May 12, 2012
Game of the Day: Raleigh at Miami
The Miami Whales got the offense it needed in the bottom of the eleventh inning to edge the Raleigh Cats 8-7 on Saturday.
Miami improved to 6-6 on the season thanks to Rory Cooke’s RBI single in the final frame, while the Cats fell to 7-5.
The Whales got off to a big start in the first inning. Ronald Boucher and Rafael Padilla led off with singles. With one out, Dan Hinkle singled in Boucher. Andrew Vaughn then hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. Following an RBI sacrifice fly by Hoyt Price, Pedro Marino hit an RBI triple. Cooke then hit an RBI single to give Miami a 5-0 lead.
Raleigh answered in the second and third innings to cut into Miami’s lead. Lou George singled in Doug Roberts, who had tripled earlier in the inning to make it 5-1 after two innings. In the third, Roberts hit his second triple, this time an RBI triple to score Joe Pallant from second.
The Cats continued their charge in the fifth. Jim Manning tripled and John Barton singled him in to make it 5-3 after five.
In the sixth and seventh innings, Raleigh was able to rally to tie the game. Following a George single, Brian Pearson hit an RBI double for a 5-4 deficit. In the seventh, Pallant doubled and Roberts singled him in to tie the score 5-5.
However, Miami answered in the bottom of the seventh, though the Whales had a chance to blow the game open. Boucher doubled, Padilla walked, and Joseph D’Abrichecourt singled to load the bases at the start of the inning. After Hinkle popped out, Vaughn hit an RBI groundout to make it 6-5. Hoyt Price then grounded out to leave two runners in scoring position.
Raleigh then tied the game in the ninth on a two-out rally. Barton doubled with two outs and then advanced on an error. Josh Alexander then hit an RBI single to tie the game 6-6 and send it to extra innings.
In the eleventh, the Cats took the lead. Following singles by Manning and Barton, Roberts hit an RBI double. Barton attempted to score but tripped up rounding third base, and he had to stay. After Alexander was walked, George and Skip Miller flew out to end the inning.
That is when the Whales answered to win the game. D’Abrichecourt and Hinkle were out to start the inning, but a two out-rally won it. Vaughn singled and Price doubled him home. After Pedro Marino walked, Cooke hit the game-winning single for the 8-7 final.
“Our stars didn’t have the best day,” Miami player-coach Hinkle said. “That didn’t matter, though, because some role players stepped up today. Hats off tom Raleigh, and double hats off to Rory Cooke and his clutch hit today.”
Players of the Game:
Doug Roberts, Raleigh, 4-6, 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI, R
Andrew Vaughn, Miami, 4-6, 2 RBI, 2 R
Rory Cooke, Miami, 3-6, GW 1B, 2 RBI,
Ronald Boucher, Miami, 3-6, 2B, 2 R
Joe Pallant, Raleigh, 3-6, 2B, 2 R