Seven-run ninth dooms Daytona, who squanders 12-hit effort
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—The Daytona Tortugas stroked a season-high 12 hits and rallied from four runs down to take the lead, but a seven-run avalanche in the ninth lifted the Lakeland Flying Tigers to a 14-7 victory on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Lakeland (19-10) pounded out 12 hits of their own and also took advantage of ten walks and four Daytona (17-12) errors, scoring five unearned runs on the night.
For the second night in a row, Lakeland scored a pair in the first inning. With one out against Daytona starter Adam Serwinowski, three straight batters walked to load the bases for Brett Callihan, who blooped a two-run single into right field. Serwinowski would not finish the first inning, as Jonah Hurney had to enter with the bases loaded and one outs, ending the inning with two strikeouts.
Hurney, though, would struggled himself in the second. A leadoff walk was followed by a single to put runners on the corners for Max Clark. Clark then pulled a double down the right-field line to score a run. Clayton Campbell followed with an RBI hit of his own to make it 4-0, Lakeland.
Nestor Lorant then entered for Daytona in the third and was finally able to restore some order, spinning scoreless third, fourth, and fifth frames, including three strikeouts in the third.
Daytona was frustrated for four innings by Joe Adametz, who allowed a total of five baserunners over the first four innings, but incredibly induced a double play in each inning to snuff out all of those opportunities.
In the fifth, though, Daytona finally broke through. A leadoff walk was followed by a single from Johnny Ascanio. Trey Faltine then rolled his second hit of the night, an RBI single, through the right side to bring in a run. Ricardo Cabrera followed with an RBI hit of his own. Two batters later after Adametz was pulled, Alfredo Duno came through with a two-out, two-run double to left off Patrick Pridgen that tied the game at 4 apiece.
After a fourth scoreless frame from Lorant, Yerlin Confidan connected for a solo home run with two outs in the sixth inning, launching a fly ball off Carlos De Los Santos that just snuck over the left field wall. His second longball of the year put Daytona in front 5-4.
Dylan Simmons then came out of the bullpen in the seventh and ripped through the Lakeland lineup, striking out the side on ten pitches. The eighth, though, was much different. He allowed three hits, the last an RBI single by Josue Briceno to tie the game.
With two on and two outs, he appeared to strike out Clayton Campbell to end the inning, but catcher’s interference was instead called, loaded the bases and extending the inning. A hit batter and a walk then forced home two more runs, giving Lakeland the lead back at 7-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Daytona again mounted a rally, this time against Yosber Sanchez. Carter Graham singled with one out and went to third on an error that allowed Confidan to reach. Ascanio then singled home a run and Faltine tied the game on his third hit of the night, a ground-rule double to right that put runners on second and third with one out. Sanchez struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied, but the game was now 7-7.
However, in the ninth everything fell apart for Daytona as the first five batters reached for Lakeland, bringing in three runs in the process. After two outs were recorded, a flyball to right was dropped, scoring two more runs. Jim Jarvis followed with an RBI triple to bring in yet another run, before scoring on a throwing error, the fourth miscue of the night for Daytona.
When the dust settled, Lakeland sent 11 men to the plate, scoring seven runs to take firm control. Lakeland’s Thomas Bruss then struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.
Daytona will play game three of the series tomorrow night against Lakeland. RHP Juan Martinez (1-1, 2.81) will take the mound for Daytona opposite Lakeland RHP Hayden Minton (0-0, 5.40). Tomorrow will be Taps and Tacos Thursday featuring half-priced sodas and draft beers as well as taco specials including the Crab Cake Taco. First pitch from Jackie Robinson Ballpark is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with Brennan Mense begins at 6:20 p.m.
