Pelaez, Melendres Lead No. 10 Miami Past No. 5 UF, 9-6
March 6, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Zeke DeVoss, Scott Lawson and Chris Pelaez combined for eight hits and senior closer David Gutierrez came in late in the eighth to shut the door for his third save as No. 10 Miami defeated No. 5 Florida, 9-6, Saturday night at Alex Rodriguez Park. The Hurricanes (7-2) evened their series with the Gators (6-2), setting up the rubber game Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.
After falling behind 3-2, the Hurricanes scored three runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to pull away from the Gators. Lawson put the `Canes ahead for good in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run triple deep down the line in right. An inning later Nathan Melendres – who had just come on defensively in the top half of the inning – smacked a three-run homer to left to give the `Canes all they needed to pick up win.
Lawson finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and a runs scored. Pelaez continues to swing the hottest bat in the ACC, going 3-for-4 with a homer, a double, two RBI and two runs scored, upping his average to .593 this season. DeVoss recorded his first three-hit game as a `Cane, going 3-for-4 with a run from the lead-off spot while Melendres finished 1-for-2.
Freshman Eric Whaley (2-0) struck out two in two innings and allowed three runs on four hits to earn the win in relief for the `Canes. Daniel Miranda followed and tossed 2/3 scoreless before Gutierrez earned his first inning-plus save of his career, striking out three while not allowing a hit over the final 1 2/3 innings.
Despite the no decision, starter Jason Santana turned in his best outing of the young season, allowing three runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings.
UF starter Brian Johnson (1-1) pitched well, allowing just two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, but suffered the loss. Greg Larson struggled in relief of Johnson, allowing three runs on three hits in just a third of an inning. From there, three UM relievers went the rest of the way and combined to hold UM to a run over the final three innings.
Nolan Fontana led UF at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored while Bryson Smith went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Pelaez gave Miami its first lead of the series with a deep solo homer down the line in right to lead off the bottom of the second.
An inning later, UM went up 2-0 when after a Zeke DeVoss lead-off double, back-to-back grounders to second by Stephen Perez and Lawson moved DeVoss around for the Hurricanes’ second run of the game.
UF took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, finally getting to Santana and forcing him out of the game. A one-out triple by Fantana to deep right-center set up a single through the right side by Matt den Dekker, easily scoring Fantana for the Gators’ first run of the contest. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for UF before a sacrifice fly by Austin Maddox followed by an RBI single by Tyler Thompson put the Gators ahead by one.
The `Canes took the lead again – this time for good – in bottom of half of the fifth however, as Lawson’s triple scored Ryan Perry from third and Perez from first to put the `Canes back up one. Immediately following the triple, a second error in the inning by the Gators scored Lawson from third for UM’s fifth run.
Miami jumped out to its biggest lead of the series an inning later. After back-to-back singles by Harold Martinez and Pelaez to lead off the sixth, Melendres smacked his second career homer to put the `Canes up 8-3.
The Gators cut into UM’s lead in the seventh with a three-run homer of their own as Smith hit a towering shot to left to bring the Gators to within two.
Pelaez was at it again in the seventh, smacking a double to right-center to score Frankie Ratcliff — who had walked a batter earlier – from first to close the scoring at 9-6.
The series finale on Sunday will be televised live by FS Florida. Left-hander Eric Erickson (1-0, 2.31 ERA) will take the mound for the `Canes while Florida will counter with right-hander Tommy Toledo (1-0, 2.08 ERA).
