Tortugas suffer worst defeat of season as Jupiter evens series
JUPITER, Fla—The Jupiter Hammerheads pounded out 13 runs and 17 hits as the Daytona Tortugas had no answers on the mound in a 13-3 defeat on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Jupiter (13-13, 49-43) scored in six of their eight innings at the plate as Daytona (14-9, 45-44) suffered their first double-digit loss of the season and allowed their most hits in a game this season.
In the first inning, Jupiter knocked around Daytona starter Jose Montero. With one out, three straight singles brought in a run as Kemp Alderman singled in the first run. A double followed to put runners on the corners for Junior Sanchez, who singled in two more runs to put Jupiter ahead 3-0.
An inning later, the Tortugas put up their first run against Jupiter starter Eliazar Dishmey. Ariel Almonte led off with a walk, then moved to third on a Connor Burns double. After a strikeout, Jack Moss rolled a ground ball to second, scoring Almonte to trim the deficit to 3-1.
Daytona had a chance to draw closer as Yerlin Confidan doubled with one out and moved to third on a wild pitch. However, a pair of strikeouts by Dishmey ended the inning. The Hammerheads then restored the three-run cushion with a two-out RBI single by John Cruz to go in front 4-1.
The Tortugas had an answer in the fourth. Almonte once more drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a groundout from Burns. With two outs, Moss stroked a single to right-center, extending his on-base streak to 13 games and scoring Almonte to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Once more, though, the Hammerheads had an answer. Jordan McCants led off the fourth with a triple to right, before two walks loaded the bases with no outs. Montero gave way to Nick Sando after a strikeout, and a bases-loaded walk began Sando’s outing. The lefty escaped without further damage, but Jupiter now was back up by three.
After a scoreless fifth, a pivotal sixth inning saw the Tortugas put their biggest threat together. A leadoff single from Ricardo Cabrera was followed by a walk, setting the table for Almonte, who blasted a booming ground-rule double to bring home a run. After a strikeout, a hit batter loaded the bases with one out. However, Jupiter’s Jack Sellinger came on and retired the next two batters and Daytona was turned back, still trailing 5-3.
At that point, the pendulum firmly swung Jupiter’s way. The Hammerheads loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and scored all three runners on a groundout and a two-run single by Alderman, stretching the lead to 8-3.
Jupiter stretched the lead with two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double from Colby Shade. The Hammerheads put the finishing touches on in the eighth, pounding out three more runs on four hits, before finishing off a 13-3 win in the ninth.
Daytona will play game three against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 6:15.
