on a walk-off homerun from senior Rony Rodriquez on Saturday night, as the Miami Hurricanes took game two of the series by a final score of 4-1.

Rodriguez blasted a first-pitch, three-run homerun in the bottom of the 12th inning after Dale Carey and Peter O’Brien reached with two outs on a hit by pitch and base on balls respectively. All four of Miami’s runs came by way of the long ball.

Junior righty Eric Whaley followed an impressive outing from Eric Erickson with a quality start of his own against the Scarlet Knights. The Pompano Beach, Fla. native pitched six innings and struck out seven, allowing only two hits and one earned run. AJ Salcines recorded the win for the Canes after pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the 12th in which he faced four batters.

Sophomore outfielder Dale Carey set Miami on the right foot with a solo homerun over the left field wall in the game’s second inning. Rutgers would strike back in the third, however, as centerfielder Brian O’Grady doubled in the team’s first run.

Whaley would maintain his poise, however, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters before being pulled after 78 pitches through six innings. Steven Ewing came on to pitch three dominant innings of relief, while Encinosa added two more in extra innings.

T he Canes had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with only one out. Rodriguez got the Canes going in the inning with a double, followed by a walk from O’Brien and an eventual intentional walk to Chantz Mack. But a flyout from Esteban Tresgallo and a subsequent strikeout from Alexander Fernandez ended the late threat.

Neither team mustered any offense until the 12th inning, when Rutgers’ second baseman Nick Favatella began the late outburst with a ripped single into left center field. A hit and a walk loaded the bases for the Scarlet Knights, but the lefty Salcines would save the day with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Rodriguez, who was told by coaching staff to look for a change-up before his 12th inning trip to the plate, got the pitch he wanted and hammered it out to left-center for the game-winning homerun. It was Rodriguez’ second walk-off homer of his Hurricanes career.