Tortugas win fourth straight as Palm Beach is held to three hits
JUPITER, Fla—Kien Vu broke a scoreless tie with a sixth-inning home run and Jacob Friend collected his first career three-hit effort as the Daytona Tortugas again stymied the Palm Beach Cardinals in a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Daytona (35-26, 64-63) allowed just three hits to Palm Beach (28-33, 60-66) in their 17th win in their last 21 games. The Tortugas also moved above .500 on the season for the first time since April 20 with the victory.
After a 42-minute delay pregame, the offenses started the night in a slumber. Daytona picked up a pair of second-inning singles, plus a leadoff hit in the third, but failed to turn either of those hits into runs against Palm Beach starter Andrew Dutkanych IV.
Daytona starter Sheng-En Lin was even better, though, retiring the first eight batters he faced. He brushed off a two-out walk in the third to finish the inning with a strikeout, then threw a 1-2-3 fourth as well.
Lin threw 4.0 hitless innings for the second time this season, allowing just the one walk while striking out five, his highest total as a Tortuga.
Palm Beach mounted their first real scoring threat in the fifth after Lin gave way to Ovis Portes. A one-out single was the Cardinals’ first hit, before a two-out walk put two on for Palm Beach. However, Portes coaxed a groundout to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
In the top of the sixth, Daytona turned around and took the lead. With one out, Ichiro Cano drew a walk, then Vu stepped and blasted a 2-0 fastball 395 feet over the fence in left-center field for a two-run home run, his second homer in as many nights and fourth of the year. The Tortugas now led 2-0.
Portes returned and retired three in a row after a leadoff error in the sixth, then brushed off a one-out walk to throw a scoreless seventh frame.
In the eighth, Portes (3-2) ran into trouble as a leadoff walk was followed by back-to-back singles, with Rainiel Rodriguez’s hit scoring a run and putting the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Mike Villani entered, though, and picked up a strikeout and a 4-6-3 double play to hold the one-run edge.
In the ninth, two strikeouts opened the inning, but Drew Davies singled and Rafhlmil Torres walked. After a wild pitch moved both into scoring position, Friend struck with his third hit, a two-out, two-strike, two-run single to left, scoring both men to give Daytona a 4-1 lead.
Villani didn’t need the insurance, as the right-hander ripped through a 1-2-3 ninth with a pair of strikeouts, fanning three in a six-out save that secured a 4-1 victory.
The Tortugas will play game three of a six-game trip against the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday night. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, on the Tortugas Radio Network beginning at 6:20.
Playoff tickets for Tuesday, September 9 at 6:35 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark against the St. Lucie Mets are on sale now. They can be purchased here, by calling 386-257-3172, or visiting the Tortugas 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.
