Tortuga catcher hits two of Daytona three homers in 12-run outburst
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Alfredo Duno homered twice and drove in five runs, Peyton Holt added a homer, and the Daytona Tortugas used a record-tying eight-run sixth to defeat the Jupiter Hammerheads 12-7 on Sunday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Daytona (22-29) took two of three over Jupiter (24-27) at The Jack for their first series win in over a month, scoring 12 runs for the second night in a row.
After a 1-2-3 first from Daytona starter Edgar Colon, the Tortugas scored first in the bottom of the first. Sammy Stafura drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a groundout, then advanced on a wild pitch. Duno followed with a 112-mph single up the middle to score Stafura with a 1-0 lead.
An inning later, Daytona added to the lead. Ryan McCrystal drew a one-out walk to bring up Holt, who detonated a 2-2 pitch over the manual scoreboard in left-center for a two-run home run. His second homer in as many nights traveled 426 feet to increase the lead to 3-0.
Colon allowed a leadoff walk in the third, but quickly erased with a double play before recording the third out. The 19-year-old right-hander faced only nine batters in 3.0 hitless innings before giving way to Bryce Hubbart, who worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the fourth.
In the fifth, though, Jupiter began to rally back. A leadoff double was followed by an RBI triple from Jesus Hernandez. Cody Schrier’s infield hit brought in Rodriguez to trim the deficit to 3-2.
An inning later, the Hammerheads pulled in front. Andres Valor and Cam Clayton singled, then with two outs, Schrier crushed a three-run home run off the videoboard in left-center, putting Jupiter in front 5-3.
Daytona, though, completed flipped the script in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff walk and a Bernard Moon double put two men in scoring position before an error scored both men to tie the game and put Ryan McCrystal at third. Two batters later, Malvin Valdez put Daytona in front with an RBI single. Valdez then scored thanks to two errors and a wild pitch to put the Tortugas up 7-5.
Daytona was far from done though. Stafura walked and Kyle Henley singled in front of Duno, who barreled the first pitch he saw and crushed it 400 feet to left for a three-run blast. Carlos Sanchez then singled, stole second, and scored on McCrystal’s RBI single, the eighth and final tally of a sixth-inning avalanche to put Daytona in front 11-5.
Trent Hodgdon threw a1-2-3 seventh, but ran into trouble in the eighth. After a leadoff walk, Clayton doubled to left-center, scoring a run, then circled the bases on an error, scoring a second tally to trim the lead to 11-7. Hodgdon, though, finished the inning with no further troubled.
In the bottom of the eighth, Duno annihilated the first pitch 110 mph off the light tower in left-field for a 431-foot home run, his second of the night. He became the first Tortuga to homer twice since Yerlin Confidan on May 16, 2024.
Victor Diaz then threw a scoreless ninth to cap off a 12-7 victory.
Daytona have Monday off before hitting the road to begin a six-game trip against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Pregame coverage from Joker Marchant Stadium on Tuesday with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.TV at 6:15 with first pitch at 6:30 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.
