Palms 5, Astros 3 (13 innings)

 By Vin Castillo

HOUSTON — The losing streak didn’t so much end as it was blasted into orbit.

After four straight gut-punch losses, the Miami Palms finally exhaled Saturday night, riding a 13-inning marathon and an unforgettable swing from Emilio Miranda to a 5–3 win over the Astros — a game that felt like it might never end until it suddenly, emphatically did.

Miranda, the rookie call-up still finding his footing at the big-league level, delivered the moment of the season so far in the top of the 13th. With the bases loaded and two outs, he turned on a Joe Biagini offering and sent it screaming into the seats for a grand slam — his first career home run and, fittingly, his first four career RBIs all wrapped into one thunderous exclamation point.

“Honestly, I just didn’t want to be the guy who made the last out again,” Miranda said afterward, grinning. “Everything after that is kind of a blur.”

It had been a long time coming. The Palms scratched out an early run in the second inning on Wellington Castillo’s sacrifice fly, then spent the next ten innings trading zeroes in a game dominated by pitching, tension, and missed chances.

Manny Parra was brilliant, going nine innings and allowing just one run while scattering five hits. He worked efficiently, confidently, and deserved better than the no-decision he received. Josh James and Brad Peacock matched him pitch for pitch on the Houston side, turning the middle innings into a stalemate that stretched nerves thin on both benches.

Houston finally broke through in the seventh on a solo homer by George Springer, but Miam remained steady then survived a scare in the bottom of the 13th after Abraham Toro’s two-run shot briefly pulled the Astros back within striking distance.

That’s when Chris Martin slammed the door, recording the final two outs on just two pitches to seal his 21st save and ensure Miranda’s blast didn’t go to waste.

The Palms finished with just eight hits in 46 at-bats, but four of them came when it mattered most, and one swing washed away four games’ worth of frustration.

Afterward, manager Scott Hatteberg didn’t overplay the moment — but he didn’t downplay it either.

“You don’t win seasons in June,” he said, “but you can lose your footing there. Tonight felt like us catching ourselves.”

At 37–35, the Palms leave the ballpark exhausted, relieved, and maybe — finally — reminded of who they are. Sometimes, all it takes is one swing in the 13th inning to reset everything.

 Miami Palms 5, Houston Astros 3

 Saturday, June 13, 2020

 

 

 Miami Palms (37-35)                                      Houston Astros (1-1)                                    

 Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave      Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave      

 ------          -- -  - -- -- --  -  -  - ---   ---      ------          -- -  - -- -- --  -  -  - ---   ---      

 Munoz ss        6  0  1  0  0  2  1  4  0  2   .294      Altuve 2b       6  0  0  0  0  2  1  3  0  0   .100

 Koch 2b         5  1  0  0  1  1  3  2  0  2   .273      Bregman 3b      5  0  1  0  0  0  0  3  0  0   .222

 Grant rf        5  1  2  0  1  1  10 0  0  0   .298      Alvarez lf      5  0  1  0  0  1  4  0  0  0   .125

 Encarnacion dh  6  1  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1   .249      Springer cf     5  1  1  1  0  1  5  0  0  0   .111

 Korb 3b         5  1  2  0  1  0  0  1  0  1   .265      Correa ss       5  0  0  0  0  1  1  1  0  2   .111

 Miranda cf      6  1  2  4  0  0  3  0  0  2   .385      Gurriel 1b      5  1  4  0  0  0  11 0  0  0   .444

 Holt lf         6  0  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  0   .250      Brantley rf     5  0  0  0  0  0  6  0  0  2   .222

 Garcia 1b       4  0  1  0  1  2  10 2  0  0   .232      Toro dh         5  1  1  2  0  1  0  0  0  0   .200

 Castillo c      3  0  0  1  1  1  8  0  0  0   .221      Stubbs c        5  0  0  0  0  0  10 0  0  0   .000

 

                 -- -  - -- -- -- -- -- -- ---                            -- -  - -- -- -- -- -- -- ---            

 Totals          46 5  8  5  5  8  39 12 0  8             Totals          46 3  8  3  0  6  39 10 0  4  

 

 

                        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12 13 14     R  H  E

                        -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -      -  -  -

 Miami Palms            0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  4         5  8  0  

 Houston Astros         0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  2         3  8  0  

 

 

 

 LOB- Miami Palms 8, Houston Astros 4; 2B- Alvarez(1), Gurriel 2(2); HR- Miranda(1),

 Springer(1), Toro(1); RBI- Castillo(7), Miranda 4(4), Springer(1), Toro 2(2); SF- Castillo(1);

 GIDP- Brantley(1); RLSP- Koch, Munoz, Brantley, Correa 2;  

 

 DP- Miami Palms 1;  

  

 

 

 Miami Palms               IP   H  R  ER BB SO    ERA

 Parra                     9.0  5  1  1  0  6    4.73  

 Jeffress(W 3-2)           3.0  1  0  0  0  0    3.00  

 Peralta                   0.1  2  2  2  0  0    4.02  

 Martin(S, 21)             0.2  0  0  0  0  0    1.99  

 

 Houston Astros            IP   H  R  ER BB SO    ERA

 James                     8.0  5  1  1  4  4    1.13  

 Peacock                   3.0  0  0  0  0  3    0.00  

 Biagini(L 0-1)            2.0  3  4  4  1  1   18.00 

 

 Pitches-strikes- Parra 95-63, Jeffress 24-15, Peralta 8-4, Martin 2-2, James 88-56,

 Peacock 24-19, Biagini 31-17; Batters faced- Parra 31, Jeffress 10, Peralta 3,

 Martin 2, James 33, Peacock 9, Biagini 10;

  

 Temp - 0, Sky - Roof Closed, Wind -  

 

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