The Florence Freedom claimed the series against the Beach Bums of Traverse City, closing out the Michigan trip with a 5-2 victory on Sunday night.
Florence (26-28) has now won five straight series on the road and matched its total road wins from all of last season at 13.
Starting pitcher Jeremy Gooding struck out 13 batters over eight and a third innings on the mound. His 13 K’s are a career high and the most by an individual Freedom pitcher in one game in at least the last two seasons.
At one point, Gooding retired 20 consecutive hitters and had a one-hitter going entering the ninth inning.
Florence got on the board in the second inning as Andrew Godbold reached on a dropped third strike. Sam Eberle singled him to third and Kyle Carter delivered a sacrifice fly to put Florence up 1-0. Eberle stole second and scored on a Gaby Juarbe single to left.
In the third inning, Daniel Fraga tripled with one away. He scored on a RBI grounder from Zac Mitchell. Then in the fourth, Eberle doubled with one out. A Carter single moved him to third and Eberle scored on a Juarbe ground-out to extend the lead to 4-0.
Eberle got things rolling again in the seventh as he doubled to start the frame. Two outs later a Jose Vargas throwing error allowed Eberle to score and the Freedom took a 5-0 lead.
The night belonged to Gooding though as he struck out the side in the second inning and the sixth as well. After a two-out Yazy Arbelo single in the second, he retired 20 straight batters until Sam Bumpers singled with one out in the ninth. Jeff DeBlieux followed with a double and Alex Tomasovich singled home the first run of the game for the Beach Bums (32-20).
At that point Ed Kohout entered the game and got the final two outs (with a run scoring on a Vargas sacrifice fly) to end the game. Kohout earned his 10th save of the season.
The Freedom have two off days before they take on the Rockford Aviators Wednesday night at UC Health Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. as Cody Gray (1-0, 3.21 ERA) takes the hill.
It’s Local Heroes Night and all local police officers, firefighters, and EMTs can get a free ticket at the Box Office in honor of the work they do in our community.
-Staff report
