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Miami’s pitching struggled, leading to a heavy loss as the team gave up 20 runs on 13 hits in a shortened game.. The Mercy Rule was invoked in the 7th inning, with Duke claiming victory thanks to a 2-RBI homer by Brooks Perez to left field, securing the series and handing Miami its second conference series loss. Today, Miami’s pitching was particularly ineffective; the eight pitchers used failed to contain the Blue Devils’ persistent offense. The turning point occurred in the 5th inning when Duke scored 8 runs after Miami had battled back from a four-run deficit to tie the game in the 4th on Cuvet’s 3-run homer, only to surrender the lead in the bottom half. Sosa’s 2-run homer in the 5th briefly put Miami ahead, but the bottom of the inning saw five pitchers surrender 8 runs over a 40-minute span. Despite their offensive efforts to rally, they could not keep pace with a diminished Miami bullpen.
Miami struggled to find a suitable Sunday starter and ultimately selected Tate DeRias. Based on his previous performance, it was clear he wouldn’t last long, indicating a tough day for Miami. Indeed, Tate didn’t get past the first inning, giving up a grand slam that put the Blue Devils ahead by four runs early. Miami quickly called on its bullpen, but efforts to stop the damage failed. Although Miami responded with two runs in the second inning, Duke answered in the third with another home run with a man on base, widening their lead.
Once again trailing by four runs, the Miami offense went into overdrive in the 4th, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring 4 runs to tie the game. Leading the charge for Miami was Daniel Cuvet with a three-run shot to left field to tie the score after Michael Torres’ RBI double scored Fabio Peralta.
Miami was into its fourth pitcher, by the fourth inning, with no containment in sight, as Duke responded with two runs. It wasn’t all ineffective pitching; Miami’s defense also played a role, with its second error of the game resulting in runs. Duke regained the lead on a sacrifice fly. The Miami offense, after fighting all the way back, wasn’t about to concede and answered back in the fifth with an RBI double by Daniel and Sosa’s three-run homer to give Miami a 9-8 lead.
The turning point for the Canes occurred in the fifth inning, when the Duke offense exploded for eight runs, effectively sealing the game. The Blue Devils’ rally overwhelmed the bullpen, which had already been pushed to its limit. Fourteen batters cycled through Duke’s lineup, causing chaos over the Cane pitching staff with five hits, four walks, and five stolen bases.
The rest of the game was essentially a formality as Miami’s bullpen continued to surrender runs to the Dukes’ hitters. A home run in the sixth and their fourth in the seventh sealed the outcome. Today’s game underscored that, aside from Ciscar and Evans, Miami has limited reliable pitching options. Without solid pitching, a strong offense alone isn’t enough to be a contender. JD had little choice but to start Tate given his recent performances, and until Robert and Menendez return to the rotation, struggles are likely to persist. While their return may bring some stability, expecting miracles would be unrealistic; at least with only two pitchers available, the situation can’t get much worse.
Miami’s offense gave it its all. Every player reached base, with only Williams and Alvarez going hitless. Fabio, going 3-4, was the team’s leading hitter. Daniel Cuvet had a solid day with a double and a home run, along with 4 RBIs. Joining Cuvet and Peralta with multiple hits was Vance Sheahan, who had a pair of singles and an RBI. Alex Sosa, with his 7th HR, and Michael Torres, with his 3rd double of the season, round out today’s major contributors.
Miami, undefeated in mid-week play at 5-0, will travel to FIU on Wednesday for a 6PM game, then return to the Light for a weekend series against Creighton. If this doesn’t lead to a strong performance, hopes for post-season play may need to be postponed until next season, ideally with a different coaching staff. JD and Laz are not effectively managing the bullpen, which remains unreliable.
