Miami snaps losing streak by beating FAU

BOCA RATON — Miami found its offense during the seventh inning of its 5-2 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday night. In infield hoppers, outfield bloopers and bunt singles, the Hurricanes discovered the offense that had been missing early in the season.

The Hurricanes (3-4) scored four runs in the seventh inning, snapping a fourgame losing streak that was the program’s longest in four years. With the win, the Hurricanes avoided their first five-game losing streak since 2005.

Miami was swept over the week at Florida, including getting shut out on both Friday and Saturday night. It was the first time the Gators swept Miami since 2012.

The Owls (4-3-1) are now winless in their last three games, losing to Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday and tying Indiana on Sunday.

In the seventh inning, Miami capitalized on wellplaced hits and Owls miscues. After a Christopher Barr leadoff walk, Nico Baldor chopped a double off the infield dirt and into shallow left. Brandon Gali followed with a looping single that fell just in front of a diving Gary Mattis in left to score a run.

Then came the bunts. James Davison dragged a bunt between first and second to score Baldor. Carl Chester followed with another that loaded the bases. Chester finished 2-for-3 with a solo home run.

Two batters later, Johnny Ruiz lifted a high fly ball to center field that fell for a two-run single. The Hurricanes had erased a 2-1 deficit, and trusted their bullpen to protect it a three-run lead. Andrew Cabezas and Frankie Bartow finished the game with three scoreless innings.

FAU scored its two runs in the fifth inning, with Stephen Kerr driving in a run with a bases loaded walk and Sean Labsan’s fielder’s choice knocking in another. Kevin Abraham led the Owls by going 2-for-3.

The Hurricanes entered Wednesday’s game hitting just .173 as a team. They averaged 3.17 runs in their first six games, and it took 21 innings for Miami to scratch across a run against Florida this weekend.

Miami lost four main contributors from its offense last season, with Zack Collins, Willie Abreu, Jacob Heyward and Brandon Lopez all departing through the Major League draft. The four combined to hit 36 home runs and drive in 196 runs last season.

In their absence, the Hurricanes looked to Chester and Johnny Ruiz to carry the offense. The pair was a combined 5-for-42 (.119) entering Wednesday. On Wednesday, they had three hits and drove in three RBI.

Miami catcher Michael Amditis was called out at first base on a bizarre play in the top of the fourth inning. Amditis reached on an infield single to shortstop, but collided with Owls first baseman Esteban Puerta at the bag, tumbling to the dirt and clutching his left leg.

Amditis tried to limp back to the base, but couldn’t make it before the Owls collected the ball and Puerta applied the tag. Morris emerged from the Miami dugout to both argue the call and check on Amditis, but the ruling stood. Amditis was carted off the field and replaced by Joe Gomez.

Amditis, a freshman from Boca Raton High School, has started five of Miami’s seven games.