Tortugas take game one duel in extras, held to three hits in game two defeat
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla—Beau Blanchard spun 6.0 scoreless innings and Alfredo Duno’s extra-innings blast provided the difference in 3-2, eight-inning win for Daytona Tortugas in the opener of a doubleheader before the St. Lucie Mets took game two 6-1 to split the Saturday twinbill at Clover Park.
Daytona (17-17, 46-54) earned their third extra-innings victory in game one, as Blanchard turned in just the second 6.0-inning effort in the opener, before St. Lucie (25-10, 59-41) turned the tables by holding the Tortugas to just three hits in the second contest.
In game one, the Tortugas mounted the first big scoring threat as back-to-back singles in the second by Bernard Moon and Jacob Friend put runners on the corners with one out. However, a double play followed to end the inning.
After navigating around a walk and hit batter in the first, Blanchard ran into bigger trouble in the second. Two singles opened the inning, then Sam Robertson appeared to be hit by a pitch. However, it was ruled to be a foul ball instead, and Blanchard took full advantage, striking out Robertson, then retiring the next two men to escape the jam.
The next three innings saw minimal scoring chances as each team only recorded one hit in that time frame.
In the sixth, Daytona threatened as Tyson Lewis led off with a double to center, then went to third on a one-out groundout. With runners on the corners and two outs, though, Lewis was tagged out on a botched double-steal attempt to end the inning, and the game remained scoreless.
Blanchard locked in after the second-inning scare, as he retired the final eight batters he faced and 15 of his last 16 men. After getting the ball on short duty, Blanchard threw 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, one walk, and one hit batter, while striking out a career-high six batters.
However, Blanchard had to settle for a no-decision as the Tortugas went down in order in the seventh. St. Lucie did the same against Drew Pestka, so the game went to extras with the score still 0-0.
In the eighth, Peyton Holt began the inning at second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Lewis then lined his third hit, an 0-2 RBI single to center, to score Holt and break the deadlock. Duno then stepped up and demolished the first pitch he saw, crushing a 443-foot shot to left for a no-doubt two-run homer. His ninth round-tripper put Daytona ahead 3-0.
Back for the eighth, Pestka hit the first batter, putting two on. After a groundout and strikeout, back-to-back infield singles by Mitch Voit and Trace Wilhoite scored two runs and put the tying and winning runs on base. However, a soft pop-up to first end the game as Pestka closed out a 3-2 win.
In the second game, Daytona jumped in front right away. With one out, Lewis walked and Duno rolled a single to right that moved Lewis to third. Esmith Pineda followed with a slow chopper past the mound that no one was able to corral, resulting in an infield single to score Lewis for a 1-0 lead.
After a 1-2-3 first, St. Lucie erupted in the second. Two singles began the inning, then a groundout brought in the first run of the inning. Yonatan Henriquez followed with an RBI double and Simon Juan stroked an RBI after that. All told, the Mets stroked five hits in the inning and scored three times to take a 3-1 lead.
The Mets piled on one in third. A single and walk set the stage for Randy Guzman, who with two outs swatted a ball 377 feet just inside the left-field foul pole for a three-run home run, which stretched the St. Lucie lead to 6-1.
At that point, the Tortugas were unable to claw any closer. Daytona’s best shot came in the fourth when Duno walked and Pineda was plunked to begin the inning, but the next three men were retired and the Tortugas failed to score.
After that, Daytona only had one runner advance past first base in the final three innings, as St. Lucie cruised to a 6-1 victory in the nightcap, splitting the twinbill.
Daytona will finish the series at St. Lucie on Sunday afternoon at 12:10 p.m.. Pregame coverage from Clover Park with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on MiLB.tv and the Tortugas Radio Network at noon.
Tickets for every Tortugas home game are available on our website, by calling 386-257-3172, or by visiting the Jackie Robinson Ballpark box office at 110 E. Orange Avenue.
ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are in their tenth season as the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida that was recently designated a National Commemorative Site. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.
