Mike Kaffee
Hurricanes Baseball Reporter
[email protected]
Brilliant. For the second straight day, Miami’s starters have been exceptional on the mound enabling the Canes for the first time since 2019 to take the Series from our upstate rivals and with the Noles on the precipice of being SWEPT. It was a complete pitching performance yesterday by Karson Ligon and today by Gage Ziehl. The combination of both kept the Noles scoreless for 16 2/3 innings. After 16 innings, the Noles were only able to scrounge up 7 hits but never able to cross the finish line. Finally breaking the tape with two out in the 8th for their first score. A late charge in the 9th brought them within one run. Andrew Walters held them off after giving up a solo HR to close the door Walter’s style with an impressive K to their cleanup hitter Jaime Ferrer
Unlike yesterday the Miami hitting machine basically shut down with just 3 hits through 5 innings. Miami’s only runs came in the 2nd on a one-out double by Dario Gomez scoring two. Without the offensive help that dominated yesterday’s contest, it was pure Gage keeping the Noles in check. While the bats were silent, the only support he was getting was by Kodak producing defensive plays and himself keeping runners off the bases. Gage was simply electric on the mound through 7 innings just allowing a solitary walk in the 7th and a pair of hits which were quickly erased with DPs. Going into the 8th Gage had thrown just 82 pitches and everything looked like he was not slowing down. With 8 strikeouts already recorded, he was one strike away from #9, when Titan Kamaka took a 2-2 pitch to right center to open the 8th with a double. Noles showing a bit of life for the first time today brought concern that Gage might be tiring. Gage appeared that there was enough in his tank to complete the 8th striking out the next batter and recording the second out 2-3. Runner on third, count 2-0, Colton Vincent singles to center for the Noles first score. Miami extended their lead to 3-0 in the 7th on a solo shot by Carlos Perez, his 8th of the year and second in two days. The 429′ moonshot to left would turn out to be the decisive run that would secure the series. Vincent’s single brought them to within two runs and brought Gino out of the dugout for the changing of the guards. Time for the Closer, to bring in Andrew Walters to shut the door. One pitch ends inning 8. The Noles would not go down easy. Andrew had other thoughts requiring 7 pitches to win the battle striking out Cam Smith for the second out. A walk would have put the tying run at the plate with James Tibbs on deck to bat next, their best hitter with 8 HRs on his resume. Even Andrew isn’t Mr Perfect this season. They call him Mr. Tibbs for a reason. 417 feet to left center for HR #9 and his first hit of the series. With the tying run at the plate, Andrew only needed 4 pitches to secure the series
This was not an impressive day for the Miami Juggernaut. As mentioned earlier three hits through 5 innings. After an unimpressive first inning with a pair of strikeouts, Zach opened the second with a single for the first hit of the day for the Canes. Blake Cyr is hit by pitch putting runners on first and second. Dario Gomez having a breakout series going 2-4 yesterday has been slowly making his way back from having a dreadful start this season. Preseason he was lights out and now we are seeing that spark coming back to life with a two-run double to give us the early lead of 2-0. That would be all the action put up by our offense until the 6th inning when Dario once again became a player involved with the possibility of adding more runs to the two that were on the books. Runners on 2nd and 3rd after a lead-off single by Zach followed by Blake’s double to left. With the infield in Dario hits a hard grounder back to the pitcher. Zack running at the crack of the bat is caught in the rundown 1-2-5 keeping the score at 2-0. Leading off the 7th, Chris Perez extends the lead to 3-0 Which is where the Canes would run out of gas and hold off a charging Nole’s team in the final two innings.
Two players with multiple numbers for the Canes: Zach Levenson 2-4 and Dario Gomez 2-4 (double,2RBIs). Blake Cyr also with a double and Carlos with the solo HR today which would be the shot that would take us to victory lane.
The starting pitching was lights out for the second straight day with Gage taking us to the 8th inning before being relieved. Between Karson and Gage as stated earlier 16 2/3 scoreless innings. Nine strikeouts today with just one walk. If Alejandro can do likewise, it would be a sweet redemption from last year when the Noles took the series in Tallahassee. The first pitch is at 2PM.
