Pair of three-hit games lead the way as Tortugas take four of five
FT. MYERS, Fla—Ricardo Cabrera and Sammy Stafura each had three hits and two stolen bases, while Cabrera also drove in two runs as the Daytona Tortugas went into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory over the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels on Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium.
Daytona (12-7, 43-42) took four of five in the series against Ft. Myers (12-7, 43-41) despite stranding 11 runners on base in the series finale.
Daytona jumped in front early against Ft. Myers starter Spencer Bengard. Cabrera singled with one out, stole second, and moved to third on an infield single from Stafura. Ariel Almonte followed with a dribbler in front of home plate that scored Cabrera with the first run of the game.
Ft. Myers threatened in the first against Nestor Lorant, who allowed a leadoff double, then plunked the following hitter. However, after a lineout, the Daytona right-hander induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Lorant settled down after that, throwing a 1-2-3 second that was aided by a diving catch in right from Almonte. In the third, the right-hander issued a walk, but struck out two in the inning as he finished off 3.0 scoreless innings.
Daytona added to the lead in the top of the fourth. Almonte led off with a single up the middle, then chugged all the way home on a one-out double to left from Esmith Pineda. Luis Reyes then hit a line drive to left that was dropped, allowing Pineda to score on a two-base error that put the Tortugas ahead 3-0.
Nick Sando then came out of the bullpen and threw a 1-2-3 fourth with a strikeout. He then ran into trouble in the fifth as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Walker Jenkins looped a single into left field to score a run. Sando, though, induced a double play to end the inning and limit the damage to just one run, as Daytona still led 3-1.
The Tortugas then added to the lead in the sixth. Three straight singles began the inning to load the bases with no outs. Yerlin Confidan drove in a run with a well-placed groundout, then Cabrera lined a single to center, his third of the game, to score two runs, putting the Tortugas up 6-1.
Sando (5-1) followed up with a 1-2-3 sixth, striking out the final two batters to finish off 3.0 innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts, putting him in line for his third consecutive win.
Anyer Laureano followed with a scoreless seventh, walking a batter but striking out the side in the inning.
In the eighth, Dylan Simmons came on for the Tortugas. He began the inning with a flyout, but allowed a one-out single. Poncho Ruiz then crushed a full-count fastball over the left-field fence for a two-run home run, closing the gap to 6-3.
However, Daytona held firm as Simmons recorded the final two outs to finish the eighth, then Jonah Hurney came on for the ninth and allowed a two-out double, but struck out two and secured his second save of the season to nail down the 6-3 win.
All of Minor League Baseball will have the next four days off for the All-Star break, with Daytona returning to action next Friday night, July 19, against the Palm Beach Cardinals at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Friday will be Cities of Port Orange and South Daytona Night with discounted tickets for residents. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with first pitch 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, will begin at 6:20.
