Four-run fourth keys third win in a row
JUPITER, Fla—Luis Reyes capped off a four-run fourth with his first homer of the season and Cole Schoenwetter punched out a career-high eight batters as the Daytona Tortugas won their third in a row, 4-2 over the Palm Beach Cardinals in the series finale at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Daytona (20-25) ended with a series split with Palm Beach (22-23) despite dropping the first three games of the series, allowing just three runs over 28.0 innings in the final three games of the series.
After a scoreless top of the first inning, Schoenwetter’s day got off to a rocky start as he allowed a leadoff homer in the first to Travis Honeyman. A walk and a one-out infield single put runners on the corners. A lineout and strikeout, though, got the right-hander out of the inning.
He settled down in the second, erasing a one-out hit batter with an inning-ending double play. Schoenwetter then really settled in during the third inning, striking out the side in a 1-2-3 inning.
Daytona’s offense, meanwhile, did little in the first three innings against rehabbing left-hander Quinn Mathews, who exited the game after 3.0 scoreless innings with a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, Nelfy Ynfante entered for the Cardinals and Daytona jumped on the new right-hander. Singles by Sammy Stafura and Esmith Pineda opened the inning. After a sacrifice bunt, Carter Graham brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center. Ryan McCrystal followed with a booming triple to right-center to put Daytona on top. Reyes then blasted a two-run shot over the left-field fence to stretch the Daytona lead to 4-1.
Schoenwetter returned for the fourth and struck out the first two batters of the inning, running his string of strikeouts to five in a row. After a two-out walk, he picked up another strikeout, finishing off a 4.0-inning start in which he allowed one run on two hits, two walks, and struck out a career-high eight batters.
In the fifth, Gabe Starks came on and issued two walks to start his day, but struck out the next two men. Cade McGee then followed with an RBI single to right, but Pineda cut down the trailing runner at third, ending the inning. The score was now 4-2 Daytona.
The Tortugas left runners at third in both the fifth and sixth frames, but it didn’t matter. Starks left behind two on and one out for Trent Hodgdon, who got the final two outs of the inning before throwing a scoreless seventh.
Jacob Edwards came on in the eighth and allowed a pair of two-out singles in the inning, but those were his only blemishes, as he escaped that jam, then threw a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up a six-out save in his second outing as a Tortugas, nailing down a 4-2 win.
Daytona will have Monday off before staying at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium to begin a three-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday evening. First pitch will be at 6:30 p.m. with 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.
