Perez Strikes Out Nine In 9-4 Win Against South Florida
Feb. 13, 2005
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – Miami sophomore pitcher Chris Perez set a career high with nine strikeouts in six innings to run his record to 2-0 on the season in a 9-4 win against South Florida on Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Field. The Hurricanes improved to 7-0 for their best start since the 1992 season. USF dropped to 3-3 with the loss.
Perez worked steadily through the Bulls’ lineup, striking out six through the first three innings. He gave up three singles and two runs in the third inning but was otherwise overpowering. All five hits Perez gave up were singles. He retired the last 10 batters he faced and has given up only three runs in 11 innings of work this season.
Andrew Lane, Carlos Gutierrez, John McLean and Danny Gil combined for three innings of relief to preserve the win.
Seniors Paco Figueroa and Brendan Katin both went 3-fo-4 at the plate for Miami. Figueroa scored two runs and had two RBI. Junior Ryan Braun hit a two-run shot, his fourth of the year, in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-2 Miami lead and the eventual game-winning RBI.
Paco Figueroa got the Hurricanes started in the first inning with a one-out triple to center field and scored two batters later on an infield single by Jon Jay for a 1-0 lead.
Bryan Hierlmeier gave South Florida a 2-1 lead in the third with a two-RBI single that scored Ty Taborelli and Jeremy Bellotti. Danny Figueroa tied the game in the bottom of the inning when he put a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for his second home run of the season. Miami took the lead for good in the fifth.
Freshman Danny Robitaille sparked a three-run fifth for UM with a bloop single to left. Robitaille advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by USF starter Chase Lirette. Paco Figueroa singled to bring in Robitaille for a 3-2 lead. Braun followed with his home run to give the Hurricanes a 5-2 advantage.
Danny Valencia and Katin led off the UM sixth with singles off USF reliever Blake Tillett and catcher Eddy Rodriguez walked to load the bases with one out. Robitaille stroked a single to left to score Valencia and put the Hurricanes up 6-2. Yuri Higgins replaced Tillett on the mound and walked Danny Figueroa to score Katin and give UM a 7-2 lead. Paco Figueroa hit a sacrifice to deep right to score Robitaille and Miami cruised into the seventh inning, up 8-2.
Valencia scored on an RBI single by Katin in the seventh to complete the scoring for Miami. Hierlmeier hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Gil to bring the Bulls within 9-4.
The Hurricanes travel to Gainesville for a three-game series with the Florida Gators and their first road trip of the 2005 season. Miami and Florida get the series started at McKethan Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 and continue at noon the following day. The series concludes with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, Feb. 20. Friday and Saturday’s games will be televised by the Sun Sports Network and all three games will be broadcast locally by the Student Voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
Notes: Katin tied a career high with three hits… Miami ran its home-winning streak to 19 games, dating back to the 2004 season… The 7-0 start for Miami is the best during head coach Jim Morris’ tenure in Coral Gables… Miami has outscored its opponents, 19-5, in starts by Perez… Perez’ nine strikeouts were the most by a Hurricane since Cesar Carrillo fanned nine against Florida on June 13, 2004.
