Tortugas topple Fort Myers again; will look for series sweep on Sunday
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Drew Davies blasted a grand slam and Reynardo Cruz threw 5.0 scoreless innings to lead the Daytona Tortugas to their seventh-straight win, a 9-4 victory over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in front of 2,652 fans on Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Daytona (25-22, 54-59) stroked 12 hits and have now scored 67 runs over the course of their seven-game tear. Fort Myers (18-28, 45-65) has now lost 11 straight contests.
In the first inning, the Tortugas jumped in front. Kyle Henley led off with a single, stole second, then came home on a one-out RBI double from Mason Neville. Two batters later, Kien Vu stroked a ground-rule double to left-center than scored Neville, giving the Tortugas a 2-0 lead.
Cruz allowed a hit and a walk in the first, but settled down after that. The right-hander threw a 1-2-3 second, then struck out three in third, navigating around a one-out walk. He followed that up with a scoreless fourth, brushing off a one-out single to throw a scoreless inning. He then returned for the fifth and put up another zero to finish the inning. Cruz (3-1) went 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven batters as he became the first Tortugas starter this year to earn a victory.
In the bottom of the fifth, Daytona blew the game open, as Neville walked, Bernard Moon singled, and Vu was plunked to load the bases with no outs. After a walk, Ichiro Cano bounced into a fielder’s choice that scored a run. Following a walk to re-load the bases, Davies stepped in and crushed the first pitch he saw 380 feet over the right field fence for a grand slam that lifted the lead to 7-0.
The slam was the fourth by Daytona this year, setting a new Tortugas record, and was the second in three nights by the squad.
Daytona proceeded to add to the lead, as Vu lined his second RBI double of the night in the sixth, bringing home Alfredo Duno. In the seventh, Jacob Friend, who had only one plate appearance in the game, made the most of it, crushing the first pitch he saw 421 feet on a 110-mph missile to right, his second homer in as many nights and his fifth of the year.
With the big lead, Cole Schoenwetter struck out three over 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings. In the eighth, though, a pair of weak infield hits bookended a single to center, loading the bases for Enrique Jimenez, who crushed a grand slam 444 feet to center for Fort Myers’ first runs.
Schoenwetter, however, bounced back. The right-hander retired the final five batters he faced as he went the last 4.0 innings, striking out six without walking a batter as he earned his second save of the year while nailing down a 9-4 victory.
Daytona will look to sweep the six-game series on Sunday evening against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Tomorrow is a Family Fun Day Sunday with postgame Kids Run the Bases. First pitch will be at 5:00 p.m. with gates opening at 4:00. Pregame coverage with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on MiLB.tv and the Tortugas Radio Network at 4:50 p.m.
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.
