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Daytona Tortugas

Sparks' 5 RBIs Power Tortugas to 8-0 Win

August 11, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


Dunedin, FL - The Daytona Tortugas (27-16, 64-49) came back with a vengeance one night after a narrow 3-2 loss, pounding the Dunedin Blue Jays (19-25, 51-63) in an 8-0 shutout on Tuesday night at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. 3B Taylor Sparks led the way with a career high five RBIs.

The Tortugas jumped on FSL debutante Conor Fisk (L, 0-1) early. LF Phillip Ervin drew a leadoff walk, and eventually made it to third base with a pair of two-out steals. C Chad Wallach coaxed another base on balls, which brought up Sparks with runners on the corners. He had entered the game with one hit in the month of August, but broke the slump with a two-run wall-ball double to right field, giving Daytona a 2-0 lead. Sparks was far from done.

The Tortugas broke the game open with a four spot in the fifth inning, jumpstarted by a pair of singles from Ervin and RF Jeff Gelalich. DH Sebastian Elizalde hit a sac fly to center, C Chad Wallach hit an RBI single to left, and Sparks drilled a two-run homer to left center to put Daytona in front, 6-0. The long ball - a low liner of the scoreboard - was Sparks' 10th of the season.

Daytona added a pair of runs in the eighth inning for good measure, with RBI singles from Sparks and 2B Wendell Soto.

The offensive outburst nearly overshadowed a sensational night of pitching. RHP Nick Travieso (W, 4-5) returned to his first half form in his second start since returning from the disabled list. The 21-year-old from Pembroke Pines, FL held the D-Jays hitless with two walks and four strikeouts in five frames. Working on a limited pitch count, Travieso seemed to gain momentum as his start progressed, striking out four of the last five batters he faced.

LHP Seth Varner (H, 1) didn't miss a beat out of the bullpen. He retired the first six batters he faced with a pair of strikeouts before Mitch Nay broke up Daytona's no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh. Varner finished after three innings and limited Dunedin to three hits and no walks while striking out three batters.

RHP Evan Mitchell worked around a one-out walk in a hitless ninth.

A night after going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, the Tortugas had four hits in nine of those trips on Tuesday, and knocked in six of their eight runs with two outs. Dunedin went 0-for-10 with men in scoring position.

Sparks, Gelalich and Wallach produced multi-hit games, and each scored at least two runs apiece. Wallach doubled in the eighth inning, and now ranks eighth in the Florida State League with 22 two-baggers despite having played in at least 20 fewer games than the top seven doubles hitters in the league.

The Tortugas now hold a 12-5 record against the Blue Jays this year, and will look for the series win on Wednesday night at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. RHP Jackson Stephens (11-5, 3.62 ERA) will face RHP Sean Reid-Foley (1-4, 4.66 ERA) before the Tortugas return to Daytona for a three-game homestand against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Fans can listen to the action on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB, starting with the D.B. Pickles Pregame Show at 6:20 p.m. ET.

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