Daytona held to just three hits in first game of series in St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla—The Daytona Tortugas couldn’t overcome a pair of St. Lucie Mets homers and were held to just three hits as St. Lucie claimed the series opener 4-2 on Tuesday night at Clover Park.
St. Lucie (7-3, 41-34) stymied the Daytona (6-4, 35-41) offense, who after averaging nearly seven runs per game in June, had only one baserunner in the final six innings. The Tortugas have now lost all eight series openers on the road this season.
Daytona threatened in the top of the first inning as two walks and a hit batter against Ernesto Mercedes loaded the bases with two outs. However, the Mets right-hander induced a flyout to shallow left to end the inning.
Daytona starter Edgar Colon threw a 1-2-3 first, but ran into trouble in the second. With one out, a walk was followed by a single, putting runners on the corners. Nick Rosselli then laid down a bunt single that brought in a run. Simon Juan followed with another infield hit to score a second run. However, a line drive double play ended the inning to prevent St. Lucie’s lead from growing past 2-0.
In the third, Daytona bounced back against reliever Josh Blum. Jacob Friend drew a leadoff walk, then went to third on an Alfredo Duno doubled. After a strikeout, Sammy Stafura drove in Friend with an RBI single. Myles Smith then grounded out to bring in Duno, tying the game at two apiece.
St. Lucie, though, pulled right back in front. Leading off the bottom of the third, St. Lucie’s Trey Snyder ripped Colon’s first pitch off the left-field foul pole for a solo home run, putting the Mets back in front 3-2.
Colon settled down to finish the third and then throw a scoreless fourth as he finished 4.0 frames for the third time this season.
Daytona, though, struggled to rally against new St. Lucie pitcher Frank Elissalt, who entered for the fourth. The right-hander struck out the first five batters he faced. He retired the first eight men he faced before Esmith Pineda doubled with two outs in the sixth, but did not score.
The Mets then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, when Trace Wilhoite jumped on a 1-1 pitch from Beau Blanchard and lined it over the left-field fence, upping the St. Lucie lead to 4-2.
The home run was Blanchard’s only run allowed in 3.0 innings out of the bullpen, while Trent Hodgdon followed with a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts.
However, the Tortugas could not solved the St. Lucie bullpen. Elissalt retired his last seven batters, throwing 5.0 scoreless innings of one-hit relief. He then handed the ball to Juan Arnaud to start the ninth, who set the Tortugas down in order to close out St. Lucie’s 4-2 win.
Daytona will play the second of three games against the St. Lucie Mets at Clover Park on Wednesday night. First pitch will be at 6:10 p.m., while pregame coverage with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on the Tortugas Radio Network at 6:00 p.m.
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.
