Stafura, Pineda go deep in opening frame as Tortugas salvage finale
DUNEDIN, Fla—Sammy Stafura and Esmith Pineda both homered in a four-run first inning and the Daytona Tortugas led wire-to-wire in a 6-2 win over the Dunedin Blue Jays in the series on Sunday afternoon at TD Ballpark.
Daytona (12-15) pounded out a dozen hits and struck out 13 opposing hitters as they salvaged the final game of a three-game series in Dunedin (15-12).
In the first inning, the Tortugas jumped ahead immediately. On the first pitch of the game, Stafura crushed a Gilberto Bautista over the fence in left-center for a leadoff homer. Bautista retired the next two batters, but a two-out error extended the inning and Daytona took advantage. Bernard Moon drove in a run with an RBI single. Pineda then followed by driving a 1-2 delivery from Bautista into the left-field bullpen for his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to put Daytona ahead 4-0.
In the bottom of the first, Dunedin threatened against Daytona starter Ty Floyd. A hit batter began the inning before a single put runners on the corners with no outs. However, a shallow fly ball was not deep enough to bring the runner home, then Floyd struck out the next two to end the inning.
Over the next two innings, Daytona continued to pressure Bautista with two hits apiece in both the second and third, but failed to score in both frames.
However, Floyd settled in after the first-inning scare. He threw 1-2-3 second and third innings and retired the leadoff man in the fourth. After retiring ten batters in a row, though, a single and walk put two on with one out. Floyd, though, induced a flyout and a groundout to finish off an outing of 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out four.
Adrian Herrera came out of the bullpen in the fifth and started off his outing with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a pair in the process.
In the sixth, the Tortugas added to the lead. With one out, Pineda and Trey Faltine singled, with a throwing error putting runners at second and third with one out. A wild pitch scored Pineda and moved Faltine to third. With two outs, Ryan McCrystal stroked an RBI single to right-center, stretching the lead to 6-0.
Dunedin, though, touched up Herrera in the sixth. A leadoff walk was followed by a two-run homer by Edward Duran. A single and double put runners at second and third with one out, but Herrera (5-1) buckled down with a strikeout and a pop-up to strand both runners and keep the Tortugas up by four.
Irvin Machuca then entered for the seventh and struck out two in a scoreless frame, brushing off a hit batter. In the eighth, he issued a one-out walk, but once more held the Blue Jays scoreless with two more strikeouts.
Machuca started the ninth and retired the first hitter before Nick Sando entered from the bullpen. The left-hander struck out the final two batters of the contest to nail down the 6-2 triumph.
Daytona will have Monday off before returning to Jackie Robinson Ballpark to begin a 12-game homestand, starting with the opener of a six-game series with the Tampa Tarpons on Tuesday night. Tuesday will be Taco Tuesday and Breast Cancer Awareness Night. Games open at 5:30 with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on the Tortugas Radio Network at 6:20.
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.
