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Miami’s pitching experienced a total meltdown as the bats struggled to keep pace against a faltering bullpen. The Miami offense began aggressively, racking up four runs on seven hits through the first five innings, boasting a solid four-run lead. However, the bats faltered, and the bullpen collapsed, allowing the Deacons to claw back into contention with four unanswered runs, leveling the score at four and pushing the game into extra innings. Miami’s bullpen was ineffective, with Jackson Cleveland surrendering the game-tying home run in the 8th inning and Carson Fischer’s ineffective relief work contributing to the game-ending walk-off single in the 10th after he issued two walks.
It was a see-saw battle in game two, with the lead changing hands three times. At one point, the Canes were ahead by two after scoring five unanswered runs. However, in the bottom of the 6th, the Deacons struck back with seven runs on six hits, sending 11 batters to the plate and turning the tide for the final time. Miami attempted to stop the bleeding by sending three pitchers from the bullpen—Giroux, Collera, and Fernandez—but they were unable to stop the bleeding. Trailing by five, Miami rallied with three runs on a bases-clearing double by Daniel Cuvet in the 8th, bringing them to within two, but it wasn’t enough as Wake shut down the Canes in the 9th to secure the victory, handing the Canes their first opening ACC loss by a sweep in 18 years.
In the opening game, the Canes’ bats were on fire, scoring four unanswered runs on seven hits over five innings. Griffin Hugus was dominant for four innings, aided by the strong hitting of Bobby Marsh, who hit a home run in the 4th, and Daniel Cuvet, who had 3 hits, including an RBI triple in the 5th. Griffin was effective, allowing only a single hit in the second and striking out 5 batters. A pivotal moment occurred in the Deacons’ half of the 5th when a home run cut the score in half and altered the game dynamics, resulting in two unanswered runs that tied the game in regulation and pushed it into extra innings. The Miami bats went from sizzling in the first five innings to ice cold, as 12 batters in a row went hitless and struck out 5 times. The only baserunner in regulation came in the 9th on an error (E5), but he never advanced beyond first base.
Ineffective pitching was Miami’s Achilles’ heel in the second half of the twin bill. Brian Walters struggled for the second straight week, failing to make it beyond four innings. With the leadoff batter reaching safely in the first six innings, the Wake batters steamrolled over the Miami pitching staff, knocking Brian out just after four innings with five runs on ten hits to their credit and a three-run lead. Unlike the first game, the Miami bats were no longer silent, reclaiming the lead in the fourth and adding five unanswered runs before Wake delivered the final blow in the sixth. The sixth opened with a double, followed by ten batters rotating to the plate, ultimately scoring seven runs on six hits. Each pitcher brought in created further damage, and only a batter’s interference call, resulting in a double play, finally halted the constant bleeding from ineffective relief. Miami watched their lead slip away for the third time today due to a lack of pitching. From a two-run lead going into the sixth, they exited with a five-run deficit, squashing any hopes of salvaging a win. Miami managed to score three runs thanks to the left fielder misjudging a routine flyout by Daniel Cuvet, clearing the bases in the eighth, but it was too little, too late to overcome the seven runs Wake had put on the board in the sixth.
The Canes painted a completely different picture offensively today. Daniel Cuvet headlined both games, going 3-for-5 with a triple in the first game and 2-for-5 in the second with a bases-clearing double. The bats were even hotter in the second game, with five players achieving multiple hits: Daniel Cuvet, Derek Williams, Bobby Marsh, Evan Taveras, and Renzo Gonzalez. Bobby Marsh hit a home run in each game, and Evan recorded his second home run of the season. There were 22 hits across both games compared to just three hits yesterday. The offense couldn’t keep up with the runs a struggling pitching staff generated.
As mentioned repeatedly, this team is going nowhere without competent pitching. Our starting rotation is struggling, and the bullpen has proven to be completely ineffective without a closer. I hope JD finally realizes that Cleveland is not a closer, and Carson Fischer is not a lifeline. As for who can be that closer, no one has demonstrated the ability to deliver a victory.
After losing the last two series, things definitely don’t look promising, with Florida State and North Carolina next on the schedule. JD has to adjust the weekend rotation by removing Nick Robert from the Friday start. The team requires a win on Friday, and Robert is not the best option for that. Among the available pitchers, Griffin Hugus seems to be the most likely to deliver that much-needed victory for the team.
Before facing off against the Noles this coming weekend, we have a stopover in Boca for our second game against the Owls. It didn’t go well during our last visit, as, like the Gators, they seem to have our number when playing on their turf. The start time for Tuesday’s game is 6:30PM.
