Miami tied the game up in the top of the sixth inning Sunday. But Florida State didn’t let it stay that way very long.
Former Miami Columbus star Justin Gonzalez hit a two-run single to ignite a seven-run sixth inning as FSU earned a 13-6 victory over Miami before 5,902 at Dick Howser Stadium.
“It was a ballgame that you could feel that was starting to slip when you’re up 6-1 and all of a sudden it’s 6-6,” FSU coach Mike Martin said. “Our guys would have nothing to do with it. Had an outstanding inning, had some key hits.”
Weston native Jose Brizuela went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored and DJ Stewart went 3-for-5 with two RBIs as FSU pounded out 15 hits. The Seminoles (8-1), ranked No. 2 in the nation by Baseball America, won the final two games of the three-game series with Miami (5-5). The No. 14 Hurricanes won the opener 3-1 on Friday.
The games don’t count in the ACC standings because FSU and Miami weren’t set to face off in league play in 2014. But Martin and Miami coach Jim Morris worked out a deal to play the games out-of-conference, and in the end the Seminoles won the season series for the fifth straight year.
“This is one series that a lot of us look forward to,” Gonzalez said. “Being the rebel when I go back home, I enjoy that. To go back home with a smile on my face is something that I enjoy.”
Miami returned home disappointed after what was a promising start to the series Friday night. But the Hurricanes gave up nine walks in a 10-2 loss Saturday and then allowed FSU to put up a pair of big innings — six runs in the third and seven runs in the sixth — Sunday.
The Canes clawed back from a 6-1 deficit after three innings, tying the game at 6 in the sixth on Dale Carey’s two-out double down the right-field line.
But FSU rallied in the bottom of the inning, cranking out six hits. The Noles scored seven runs as Gonzalez, Brizuela and Ben DeLuzio had RBI hits.
Brizuela was 6-for-9 with six RBIs in the final two games of the series.
The Hurricanes went down in order in the final three innings.
FSU’s Jameis Winston pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, recording three groundouts. Winston, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who just two months ago was leading the Noles football team to the national title, has not allowed an earned run in five innings this season.
Miami had some big hits early in the game. Zack Collins had a towering two-run home run over the right-field screen in the fourth, and Willie Abreu scored three runs and had a career-high three hits. Carey went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision. Miami’s Andrew Suarez allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings. And FSU’s Mike Compton gave up three runs on six hits in five innings.
FSU’s Gage Smith (2-0) didn’t allow an earned run in 1 2/3 innings. AJ Salcines (0-1) allowed six earned runs.
“It’s a disappointing loss of the series and today’s game, but our guys did a really good job coming back,” Morris said. “Our pitchers didn’t pitch as well as we know they can and expect them to. It was a disappointing loss after you battle back. Florida State has another very good club.”
Miami will play host to Villanova in a two-game series beginning Tuesday. FSU will travel to play at South Florida for a two-game series starting Tuesday.
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