Tortugas strong start to series continues behind early lead, strong pitching late
TAMPA, Fla—Luis Reyes homered and drove in two, Jack Moss added two hits and three RBI, and Drew Pestka ended the night with 3.0 perfect innings as the Daytona Tortugas pulled away from the Tampa Tarpons 6-1 on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Daytona (20-16, 51-51) has started the series with three straight wins over Tampa (18-18, 42-60), holding the Tarpons to just four hits and retiring the final 11 hitters of the game.
In the first, the Tortugas struck first. Sammy Stafura drew a two-out walk, then moved to third on an Ariel Almonte single. Almonte then stole second ahead of a single from Moss, which scored both runners. After Moss wound up at second on an error, Reyes singled to right-center, scoring Moss to give Daytona a 3-0 lead on the two-out rally.
Daytona starter Adam Serwinowski allowed a two-out walk in the first, then a leadoff single in the second, but neither of those runners resulted in a run. He followed that up with his best inning of the night in the third, spinning a 1-2-3 frame with two strikeouts.
In the fourth, the Tortugas added to the lead. Leading off the inning, Reyes pulled a 2-2 fastball from Rafelin Nivar over the left field fence for his first home run in a Tortugas uniform. The 364-foot drive put Daytona in front 4-0.
Serwinowski returned for the fourth and immediately found himself in trouble, allowing a leadoff double and plunking a batter. After a wild pitch put runners at second and third with no outs, the left-hander fanned two straight hitters. After a walk loaded the bases, Serwinowski ended his night with his second strikeout, ending the threat.
Serwinowski threw 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a two walks while hitting a batter, striking out seven as he handed off a 4-0 lead to Adrian Herrera in the fifth.
Herrera wobbled out of the gate, issuing a leadoff walk to Josue Gonzalez, only for Diego Omana to catch Gonzalez stealing for the first out. Herrera issued another walk, which was followed by a stolen base and errant throw to put a runner at third. The right-hander then picked up a strikeout and groundout to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
In the sixth, though, Herrera served up a leadoff homer to Tyler Wilson to put Tampa on the board. With one out, a walk and a hit put two on with one out. Once again, though, the right-hander rose to the occasion, picking up a strikeout before inducing a groundout to the mound to end the inning, as Herrera (1-1) left in line for the win after a 2.0-inning stint.
Pestkathen entered with a 4-1 lead in the seventh and took command, starting off his night with a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
Daytona added to the lead in the final two innings as two walks and a single loaded the bases for Trey Faltine, who drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth. An inning later, Moss lined his second hit of the day, driving in his third run of the night to make it 6-1.
The extra runs were more than enough for Pestka, who spun a 1-2-3 eighth, then finished the game with another perfect frame in the ninth, going nine-up, nine-down with a pair of strikeouts over 3.0 perfect innings, securing his first career save with a 6-1 victory.
Daytona will have play game four of the series against the Tampa Tarpons on Friday night. First pitch from George M. Steinbrenner Field will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 6:15 p.m.
