Four-run fourth swings final game of series as Daytona takes set from St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla—Nick Sando struck out seven over 4.0 scoreless innings, Sammy Stafura had two RBI singles, and the Daytonaa Tortugas used a four-run fourth to swing the series finale in their favor as they secured a series victory over the St. Lucie Mets, 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at Clover Park.
Daytona (8-6, 39-41) took the win despite stranding a season-high 13 runners, striking out a dozen St. Lucie (5-10, 27-54) batters and holding the Mets to just two hits in the final seven innings.
Both teams stranded two runners apiece in the first inning, but in the second, St. Lucie struck first against Daytona starter Jose Montero. A leadoff single was followed by a one-out RBI double from Jose Hernandez, who advanced to third on the throw home. A groundout brought in Hernandez for a 2-0 lead for St. Lucie.
The Tortugas stranded five runners in the first three innings against St. Lucie starter Joel Diaz, but their fortunes drastically changed in the fourth.
Leadoff singles by Malvin Valdez and Jack Moss set the table for a one-out RBI single by Diego Omana to put Daytona on the board. Ricardo Cabrera followed with a hit to left. Moss was held at third initially, but a throwing error allowed both him and Omana to score, while moving Cabrera to third. Stafura followed with an RBI single, capping off a four-run frame to put Daytona in front 4-2.
Montero settled down nicely as he finished off a 4.0-inning stint with 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth, before handing off a two-run lead to Sando to begin the fifth. The left-hander issued a leadoff walk, but struck out the next two, using a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play to end the inning.
In the sixth, the Tortugas added another tally. Omana walked to begin the inning, but reached second after a botched rundown after being picked off. Stafura took advantage with his second two-out RBI single of the game, driving in Omana to push the lead to 5-2.
The later innings saw both Cabrera and Moss pick up their third hits of the game, as well Yerlin Confidan extending his on-base streak to 13 games with an eighth-inning double. Daytona squandered a bases-loaded, one-out chance in the eighth, but it did not matter.
Sando (4-2) allowed a two-out single in the sixth, but he then retired the final seven hitters he faced as he threw 1-2-3 seventh and eighth innings, working 4.0 scoreless innings in which he allowed one hit and one walk while tying a career high with seven strikeouts, putting him firmly in line for the win.
Cody Adcock came on for the ninth and began the frame with two strikeouts before allowing an infield single. He then bounced back with a third punchout, ending the game to pick up his third save, nailing down a 5-2 victory.
Daytona will have Sunday and Monday off before hitting the road on Tuesday to Ft. Myers for the first game of a six-game series against the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels. First pitch on Tuesday from Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers is at 6:05 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 5:50 p.m.
