Blue Jays snare lid-lifter, 7-2; Take nightcap, 5-2, as Tortugas settle for series split
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Things did not break Daytona’s way in their first doubleheader of the season. Dunedin scored five runs in the fifth to capture the opening game, 7-2 and used back-to-back home runs in the third to snag game two,7-2, as the Blue Jays swept the doubleheader from the Tortugas in front of 1,497 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
Scoreless through three in the lid-lifter, Dunedin (17-22) took the lead in the fourth in an unusual fashion. LF Gabriel Martínez (2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB) started the frame with a single to left and advanced to second on another knock by 1B Adriel Sotolongo (1-4, RBI, SO). After a flyout advanced Martínez to third and a strikeout, RF Roque Salinas (2-4, SO) fouled off several pitches in his two-out at-bat. The Tortugas were called for a balk before the eighth pitch of the plate appearance. Martínez scored to put Dunedin up, 1-0.
In the fifth, the Blue Jays exploded. C Juan González (1-2, 2B, BB, SO) walked, 3B Francisco Fajardo (1-4, R, 2 SO) singled, and SS Adrian Pinto (0-2, R, 2 BB, SO) earned a free pass to load the bases with nobody out. After a fielder’s choice forced out the runner advancing home, a five-pitch walk to Martínez gave Dunedin a 2-0 advantage.
Still, with only one out, Sotolongo hit a pop-up in foul ground to first that was reeled in. However, a miscommunication on the basepaths and a few tosses around the infield allowed everyone to move up 90-feet. Pinto scored on a throw to second to put the Jays ahead by three. SS Estiven Machado (2-4, R, 3B, 2 RBI) tripled into the gap in right-center to bring home two more, while yet anothe balk allowed another man to score.
In all, Dunedin sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs on two hits to take a 6-0 lead.
Daytona (16-23) broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth. RF Blake Dunn (1-2, R, BB, SO) tallied a one-out walk and LF Fidel Castro (0-2, R, 2 SO) was plunked by a pitch before anothe free pass to C Daniel Vellojín (0-2, 2 BB, SO) loaded the bases. PH-DH Hayden Jones (1-2, 2 RBI, SO) delivered a two-run, seeing-eye single to left to pull the Tortugas within four, 6-2.
The Blue Jays added one last insurance run in the seventh. With the bases empty and two out, Palmegiani smashed a solo home run to left-center field. His fourth long ball of the season gave Dunedin a five-tally cushion, 7-2.
RHP Nick Frasso (4.0 IP, H, BB, 5 SO) tossed four shutout innings in his second start of the year for the Blue Jays, but took a no decision. LHP Braden Scott (2.1 IP, H, 5 SO) registered the final seven outs for Dunedin in relief, earning his first win of the season.
Despite allowing just one run on a balk, RHP Reynardo Cruz (4.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, 7 SO) suffered his first loss of the campaign for the Tortugas. The 20-year-old tied a season-high in innings pitched (4.0) and set a new high watermark on the year for strikeouts with seven.
In game two, it was Dunedin jumping out to an early lead once again.
SS Adrian Pinto (1-4, R, SO) ratled the first pitch of the game for a single, while CF Hugo Cardona (0-2, 2 BB, 2 SO) walked and RF Gabriel Martínez (2-4, R, HR, RBI) collected a knock to fill the bags. Following a strikeout, 3B Damiano Palmegiani (0-2, RBI) lofted a high pop fly into shallow left that was run down by Daytona’s shortstop. However, his momentum caused him to fall backward onto the turf, allowing Pinto to tag and score, giving the Jays an early 1-0 lead.
Daytona retaliated in the next two trips to the plate to take the lead. In the first, CF Jay Allen II (1-3, R, SO) roped a single to left and LF Jamal O’Guinn (2-3, 2B, RBI) subsequently served a ball down the right-field line. After waiting to make sure the ball would drop for a hit, Allen motored around to score from first, while O’Guinn stopped at second with a game-tying double.
An inning later, the Tortugas left the park. 2B Steven Leyton (1-3, R, HR, RBI) punched the first pitch he saw over the fence and between manual and digital scoreboards in left-center field for a solo home run. The León, Nicaragua native’s second homer of the year granted Daytona a brief 2-1 edge.
The lead did not last, as Dunedin utilized their own gopher balls. With one out in the top of the third, Martínez saucered a fly ball that just snuck out toward the netting of the batting cages in left for a solo shot. The 19-year-old’s sixth home run of the year tied the game at two.
On the very next pitch, 1B Rainer Núñez (2-4, 2 R, 3B, HR, RBI, SO) pounded a ball over the wall to the left of dead center for another solo jack. Núñez’s team-leading 10th home run of the year put the Blue Jays back in front, 3-2.
Dunedin added insurance in the fourth and fifth. DH Jommer Hernández (1-2, R, BB) reached on an error to start the fourth and scored on a double to right-center by C José Ferrer (1-3, 2B, RBI). A frame later, Núñez battered the second offering of the inning off the top of the wall in center for a three-bagger. LF Glenn Santiago (1-4, RBI) made it a 5-2 affair on a single to right.
RHP Rafael Ohashi (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO) tallied a season-high five innings of work for the Blue Jays, earning his first win of the season. RHP Geison Urbáez (2.0 IP, BB) — who joined Dunedin from Double-A New Hampshire on Saturday — recorded the final six outs for his first save.
Tortugas RHP Julian Aguiar (3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 3 SO) was unable to escape the fourth inning. The 20-year-old was saddled with his fourth defeat in 2022.
Following Monday’s league-wide off day, the Tortugas will continue their homestand at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Tuesday, May 24, with a series against the Palm Beach Cardinals, the Florida State League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be a Breast Cancer Awareness Night presented by Radiology Associates Imaging. The Tortugas will don special pink-clad uniforms that will be auctioned off at the end of the season with all proceeds to raise money and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. It is also a Silver Sluggers Night by Conviva, featuring special team store and concession stand deals for members, plus more. The series opener features Taco Tuesday with options at the concession stands starting at just $3.
Neither squad has announced a probable for Tuesday’s lid-lifter. Coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network will begin on the MiLB First Pitch app and www.daytonatortugas.com at 6:50 p.m. leading up to the 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
Season tickets, multi-game plans, group packages, and single-game tickets are currently available and can be purchased online at www.daytonatortugas.com or by calling the Tortugas’ Ticket Office at (386) 257-3172.
ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. 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.
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