NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



 Daytona Tortugas

Another Late Comeback Dooms Daytona

July 7, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Nick Routt
Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Nick Routt
(Daytona Tortugas, Credit: Aldrin Capulong)

Tampa, FL - The Tampa Yankees (6-5, 40-41) overcame another late deficit to knock off the Daytona Tortugas (5-6, 42-39) and complete a three-game sweep with a 7-6 win on Monday night at Steinbrenner Field. The Tortugas entered the series with five wins in their last six games, but fell to 14-27 on the road in 2015.

Daytona scored all six of its runs in the fourth inning, and held a 6-3 lead entering the seventh. That's when Tampa broke through against the Tortugas bullpen, and scratched across a run to draw within two. Dante Bichette, Jr. started the rally with a one out double, and scored two batters later on a fielding error by SS Carlton Daal.

Trailing 6-4 in the eighth, the Yankees put together a back-breaking three-run inning. LHP Nolan Becker (L, 3-2) got ahead 0-2 on Abiatal Avelino, but eventually surrendered a walk and two singles, including an RBI from Mike Ford, to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Clinging to a 6-5 lead, manager Eli Marrero called in RHP Carlos Gonzalez (BS, 1), who walked Bichette to load the bases and walked Ericson Leonora to force in the game-tying run.

With the bases still jammed, Gonzalez popped up Kyle Higashioka for the first out. Jake Skole hit next against a drawn-in infield. He bounced a grounder to 2B Ronald Bueno, who looked to second base in hopes of starting an inning-ending double play. Daal was not covering the bag, expecting a throw home to force out the go-ahead run. Instead, Bueno rushed to step on second base, but quickly realized no other outs could be recorded. Tyler Wade scored from third to give Tampa a 7-6 lead.

Chris Smith (W, 2-1), who had pitched a perfect eighth, tossed a perfect ninth to close out the series. Yankees starter Rookie Davis allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Smith and Eric Wooten then combined to hold the Tortugas to one hit and one walk over the final 5.1 frames.

Trailing 3-0 early, Daytona took advantage of four singles, an error, a walk and a sacrifice fly to plate six runs in the fourth. 1B Chad Wallach returned from the Disabled List for his first game since Jun 28, and started the rally with a line drive single to left field. Wallach moved to second on a fielding error by Abiatal Avelino, and C Joe Hudson drew a walk to load the bases with one out.

RF Jeff Gelalich then lined a single to right, scoring Wallach from third. Daal followed with a looper to right, plating LF Brian O'Grady, who had reached on the error. Bueno then collected his first Advanced-A hit, a line drive single to left center. Hudson came in from third, Gelalich raced home from second, and Daal followed them from first as Jake Skole misfired on his throw back into the infield. The bases-clearing hit gave Daytona a 5-3 lead, and Bueno wound up on third base after the throwing error. CF Phillip Ervin promptly drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center, and the Tortugas had a 6-3 edge.

RHP Nick Routt worked around nine hits (including five infield singles) and held the Yankees to a pair of earned runs with no walks and four strikeouts in five innings. He left in line for the win, and got some help from RHP Nick Howard (H, 1), who threw a hitless sixth with a couple of strikeouts. RHP Joe Mantoni (H, 2) and RHP Evan Mitchell (H, 5) combined to allow an unearned run in the seventh.

The Tortugas will return to Daytona for a seven-game homestand, starting on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Dunedin Blue Jays, who just completed a 21-inning game against the Flying Tigers in Lakeland (the Flying Tigers won, 2-1, on a walk-off homer from Domonic Ficociello).

RHP Jackson Stephens is scheduled to get the start against Jeff Hoffman, the Toronto Blue Jays first-round pick in 2014. Fans can listen to the action on The Great Voice of Volusia County, AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB, starting with the D.B. Pickles Pregame Show at 6:50 p.m. ET.





Images from this story

Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Nick Routt
Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Nick Routt

(Aldrin Capulong)
  

• Discuss this story on the Florida State League message board...

Florida State League Stories from July 7, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central