LAKELAND OUTDUELS DAYTONA IN 3-1 FINALE
A Three-Run Blast in the Ninth from Tiger Left Fielder Garth McKinney Provided the Knockout Punch
May 15, 2005 - 12:00 AM
by: Bo Fulginiti

DAYTONA BEACH, FL—Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark was not just an exciting match up between two quality Florida State League ballclubs, it was a glimpse of the future—a future that for two young starting pitchers seems awful bright.

In the final game of what has been a nerve-wrecking four-game series between the Daytona Cubs and Lakeland Tigers, the Cubs sent talented left-hander Sean Marshall (2-1) to the hill to oppose the Tigers overpowering righty Justin Verlander (5-1), and the two prospects did not disappoint. Marshall and Verlander— friends since their childhood days in Virginia—went tit-for-tat for seven-plus innings of complete domination on the mound, but it was a three-run homer from Tigers left fielder Garth McKinney off Cubs closer Thomas Atlee in the top of the ninth that lifted Lakeland over Daytona by a final of 3-1.

Marshall logged seven-plus innings of seven-hit shutout ball for the no-decision, and Verlander notched his fifth win of the season pitching eight innings while surrendering just one run on four Cubs hits. The two pitchers combined to register 21 strikeouts, as Marshall fanned nine, and Verlander added 12 punch-outs to his impressive season total. Verlander also lowered his league-leading ERA to a sparking 1.43, and Marshall dropped his numbers to 1.85.

Offensively, the Cubs were only able to muster up the one run in the bottom of the third inning when Chris Walker smacked an RBI single into left field scoring shortstop Carlos Rojas from second baseball after a double.

For the Tigers, McKinney became the hero for the second straight night, as his three-run blast—which struck the light pole in left-center field—was the encore performance of his game-winning RBI hit in the top of the 14th inning in Friday’s marathon at “The Jack.”

With the win, the Tigers take the series 3-1 as they improve to a Florida State League best 27-8, and the Daytona Cubs drop to 17-16 on the season and fall 1.5 games behind the Vero Beach Dodgers in the Eastern Division.

Now heading towards the back end of a season-long eight game homestand, the Cubs will try to pick up the pieces as they usher in the Fort Myers Miracle for a four-game set. Game One is set for Sunday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, as the Cubs send righty Billy Petrick (1-3, 5.00) to the hill to face Miracle lefty Glen Perkins (1-0, 1.13). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.