The Florida State League All Star Saturday started with a power surge during the Home Run Derby. Pure strength was displayed by the six contestants, Dermis Garcia (Tampa Tarpons), Ryan Jeffers (Fort Myers Miracle), Jim Haley (Charlotte Stone Crabs), Brady Policelli (Lakeland Flying Tigers), Julio Rodriguez (Palm Beach Cardinals) and Dylan Busby (Bradenton Marauders), as the balls were flying off their bats and streaming toward the outfield fence. But at the end of the barrage, only one man withstood the onslaught and that was Yankees own Dermis Garcia, who took home the Home Run Derby Crown.
As for the game, it was a pitchers duel as the South managed to finally steal a game away from the North in a 2-0 victory, ending the North’s win streak.
Cal Mitchell (2 for 4, 2 doubles) of the Bradenton Mauraders led off the bottom of the first with a double, then scored on a sac fly off the bat of Lewin Diaz of the Fort Myers Miracle.
In the Bottom of the second, the South added another run on a solo bomb off the bat of outfielder Travis Swaggerty, putting the South Stars up for good at 2-0.
The North didn’t manage to get a hit until the top of the 7th, when Dermis Garcia hit a line drive base hit to left field, but they would manage only 3 hits and lose in a shutout.
Eight pitchers tossed atleast one inning each with Tony Dibrell of the St Lucie Cardinals taking the victory and Fort Myers Miracle Alex Phillips earning the save.
This is rainy season in Florida and with a threat for downpours all day, the weather held up until the middle of the fourth, when the skies opened up dropping buckets of water on the field, bringing on the tarp and causing a 45 min delay. But the game resumed and the South Stars took the victory.
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