St. Lucie catcher drives in five; Four ‘Tugas collect multi-hit games in defeat
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Despite driving in only five runs over his first 13 games in 2022, St. Lucie’s C Drake Osborn was an RBI machine against Daytona on Saturday night. The Mets’ backstop drove in a career-high five runs, as St. Lucie quelled the Tortugas’ comeback bid, despite a team season-high 11 hits, 6-3, at Clover Park.
Scoreless in the second, St. Lucie (13-7) ignited a two-out rally. 1B Raul Beracierta (3-4, 2 R) reached on an infield single and DH Omar De Los Santos (2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB) kept the frame alive by coaxing a walk. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Osborn (3-4, R, HR, 5 RBI) launched a drive that landed just in front of the scoreboard in left-center field. The 2021 19th-round pick’s second home run of the season put the Mets ahead 3-0.
In the sixth, it was another two-out rally that suppressed Daytona (9-11). Beracierta clocked a single to center and advanced to third on another hit by De Los Santos. The latter would swipe second before both runners scored on another knock by Osborn. The two-run single by the Mets catcher put the home club in front, 5-0.
The Tortugas started chipping away in their half of the seventh. DH Hayden Jones (2-4, R) singled and scooted into scoring position on a ground out. C Wilfred Astudillo (1-3, RBI) punched a single into right to score Jones and break up the shutout.
SS Shervyen Newton (1-4, R, HR, RBI) quickly reclaimed the five-run advantage for St. Lucie. The switch-hitting shortstop scalded a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left-center for a solo blast. Newton’s second home run of the year and the series stretched the Mets advantage to 6-1.
Daytona continued to attack in the eighth, as CF Jay Allen II (2-4, R, 2B, BB) walked to begin the fray. With one out, 3B Michel Triana (2-5, R) singled Allen to third, but the throw from right field sailed high and off towards St. Lucie’s bullpen up the third-base line. The 19-year-old scored, making it 6-2, as Triana took second.
1B Ruben Ibarra (1-4) singled the Cuban-born infielder to third and LF Jamal O’Guinn (2-4, RBI) promptly scored the runner on a line-drive single into left for his first career RBI.
Down 6-3 in the ninth, the Tortugas tried to sprinkle some last-minute magic on the contest. Allen kept the night going with a two-out single through the middle and RF Gus Steiger (1-5, SO) followed with a knock of his own into right.
Triana did his best to deliver a game-tying shot, but his towering fly ball to right landed in the outfielder’s mitt on the grass before the right-field warning track for the game’s final out.
RHP Carson Seymour (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 SO) continued to keep opponents at bay for the Mets. The 2021 sixth-round pick worked a career-high six scoreless innings — and has still not yielded a run this season — en route to his second win of the year.
Tortugas RHP Javi Rivera (4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 3 SO) fared well in his second professional start. However, the three-run homer allowed in the second saddled him with his first career defeat.
RHP Nathan Jones (1.1 IP, 2 H, SO) recorded the game’s final four outs in relief for St. Lucie to earn his first save of the season and his career.
The Tortugas will look to end the road trip on a positive note on Sunday. RHP José Franco (0-0, 4.70) is anticipated to make his third start of the year and second appearance of the series for Daytona. The Mets are scheduled to counter with RHP Dominic Hamel (0-1, 4.66). Coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network will begin on the MiLB First Pitch app and www.daytonatortugas.com at 11:55 a.m. leading up to the 12:10 p.m. first pitch from Clover Park.
After the six-game road swing, the Tortugas will return to Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Tuesday, May 3, to open up a series against the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Florida State League affiliate of the Miami Marlins. 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 Labcorp, featuring special team store, concession stand deals for members, and more. The series opener features Taco Tuesday with options at the concession stands starting at just $3.
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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