DUKE: GAME 1

Defense falters in the 9th handing Duke game 1 in the best of 3. Miami’s struggling offense, an error-plagued defense, and sloppy base running accounted for the heartbreaking loss. Gage Ziehl coming off his best game of the season last week with honors as the best pitcher of the week in the ACC, pitched another masterpiece of a game except for one inning. Miami without a run for the past 25 innings recorded their first run in the second inning to give them the early lead but failed to take advantage of BL leaving three on base. After Duke answered with three runs in the 5th, Miami had BL for the second time in the 6th, but the offense could only come away with one run stranding 3 on base. With the score tied in the 9th, the defense takes center stage critically costing the game. Miami out-hit the Blue Devils but the difference is that the 4 of 5 hits they got they were able to manufacture into runs which we were not able to as reflected by the 10 left on base and our offense striking out 12 times. The team somehow has to regroup and come back tying together solid pitching, hitting, fielding, and base running. Today, the team was could only muster one in the brilliance of Gage Ziehl.

The experiment of Edgardo batting 9th has been placed on the back burner as he returned to leading off. Today, he was credited for two of the three runs scored. Left-handed pitcher, JD elected to go with Carlos Perez instead of Jack Scanlon behind the plate. The DH, for me, was a question mark with Lucas Costello batting just above the Mendoza Line (200). He must have had a history at Wake against Duke pitching. He ended the day 0-3. 

After 25 innings without a run as mentioned in the opening paragraph, The Canes opened the second with back-to-back singles from Dorian and Jason. Costello tried to lay down a SAC but hit it right back to the pitcher who elected to go to third for the out. Perez walks to load the bases and the Canes are in business. Jimenez breaks the stalemate to a SF to left for the initial score. Jacoby Long singles to third base to reload the bases taking it to the top of the order. Edgardo is hit by pitch bringing for the second run of the inning. The train is rolling and momentum building only to come crashing with Blake looking at a 3rd strike.

Miami will hold on to the 2-0 lead until the 5th when things started to go south for Gage. For the first four innings, Gage only allowed a walk in the third coming with two outs. We were looking at another magical performance only having thrown 39 pitches through 4 innings. Duke opened the inning with a walk, followed by their first hit of the game putting runners on the corners with no outs. This is the difference between us and them. They were able to manufacture runs and we weren’t. Duke not having a hit through 4 gets their second hit bringing Duke to within one run. Swinging bunt to short, the only play to first advanced the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Duke continues to move the line with a single through the right side scoring two more runs for the lead 3-2.

Things started heating up for Miami in the 6th with runners on 1st and 2nd one out (Perez-1B,Jimenez-W). Jacoby already with 2 hits has a chance to open the game. High grounder to short, Jacoby is fast enough to beat out the DP. Top of the order, runners on the corners. Edgardo singles to right to tie the score. Cyr walks to load the bases bringing to the plate Daniel Cuvet. All eyes are glued to the man at the plate. The Opportunity to change the course of the game with one swing of the bat. We get the swing, but nothing but air swinging at a low pitch. Opportunity lost, but the game is tied at three.

In the 7th inning, the momentum has shifted towards Miami. Dorian opens with a single and advances to second on a one-out walk to Costello. Dorian notorious for taking chances on the bases gets picked off at second halting the momentum and crashing what would turn out as the Canes’ last opportunity.

Things started turning south for the Canes in the bottom of the 7th, and Dukes was given new life on a foul ball that Torres never saw come off the bat and the ball dropped safely in foul territory. Although he would eventually fly out, it set the stage for the 9th inning.

Duke’s last chance to avoid extra innings with the score tied at 3. The Leadoff batter on a 3-2 count hits a high fly in foul territory. Torres chases it and the second time gives life to the batter. This time dropping the ball. In the 7th, the mistake wasn’t costly. This however marked the beginning of the end. Second chance, hits a grounder to third, and Cuvet overthrows to first putting what should have been an easy out, instead putting the winning run on second. Infield in, knowing a SAC is forthcoming. SAC back to Robert who came in to pitch the 9th relieving Gage having pitched 8 full innings of 4 hit ball. The bunt retrieved by Robert elects to go to third. The right decision but poor execution in the throw as the runner slid under a weak throw by Robert. Robert intentionally walks to load the bases. No outs. Nick Records the first out via strikes: looking. High chop back to Robert, play to the plate gets the runner which is confirmed by replay. Again not the best of throws but with better results. Two outs, 1-1 the count, Ben Miller 0-4 today and with a hitting streak on the line, gets the much-needed hit through the left side under the glove of Daniel for the walk-off winning single. The Canes drop a heart breaker 4-3

Offensively, The Canes outhit the Blue Devils 9-5 (.290vs.156) but did not outscore them. They stuck out half of what we did 6 to 12 and left less on base 5 to 10. Our nine hits, not one for extra bases, and once on-base our failure to manufacture runs. We continue to struggle trying to find that breakout game. Only two players with multiple numbers: Jacoby Long 2-4 and Dorian Gonzalez 3-5.

Gage Ziehl had another outstanding performance retiring the first 12 of the 13 batters faced. Duke took advantage when the opportunity presented itself and we did not having BL twice. Except for the 5th, he gave us seven solid innings where 3 of Duke’s 5 hits all came in the 5th. Nick Robert gets the loss and was one out from getting out of a BL situation with nobody out. 

Opportunity lost. Tomorrow try to even the series with the first pitch 3PM