North Carolina State University Athletics
Miami Holds On To Down NC State Baseball, 6-5
3/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. — Miami got single runs in the third and fourth innings that were set up by stolen bases, then withstood a spirited ninth-inning rally by NC State as the Hurricanes downed the Wolfpack 6-5 in the first game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Starting pitchers Chris Hernandez for Miami and Jake Buchanan for NC State both gave up season highs for earned runs. Hernandez (3-2) allowed four runs, all earned, on seven hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out six. Buchanan allowed six runs, all earned, on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five. He also was on the mound for three Miami stolen bases, two of which came around to score, which was pivotal.
Stephen Perez struck the game’s first blow with a one-out solo home run to right field in the top of the first, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. The Wolfpack tied the game in the bottom of the first. Dallas Poulk got it started with a one-out single to left, and Andrew Ciencin walked to put runners on first and second. Drew Poulk then drove in his cousin with a double down the left-field line.
Miami retook the lead in the top of the second. Chris Pelaez reached on a force play and went to second on a wild pitch. Buchanan struck outo Michael Broad for the second out, but Nathan Melendres blooped a single into shallow right field to drive in Pelaez and make it 2-1 in favor of the Hurricanes.
Perez got his second hit in as many at-bats, a one-out ground single through the right side of the infield, in the top of the third, then stole second base. Buchanan got Scott Lawson to fly to left for the second out of the inning, but Yasmani Grandal made it 3-1 with a two-out chopper up the middle, driving in Perez.
Harold Riggins led off the bottom of the fourth inning and worked Perez for a walk. Russell Wilson hit a grounder into the hole between first and second base, and Frankie Ratcliff was unable to make the play. Wilson was safe on the infield single, and Matt Bergquist bunted the runners to second and third. Kyle Wilson hit a grounder to shortstop to drive in Riggins and trim the Miami lead to 4-2.
Miami scored twice in the top of the fifth. Perez led off and walked. Lawson and Grandal singled to center to load the bases with none out. Harold Martinez drove in Perez with a sacrifice fly to center field, ending the night for Buchanan. Grant Sasser came on in relief, and Pelaez greeted him with a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Lawson and giving the Hurricanes a 6-2 lead.
And that was the last anyone heard from the Miami offense. Sasser worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings, a new career high for innings pitched, and limited the Hurricanes to two hits while striking out three, which tied his career high. Rob Chamra got the final Miami hitter in the top of the ninth, fanning the dangerous Harold Martinez.
The Wolfpack responded to Miami’s two-run fifth inning with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame. Drew Poulk hit a one-out single up the middle, and Pratt Maynard hit a two-out single to center. That set the stage for Riggins, who worked Perez to a full count before driving a double into the right-center-field gap and all the way to the wall. Both runners scored to pull NC State back to within two runs at 6-4.
Hernandez was finished after five innings, and Miami reliever made short work of the NC State offense for three innings, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out seven of the 11 men he faced. David Gutierrez, the Miami closer, came on to work the ninth and almost let the game get away.
Dallas Poulk led off and was safe when shortstop Stephen Perez’s throw was over the head of Lawson at first base. Poulk tried to stretch the error into two bases, however, and Lawson cut him down at second for the first out of the inning. Ciencin and Drew Poulk followed with infield singles, and pinch-hitter and Miami native Danny Canela stroked a single to center field to load the bases with one down. Maynard walked to force in a run, but Gutierrez struck out pinch-hitter Terran Senay for the second out, then got John Gianis on a fly ball down the left-field line.
NC State and Miami will play the second game of this weekend’s three-game series on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on-line at gopack.com through the Pack Pass package.
Starting pitchers Chris Hernandez for Miami and Jake Buchanan for NC State both gave up season highs for earned runs. Hernandez (3-2) allowed four runs, all earned, on seven hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out six. Buchanan allowed six runs, all earned, on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five. He also was on the mound for three Miami stolen bases, two of which came around to score, which was pivotal.
Stephen Perez struck the game’s first blow with a one-out solo home run to right field in the top of the first, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. The Wolfpack tied the game in the bottom of the first. Dallas Poulk got it started with a one-out single to left, and Andrew Ciencin walked to put runners on first and second. Drew Poulk then drove in his cousin with a double down the left-field line.
Miami retook the lead in the top of the second. Chris Pelaez reached on a force play and went to second on a wild pitch. Buchanan struck outo Michael Broad for the second out, but Nathan Melendres blooped a single into shallow right field to drive in Pelaez and make it 2-1 in favor of the Hurricanes.
Perez got his second hit in as many at-bats, a one-out ground single through the right side of the infield, in the top of the third, then stole second base. Buchanan got Scott Lawson to fly to left for the second out of the inning, but Yasmani Grandal made it 3-1 with a two-out chopper up the middle, driving in Perez.
Harold Riggins led off the bottom of the fourth inning and worked Perez for a walk. Russell Wilson hit a grounder into the hole between first and second base, and Frankie Ratcliff was unable to make the play. Wilson was safe on the infield single, and Matt Bergquist bunted the runners to second and third. Kyle Wilson hit a grounder to shortstop to drive in Riggins and trim the Miami lead to 4-2.
Miami scored twice in the top of the fifth. Perez led off and walked. Lawson and Grandal singled to center to load the bases with none out. Harold Martinez drove in Perez with a sacrifice fly to center field, ending the night for Buchanan. Grant Sasser came on in relief, and Pelaez greeted him with a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Lawson and giving the Hurricanes a 6-2 lead.
And that was the last anyone heard from the Miami offense. Sasser worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings, a new career high for innings pitched, and limited the Hurricanes to two hits while striking out three, which tied his career high. Rob Chamra got the final Miami hitter in the top of the ninth, fanning the dangerous Harold Martinez.
The Wolfpack responded to Miami’s two-run fifth inning with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame. Drew Poulk hit a one-out single up the middle, and Pratt Maynard hit a two-out single to center. That set the stage for Riggins, who worked Perez to a full count before driving a double into the right-center-field gap and all the way to the wall. Both runners scored to pull NC State back to within two runs at 6-4.
Hernandez was finished after five innings, and Miami reliever made short work of the NC State offense for three innings, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out seven of the 11 men he faced. David Gutierrez, the Miami closer, came on to work the ninth and almost let the game get away.
Dallas Poulk led off and was safe when shortstop Stephen Perez’s throw was over the head of Lawson at first base. Poulk tried to stretch the error into two bases, however, and Lawson cut him down at second for the first out of the inning. Ciencin and Drew Poulk followed with infield singles, and pinch-hitter and Miami native Danny Canela stroked a single to center field to load the bases with one down. Maynard walked to force in a run, but Gutierrez struck out pinch-hitter Terran Senay for the second out, then got John Gianis on a fly ball down the left-field line.
NC State and Miami will play the second game of this weekend’s three-game series on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on-line at gopack.com through the Pack Pass package.
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