Daytona ends four-game funk behind big nights at plate, on mound
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Esmith Pineda homered amidst a three-hit, three-RBI night and Ricardo Cabrera added two hits and two RBI as the Daytona Tortugas broke open a tie game late as the Daytona Tortugas defeated the St. Lucie Mets 6-1 in front of 2,496 fans on Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Daytona (23-20, 54-55) snapped a four-game skid in the process, earning their first win of the week after St. Lucie (16-28, 38-72) had taken the first three games of the series.
After a scoreless first, the Tortugas took the lead in the bottom of the second. Leading off the inning, Pineda jumped on the first pitch he saw and yanked an inside fastball just over the left field wall down the line for a solo home run to put Daytona in front 1-0.
St. Lucie, though, took advantage of a miscue to answer. After a pair of scoreless frames by David Lorduy in his first start for Daytona, a one-out error put Boston Baro aboard, who promptly stole second. Yohairo Cuevas then doubled with two outs, scoring Baro with an unearned run to tie the game.
Lorduy struck out three over his 3.0 innings of work before Dualvert Gutierrez took over and began his night with a 1-2-3 fourth. The right-hander worked around a two-out single in a scoreless fifth.
In the sixth, St. Lucie threatened. A leadoff walk and single put runners at the corners with no outs. Gutierrez struck out the next two batters before issuing a second walk to load the bases. A fly ball to left was initially lost by Pineda in the twilight, but Carlos Sanchez raced into left field from shortstop to make the catch, leaving the bases loaded.
Daytona then pulled in front. Sammy Stafura drew a leadoff walk, then stole second—his third steal of the game—and went to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Pineda looped an RBI single to right to put Daytona in front 2-1.
Gutierrez (4-0) returned and fired a 1-2-3 seventh to finish off an outing of 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out five.
In the bottom of the seventh, Daytona pulled away. Two straight one-out walks set the table for Cabrera, who lined an RBI single to right. Stafura followed with his second hit, driving in a second run. After a walk loaded the bases, Pineda rolled a dribbler in front of the plate, but no play was made and Cabrera scored, as Pineda wound up with his third hit and RBI of the night to put Daytona ahead 5-1.
Nick Sando entered for the eighth and spun a 1-2-3 inning before Daytona put together another rally as Ryan McCrystal walked, went first-to-third on a wild pitch, then came home on a two-out double from Cabrera to cap off the scoring.
Sando followed with another 1-2-3 frame in the ninth, ending the game with a punchout as he locked down a 6-1 win to snap the skid.
Daytona will have play game five of the series against the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Tomorrow is Augtoberfest with beer specials and a Tortugas Beer Stein giveaway for the first 1,000 fans. Gates will open at 5:30 with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin at 6:20.
