sfoggi posted on July 24, 2011 21:32
SANFORD, Fla. (July 24, 2011) – The Winter Haven Loggerheads came up short Sunday afternoon as the River Rats escaped with a 5-4 victory at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium.
The contest marks the final regular-season game against the River Rats for Winter Haven. The Loggerheads finish with a 4-4 record against the Rats for the 2011 summer.
Daniel Gonzales (Rice) led the Loggerheads offensively as he finished the night with three hits, including his first home run. Gonzales drove in two runs and scored two, while tallying a stolen base. Andrew Sterling (Dickinson College) and Justin Burgess (Montevallo) each had two hits.
After trailing the Rats 5-2 in the top of the seventh with one out, Gonzales blasted a two-run bomb over the leftfield wall to trail by one run.
Winter Haven’s two runs in the seventh would be the final inning the Loggerheads would manage to plate a run, as the score remained 5-4 and a win for Sanford.
The 11-21 Loggerheads had an opportunity to tie the score in the top of the ninth. River Rats pitcher Adam Maxon (Jacksonville) induced back-to-back grounders and gave up his first hit of the night to Gonzales. With Sterling at the plate, he knocked a 2-1 single to right field. The speedy Gonzales took second and rounded third, but was caught at the plate as Kyle Foti (Flagler) blocked the plate to keep the Loggerheads scoreless.
Maxon pitched 2 1/3 innings to pick up his fourth save. Sanford (11-20) starter Ray Hanson (UCF) earned the win tossing 6 2/3 innings.
Winter Haven starter Brady Rodriguez (Abilene Christian) was charged with loss as he worked three innings on the mound. Rodriguez recorded four punch-outs and issued two walks.
In the final week of regular-season contests, the Loggerheads will look to make their way out of the basement as they return to Chain of Lakes Park to face the Orlando Freedom on Tuesday, July 26. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.