No. 5 Miami Drops Finale at No. 6 Georgia Tech, 6-3
May 16, 2010
ATLANTA – Leading 3-0 after five innings of play, No. 5 Miami was unable to hold onto its lead or mount late rally against No. 6 Georgia Tech, falling 6-3 Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of the three-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets used a four-run sixth to take a one-run lead before adding an insurance run an inning later to earn the series win and tie the two teams up in second place in the ACC Coastal Division behind leader Virginia.
The Hurricanes (37-13, 19-8 ACC) were held off the scoreboard after the fourth and were plagued defensively by three errors – including one that led to the go-ahead run scoring.
Starter David Gutierrez pitched well, but allowed three runs on five hits while walking four and striking out four in 5 1/3 innings. Taylor Wulf (0-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing just one unearned run.
Chris Pelaez and Scott Lawson each went 2-for-4 for the `Canes, while Harold Martinez drove in all three of Miami’s runs with his team-leading 17th homer of the season.
Jed Bradley (9-2) earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings of work for the Yellow Jackets (41-10, 19-8 ACC). Patrick Long and Kevin Jacob each tossed a scoreless inning to set up Andrew Robinson, who tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his sixth save. Matt Skole and Derek Dietrich each had three hits for Georgia Tech while Cole Leonida scored a pair of runs.
For the second straight day, Martinez started the scoring with a home run – this time hitting an opposite field three-run shot to score Lawson and Yasmani Grandal in the fourth to give the `Canes the lead.
Georgia Tech took the lead for good in the sixth. Skole led off the frame with a solo shot to left-center, putting the Yellow Jackets on the board for the first time. A walk and a single then put runners on the corners with one out for Jay Dantzler, who singled to center to cut UM’s lead to 3-2. Another single and a strikeout later, Dietrich hit an infield single to second with the bases loaded, scoring one before another runner came across on a UM throwing error to give the Jackets the lead.
A bases loaded walk in the seventh by Jason Garofalo gave Georgia Tech its fifth run of the contest and its second straight unearned run after another error earlier in the inning.
The `Canes best chance to rally late came in the eighth. Miami put runners on first and second with one out but Jacob induced a foul out and a strike out to get out of the jam.
The Hurricanes will wrap up their regular season schedule this week with a four-game homestand at Alex Rodriguez Park. Miami will play its final mid-week game of the year against FGCU on Tuesday, May 18 before playing host to No. 1 Virginia, May 20-22.
SERIES NOTES
– Yasmani Grandal led the `Canes at the plate in the series, going 5-for-10 with two homers, two doubles, two walks, three RBI four runs scored and 13 total bases. Grandal reached base on 7-of-12 plate appearances (.583 OB%) and slugged 1.300 for the weekend.
– Three other hitters – Nathan Melendres, Chris Pelaez and Scott Lawson – also finished with five hits on the weekend.
– Harold Martinez hit two home runs in the series to increase his team-leading total to 17 this season. Martinez had a team-high five RBI in the series.
– Sam Robinson made two appearances out of the bullpen and allowed just one unearned run on two hits while striking out six in 3 1/3 innings.
– Lefty starter Chris Hernandez won his team-leading eighth game of the year on Saturday, allowing just two runs in six innings of work in Miami’s 9-2 win.
