Amir Garrett Dominates Again in 5-2 Victory

July 23, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release

Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Tortugas (15-11, 52-44) held off the Charlotte Stone Crabs (11-16, 56-41) on Wednesday night at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, kicking off the four-game series with 5-2 win to increase their winning streak to four games. Daytona improved to 33-15 at The Jack this season.

Once again, the Tortugas were led by stellar starting pitching. LHP Amir Garrett (W, 6-6) put together another signature performance. In seven shutout innings, he held the Stone Crabs to six singles with two walks and seven strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 2.69.

Over their last four combined starts, RHP Jackson Stephens, LHP Nick Routt, RHP Sal Romano and Garrett have combined to throw 24.1 innings with three walks, 24 strikeouts, and no earned runs allowed.

Daytona scored all five of its runs with two outs. In the first inning, LF Phillip Ervin singled to center and moved up to first on a balk. Two batters later, 1B Chad Wallach sliced an RBI double to right center, and Daytona had a 1-0 lead. 3B Taylor Sparks then followed with a seeing-eye grounder through the middle to plate Wallach and give the Tortugas a 2-0 advantage.

With the bases empty and two gone in the third inning, DH Sebastian Elizalde, Wallach and Sparks strung together three straight singles to plate a third run. Leading 3-0 in the eighth inning, a pair of unearned runs pushed Daytona even further ahead. After a leadoff single, Elizalde reached third with two away for CF Junior Arias. Arias sent a routine fly ball to left, which Jace Conrad promptly dropped. Elizalde scored, and RF Brian O'Grady tacked on another run with an RBI single down the right field line. Daytona had extended the lead to 5-0, which proved vital in the ninth inning.

RHP Evan Mitchell (H, 6) had worked around a pair of singles to get through a scoreless eighth, but RHP El'Hajj Muhammad struggled in the final frame. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out, and was removed in favor of LHP Nolan Becker (S, 3) with the bases loaded and nobody out. Becker induced a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Jace Conrad, and got Andrew Velazquez to bounce out to shortstop to seal the win.

SS Carlton Daal produced a two-hit night to boost his average to .268. The Tortugas went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday, and held the Stone Crabs to 0-for-7 in those situations.

Stone Crabs starter German Marquez (L, 4-10) allowed three runs on seven hits in first three innings, but retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced to keep Charlotte close.

LHP Seth Varner (0-2, 5.32 ERA) is scheduled to start Game 2 on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. 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.

Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Amir Garrett (Aldrin Capulong)

Florida State League Stories from July 23, 2015

• T-Yanks Fall to Miracle, 7-4 - Tampa Yankees
• Cozens Clubs Three Hits in 10-Inning Loss - Clearwater Threshers
• Garver and Kanzler Boost Miracle to 7-4 Victory in Tampa - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
• Tortugas Take First Two - Charlotte Stone Crabs
• Marauders Inch within Game of First by Doubling Dunedin - Bradenton Marauders
• Mets and Manatees Rained out Again - St. Lucie Mets
• Amir Garrett Dominates Again in 5-2 Victory - Daytona Tortugas

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