Caley carves up Marlins

Working on only three days of rest, Michael Caley struck out 11 Fort Wayne Marlins as the Portland Rockets downed the Marlins 6-2 Thursday at Runkle-Miller Field.
“The first couple of innings I didn’t have my release point down,” Caley said. “Later on in the game I felt good, everything felt smooth. Chris (Miller) behind the plate was working really well getting all the calls.”
Caley, who scattered three hits, walked one and gave up one unearned run in seven innings, said all four of his pitches were working well.
“I threw sliders, changeups, curveballs and fastballs,” he said. “And what helps is Chris kept mixing them up so they don’t know what pitch was coming. They were up there guessing a lot and fortunately they missed a lot of bats tonight.”
The Indiana Wesleyan graduate said he was unsure how long he would last on such short rest.
“I came in just expecting to throw five (innings) because I pitched six innings on Sunday,” he said. “Everything felt good, especially in those middle innings.
“After the sixth I thought that was going to be it, but I came in for the seventh and got three more strikeouts,” he said. “I just felt good, just got lucky. I can’t complain”
Portland manager Randy Miller had high praise for the right-handed hurler from Markle.
“Caley is a role model as a baseball player,” he said. “He shows up, does his work and doesn’t do a lot of fancy things. He does not produce his own trouble.
“When he pitches we’ve got a chance.”
On offense, the Rockets (25-5) capitalized on five Fort Wayne errors to earn a season sweep against the Marlins.
With a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, the Rockets scored three runs in the frame on two, two-out errors by the Marlins’ outfield. It would add another insurance run in the seventh on a throwing error by the pitcher and a misjudged fly ball in the outfield.
Zach Tanner went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two stolen bases. Chris Miller added two hits, including a double, and Alex Delk, Geoff Bowers and Justin Marrero recorded the only three RBIs for the Rockets.
As the Rockets extended their win streak to double-digits, Randy Miller said the team is starting to fatigue.
“We’re a little tired,” he said. “We’ve double dipped with a game on Thursdays and doubleheaders on Saturdays and Sundays for about a month. We don’t want our pitchers getting dead-armed.”
But Miller says despite the fatigue, the Rockets are going strong.
“We are playing good baseball because we have good baseball players,” he said. “They show up with a work ethic that knows what has to be done.”
“In the heart of the order we’re going to be missing Mitch Waters (who hurt his back in South Bend on Saturday), but Marrero and Tanner drive in runs.
“It’s a pleasure watching them hone their craft. They represent Portland well.”
Portland hosts the Fort Wayne Jackers for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday at Runkle-Miller Field. The Rockets look to take the advantage in the season series, which is knotted at two wins each.[[In-content Ad]]