Slugger’s blast paces seven-run second and ‘Tuga pitching quiets Hammerheads
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Ariel Almonte homered amidst a seven-run second and drove in four runs and Nestor Lorant spun 5.0 scoreless innings to finish off a 10-3 victory for the Daytona Tortugas over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Daytona (2-3, 33-38) rallied from three runs down thanks in part to their second-largest inning of the season, then retired 26 of the final 27 Jupiter (4-2, 40-32) batters to finish the game.
Jupiter got off to a fast start against Daytona starter Adam Serwinowski in the first. Jordan McCants led off with a bloop double to left, then scored on a Ryan Ignoffo double two batters later. Brock Vradenburg followed with a two-run home run to put Jupiter ahead 3-0.
Daytona did not answer in the first, but Serwinowski bounced back to strike out the side in a 1-2-3 effort. He was then rewarded for his efforts by a big bottom of the second against Jupiter starter Eliazar Dishmey.
A single from Connor Burns and double from Malvin Valdez began the frame. Esmith Pineda then ripped a two-run double down the right-field line to put Daytona on the board. After a balk and walk, Johnny Ascanio brought home the tying run with a groundout. Yerlin Confidan then brought in the go-ahead run with a single, before an error extended the inning.
After Dishmey was lifted for Luiz Vizcaino, Almonte greeted him by crushed a three-run home run 399 feet to right, capping off a seven-run frame with his 15th home run of the season.
Serwinowski followed with 1-2-3 third and fourth innings, bouncing back from the three-run first by retiring his final 11 batters in a 4.0-inning effort.
Daytona gave him three more runs as a parting gift in the fourth. Confidan led off with a double, then came home two batters later when Sammy Stafura chopped a triple down the left-field line to bring in a run. Almonte followed with an RBI single to right to drive in his fourth run of the night, tying a career high. After moving to third on an error and wild pitch, Burns brought in the final run of the night on a sacrifice fly.
Armed with a 10-3 lead, Lorant emerged from the bullpen in the fifth and promptly allowed a leadoff single, the first baserunner for the Hammerheads since the first inning. However, he retired the next three batters, two by strikeout, to kick off an impressive string of outs to end the game.
Daytona’s offense quieted in the second half of the game, but it did not matter in the slightest as Lorant (6-2) finished off the contest with four straight spotless innings. The right-hander retired the final 15 batters he faced, striking out five over 5.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball, earning the win as he polished off a 10-3 victory.
Daytona will play game four against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. It will be City of Ormond Beach night with discounted tickets for residents. Games will open at 5:30 with first pitch will at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network, MiLB.tv, and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 6:25 p.m.
