Palm Bay sneak win on Opening Day
A crowd of just a few over 1,000 were present at Palm Bay Field to see the start of the 2042 Florida Prospect League as Aviators hosted the Homestead Talons, FPL affiliate of Phoenix. Most were excited to see Ramon Guerrero on the mound.
A walk was all Guerrero issued in the first two innings before the Aviators took the lead in the bottom of the first, helped in no small part by the Talons. Bill Burke was hit by a pitch, Fernando Casimiro was walked and after Burke advanced to third on a fly out, it was simple enough for Raul Lopez to single him home. It was 2-0 to Aviators when a two-run shot off Guerrero in the top of the fifth tied the game. Palm Bay were in the groove though and restored their lead in the bottom of the innings when a Brian Best double was turned into a run by Bill Burkes hit. Three successive hits by Talons in the sixth allowed them to take a 4-3 lead. Palm Bay scored again in the bottom half of the innings to tie the game once more and Homestead gave us another helping hand as we won the game in the seventh with our fourth successive one-run innings. Aviators had loaded the bases when the Talon’s pitcher walked in what proved to be the winning run.
Palm Bay out hit Homestead 11-9, Guerrero went six innings allowing seven hits, four runs and three walks while striking out seven. Best went 3-5 with a run scored while Lopez was 2-2 with a walk, scoring once and collected an RBI
