No. 11 Basebll Shoots Down Rutgers, 5-3
March 12, 2000
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Right fielder Manny Crespo’s sacrifice fly in the sixthinning that drove in second baseman Javy Rodriguez prove to be the decidingmargin as the 10th-ranked Hurricanes (16-8) came away with the seriesclinching 5-3 win over Rutgers (5-7) at Mark Light Stadium.
The series clinching win marks the Hurricanes 16th consecutive three-gameseries won and 33 of the last 34. Additionally, UM has won 39 of the last40 three-game series at Mark Light Stadium. Miami won 6-5 on Friday, butlost 11-6 on Saturday.
UM starter Kiki Bengochea (3-1) is credited with the victory after tying acareer-high with seven innings pitched. He allowed six hits, two earnedruns, three walks with two strikeouts. UM reliever Greg Howell earned hisfirst save as a Hurricane striking out two and giving up one hit over thefinal two innings. Rutgers reliever Barry Walsh (1-1) earns the loss.
Miami regained the lead, 4-3, in the sixth with to runs off of Walsh.Jimerson scored the first run as he tagged up from third on a wild pitch.He reached base with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on athrowing error by Walsh. Javy Rodriguez scored the go-ahead run from thirdon a sacrifice fly to left field by Crespo. Javy Rodriguez reached base ona fielder’s choice, advanced to second when the infield was concentrating onJimerson at third and moved to third on Walsh’ wild pitch. During theinning, both the Rutgers head coach Fred Hill and pitching coach Tom Baxterwere ejected for arguing with third base umpire John Kilianski.
Miami extended the lead to 5-3 in the seventh when designated hitter MarcusNettles sacrifice flied to centerfield to bring shortstop Kris Clute homefrom third. Clute reached base earlier with an infield single to theshortstop, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Mike DiRosa’ssingle to right field.
Miami opened the game with one run in the first inning on first basemanDanny Matienzo’s RBI single to left that scored Javy Rodriguez from third.Rodriguez reached base on a walk and advanced third on a double tocenterfield by Crespo.
In the second, Mike Rodriguez brought in the Hurricanes second run with aRBI double to left center that scored centerfielder Charlton Jimerson.Jimerson reached base on a walk, stole second and advanced to third on awild pitch.
Rutgers narrowed the lead, 2-1, in the third after third baseman JakeDaubert singled in designated hitter Brian Ciemniecki from second.Ciemniecki had earlier reached base on a walk and stole second.
In the third, Rutgers took the lead, 3-2, with two runs off Bengochea.First baseman Mike O’Brien led off the scoring with a game tying solo homerun to left field. Second baseman Matt Wolski scored the next run as hetagged up from third off a fielding error by UM third baseman Kevin Mannixon a ground ball by centerfielder David DeJesus. Wolski had reached basewith a single to right field, following O’Brien’s home run. The nextbatter, left fielder Leon Shade, singled to left field moving Wolski tosecond. Ciemniecki then reached on a fielder’s choice to place Wolski atthird.
The Hurricanes were playing the game without three of their main starters,as first baseman Kevin Brown, third baseman Lale Esquivel and shortstopKevin Howard all sat out the game with injuries. The missing infield triois batting .390 combined and is responsible for a third off all of theHurricanes offense, including 41 percent of the home runs.
Miami returns to action on Wednesday, March 15, against Iona at 7 p.m. atMark Light Stadium.
