Big nights at plate not enough as Tortugas allow season-high in runs
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Carter Graham had three extra base hits while he and Johnny Ascanio each drove in three runs, but the Jupiter Hammerheads scored ten runs over a three-inning span and the Daytona Tortugas couldn’t recover as they fell 13-8 on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Jupiter (26-21) pounded out 13 hits to score their 13 tallies, the most runs that Daytona (22-25) has allowed this season as the Tortugas stroked 12 hits in a losing cause.
In the bottom of the first inning, Daytona struck off Jupiter starter Tristan Stevens. Sammy Stafura led off by lining the first pitch to left for a leadoff double. After Stevens retired the next two hitters, Carter Graham ripped a double into the left field corner to drive in Stafura with the game’s first run.
An inning later, Daytona added to the lead. With one out, Jack Moss and Trey Faltine singled and a wild pitch moved them both into scoring position. Ascanio followed with a single through the right side to drive in both runners. After moving to third, Ascanio came home on an RBI infield single from Ricardo Cabrera to put Daytona in front 4-0.
Daytona starter Nick Payero worked around two-out hits in each of the first two innings and appeared to be on his way to another scoreless frame as he retired two of the first three batters in the third. However, after a walk, Brock Vradenburg doubled in two runs and Colby Shade added a two-bagger of his own as three two-out tallies closed Daytona’s lead to 4-3, chasing Payero in the process.
Gabe Starks managed to leave the bases loaded in the third, but in the fourth he allowed the first two men to reach before a sacrifice fly tied the game. After an out on the bases gifted Daytona a second out, an error with the bases loaded extended the inning and scored a run. A two-run single from Tony Bullard followed as Jupiter now led 7-4.
In the fifth, things went no better as Graham Osman, who recorded the final out of the fourth, was touched up. A leadoff double by Angelo DiSpigna turned into a run on a wild pitch. Following a walk, Vradenburg tripled home a run, then came home on a second wild pitch to put the Hammerheads up 10-4.
Stevens righted the ship for Jupiter as he retired nine of ten over the third, fourth, and fifth, but Daytona battled back beginning in the sixth. Connor Burns led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Ascanio, his third RBI of the game.
An inning later, Daytona made a furious charge against Caleb Wurster, as Cabrera led off with a double, Ariel Almonte walked, and both scored on a triple by Graham. Burns followed with a sharp single to right to score Graham, trimming the deficit to 10-8.
At that point, Euri Montero entered and put out the fire with a fielder’s choice and a double play to end the inning. Jupiter then answered right back against Alex Johnson, scoring three runs, all of them unearned, to restore a five-run advantage in the eighth.
Now trailing 13-8, Daytona did not have an answer this time. Graham doubled in the ninth for his third extra-base hit of the game, but that was the only runner Daytona mustered over the final two innings as Jupiter took game two.
The Tortugas will have tomorrow off before resuming the series with Jupiter Wednesday night. Daytona will start RHP Jose Montero (2-3, 2.54) against Jupiter RHP Eliazar Dishmey (0-1, 11.05). Tomorrow will be Taps and Tacos featuring half-price draft beer and soda as well as as a special Jamaican Jerk Chicken Taco available tomorrow night. First pitch from Jackie Robinson Ballpark is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with Brennan Mense beginning at 6:20 p.m.
