The Florida Fire Frogs were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 6-4 loss to the Jupiter Hammerheads on Saturday night at Osceola County Stadium. The loss also hands the Fire Frogs their 20th series defeat of their inaugural campaign.
Florida (17-33, 42-74) erased a 1-0 deficit with a two-spot in the third against Ben Meyer. Alejandro Salazar (2×4, 2 R, 2B) singled with one out in the frame, and Anfernee Seymour (2×5, R) singled the runner up to second. After Ray-Patrick Didder (1×4, R, HR, 2 RBI) drew a free pass to load the bases, Alay Lago (3×4, RBI) lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Salazar to tie the game at one.
Brett Cumberland (2×5, RBI) ripped a single to right, plating Seymour to grab the 2-1 advantage.
Didder added an insurance run with a solo shot over the wall in left to lead off the fifth for his fifth home run of the season, but the Fire Frogs’ bullpen could not hold the two-run advantage.
Matt Withrow left the game with the lead after five innings in his first start with the Fire Frogs this season. The right-hander allowed a run on four hits, a walk and four strikeouts. The Texas Tech product needed 73 pitches on the night, with 44 crossing the zone for strikes.
Chad Sobotka took over to start the seventh and gave up an infield single to Justin Twine for the second baseman’s third hit of the game. Angel Reyes brought Jupiter (30-26, 63-61) within a run with an RBI double to center. After Cleuluis Rondon flew out to right, Chris Hoo and Dalton Wheat drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Corey Bird continued his hot series with an RBI single to left, bringing home Reyes to knot the game at two apiece. The Hammerheads’ centerfielder finished the night 3-for-4, and has picked up seven hits through the first two games of the series.
The visitors took the lead back in the eighth against Adam McCreery (1-1), as the southpaw walked the bases loaded with one out, leading to Rondon’s RBI fielder’s choice, scoring Twin for the go-ahead run.
Andres Santiago came in for the ninth and surrendered two more runs on a double to the gap in left center off the bat of Colby Lusignan, chasing home Bird and Brian Schales to put the Fire Frogs in a three-run hole entering the bottom of the ninth.
Salazar started the final half inning with a double down the line in right against Marcus Crescentini (SV, 3), and Seymour pushed the runner to third with a single through the hole on the left side to put runners on the corners.
Didder bounced a 3-2 pitch to Schales at third, who tossed to Twine at second to erase Seymour with Salazar crossing the plate on the play. Lago line a single up the middle to move Didder to third for Cumberland.
The switch-hitting catcher went down on strikes for the second out, and Braxton Davidson (1×5) flew out to center to end the game with the tying run on base.
Ben Holmes earned the win for Jupiter, as the lefty held Florida off the scoreboard through three innings of relief on three hits and four strikeouts.
Florida will look to avoid the sweep in the finale of the three-game set at Osceola County Stadium. RHP Enderson Franco (3-6, 4.52) takes the mound for the Fire Frogs against the Hammerheads’ RHP Cody Poteet (3-6, 3.97). First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m., with coverage starting at 4:50 p.m. on the Florida Fire Frogs Broadcasting Network.
Every Sunday is “Family Fun Day” at the ballpark, where fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and kids 12-and-under can run the bases after the game.