Tortugas start second half with bounceback extra-innings win
DUNEDIN, Fla—Yerlin Confidan and Connor Burns homered and Dylan Simmons spun 3.0 outstanding innings late to lead the Daytona Tortugas to a 6-5 win in ten innings over the Dunedin Blue Jays on Friday night at TD Ballpark.
Daytona (1-0, 32-35) started the second half by avenging Thursday’s ten-inning defeat to Dunedin (0-1, 34-33), earning their third extra-inning win of the season and also evening the series at two wins each.
In the bottom of the first, Dunedin took the lead against Daytona starter Dualvert Gutierrez. Victor Arias led off the inning with a double to deep center, then moved to third on a groundout. He then scooted home on a chopper to second despite a drawn-in infield to put Dunedin ahead 1-0.
Daytona did little in the first two innings against Dunedin starter Fernando Perez. In the third, though, Johnny Ascanio was plunked with one out, then scored on the very next pitch as Confidan blasted a changeup from Perez off a building beyond the right-field wall for a two-run home run. His fifth longball of the season put Daytona in front 2-1.
The lead was short-lived, though, as Dunedin immediately responded. Two singles began the inning, then Cristian Feliz tied the game with a one-out RBI single. Manuel Beltre followed with a sacrifice fly to left, pushing the Blue Jays in front 3-2.
Ben Brutti then entered in the fourth and wobbled out of the gate, allowing a leadoff walk, plunking two batters, throwing a wild pitch, and ultimately, an RBI single Arias to put Dunedin up 4-2, but nothing more in the fourth.
Perez settled in with the lead, striking out two in a scoreless fourth before kicking things into a higher gear in the fifth. One night after Daytona’s Adam Serwinowski spun an immaculate inning, Perez fired one of his own, striking out Trey Faltine, Ascanio, and Confidan on three pitches apiece in the inning.
In the sixth, though, Daytona got to Perez once more. Ricardo Cabrera reached on an error to begin the inning and Sammy Stafura walked. With one out, Burns stepped in and blasted a 1-1 offering from Perez over the left-field fence for a three-run homer. Burns’ fourth blast of the season put the Tortugas back in front, 5-4.
Brutti settled in after the fourth, throwing 1-2-3 fifth and sixth innings. He allowed a two-out single in the seventh, but struck out three batters in the inning as he put up another scoreless frame.
He then returned for the eighth, but allowed a leadoff hit to Beltre. Tucker Toman followed with a ground ball to third that Faltine made a diving stop on, but threw wildly to second, allowing Beltre to come all the way home and Toman to reach third.
With the game now 5-5, Simmons came on and promptly got out of the jam, utilizing two strikeouts and a fielder’s choice for an out at the plate to keep the game tied. The right-hander then spun a 1-2-3 ninth with two more strikeouts to send the game to extra innings once more.
In the tenth, Daytona opened with a strikeout against JJ Sanchez before a groundout from Burns moved automatic runner Stafura to third. With two outs and two strikes, Sanchez balked, allowing Stafura to score the go-ahead run.
Simmons (5-2) came out for his third inning of work in the tenth and was again on his game. After starting the inning with a strikeout, he induced two straight groundouts to end the game, securing a 6-5, ten-inning triumph.
Daytona will be back in action Friday evening as they will face Dunedin in game five of the series at 6:30 p.m. at TD Ballpark. RHP Nick Payero (0-1, 4.91) will get the ball for Daytona against RHP Nolan Perry (0-1, 1.33) for Dunedin. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 6:15 p.m.
