Tortugas score twice on Cabrera’s final chaotic hit to swipe victory
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Ricardo Cabrera tied the game on a ninth-inning hit and came around to score on the same bizarre play as the Daytona Tortugas pulled off a thrilling 5-4 comeback win over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Daytona (9-8) earned their second walk-off victory of the season, snapping a four-game winning streak for St. Lucie (8-9) in the process.
In the top of the first, St. Lucie threatened against Daytona starter Jose Montero. A leadoff double and single put runners with no outs. However, the right-hander picked up a strikeout, then induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. One frame later, Montero erased a leadoff walk by starting a 1-6-3 twin killing.
After a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, Daytona got to St. Lucie RHP Wyatt Hudepohl. Alfredo Duno led off and deposited a moonshot onto the batting cages behind the left-field wall for his second homer of the year. Not to be outdone, Ariel Almonte stepped in and ripped his league-leading fourth round-tripper, a 110-MPH laser over the right field fence. Daytona wasn’t done as Esmith Pineda singled, then scored on a Yassel Pino RBI double to put Daytona in front 3-0.
In the third, St. Lucie was the recipient of a gift to get on the board. Montero retired the first two hitters before walking Colin Houck with two outs. Jesus Baez then lifted a drive to center that was dropped, allowing Houck to scoot home all the way from first on the error to make it 3-1.
Montero, though, was able to follow that with two scoreless innings, with his outing ending in unconventional fashion on a pickoff caught stealing with two runners on to finish the fifth. Montero went a season-high 5.0 innings, allowing an unearned run on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts, departing with a two-run lead.
Gabriel Aguilera came on in the sixth and worked around a two-out walk and stolen base with a pickoff at second base to end the inning. In the seventh, he wasn’t as lucky, though, as a double, hit batter, and walk loaded the bases with no outs. Aguilera then induced a double play, which alsi brought in a run, but then allowed an RBI single to Jefrey De Los Santos to tie the game at three.
Aguilera returned for the eighth and again ran into trouble. With one out, a walk and single put two on, at which point, Dylan Simmons entered the contest. Vincent Perozo greeted him with an RBI double to right to put St. Lucie in front 4-3, though Simmons struck out the next two with two men in scoring position to limit the damage.
Ryan Ammons came on for St. Lucie in the eight and was sharp in a 1-2-3 eighth inning. After Simmons (1-0) threw a scoreless top of the ninth, Ammons (0-1) returned and promptly started the inning with a strikeout.
However, the game turned when pinch-hitter Connor Burns won a 12-pitch battle with walk, after which Malvin Valdez walked. After a mound visit, Cabrera stepped in and rifled a pitch to right-center that scored Burns easily. Valdez was waved home as well, but was thrown out at the plate. However, Cabrera broke for third when Perozo was sprawled on the ground, and the St. Lucie catcher hurried an off-balance throw that sailed down the left field line, bringing home Cabrera for an unusual, improbable victory.
The Tortugas will play game three against the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday evening. It will be Taps and Tacos Thursday, with half-price sodas and drafts, as well as . First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with gates opening at 5:30. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio network with Brennan Mense begins at 6:20 p.m.
