Cardinals Clip Tortugas on Ninth-Inning Homer Once More

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Cardinals Clip Tortugas on Ninth-Inning Homer Once More

June 26, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla - Ryan McCrystal stroked two RBI hits, but the Palm Beach Cardinals broke a ninth-inning tie with a home run for the second night in a row, defeating the Daytona Tortugas 6-5 on Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Palm Beach (2-4, 34-37) belted eight extra-base hits including a pair of home runs, while Daytona (3-3, 32-40) gave up the tying or go-ahead run in the ninth for the eighth time this season.

After a scoreless first, Palm Beach took the lead in the top of the second. Cade McGee led off with a solo homer, then Jose Suarez doubled. Three batters later, Johnfrank Salazar swatted a two-out double to score Suarez to put the Cardinals ahead 2-0.

In the bottom of the inning, though, Daytona answered. With one out, Drew Davies and Peyton Holt walked to set the table. With two outs, Malvin Valdez rifled an RBI single to score Davies, then McCrystal rolled a single through the left side to plate Holt, tying the game at two apiece.

Drew Pestka came out of the bullpen to begin the third for Daytona and successfully kept the Cardinals at bay. He worked around a leadoff hit in the third and out of a two-on, one-out jam with an inning-ending double play in the fourth. After a leadoff walk, he retired the next three to end the fifth, finishing a career-high 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

In the bottom of the fifth, Daytona pulled in front. Valdez led off with his second single, then McCrystal pulled a double to right, scoring Valdez all the way from first with his second RBI hit. Two batters later, Sammy Stafura singled to right-center, scoring McCrystal to stretch the lead to 4-2.

Mike Villani was next out of the bullpen for the Tortugas in the sixth, and he surrendered a leadoff walk, followed two batters later by a Yordalin Pena triple to cut the lead in half. However, Pena was cut down at home on a groundout one batter later, keeping the Tortugas ahead by a run.

Daytona then got the right run back as Bernard Moon drew a leadoff walk, then went to second on Holt's one-out single. Myles Smith then doubled to deep-center to score Moon, but the ball bounced over the wall, forcing Holt to stop at third. A groundout and flyout followed, and the Tortugas couldn't extend their 5-3 lead.

Villani then struck out two in a scoreless seventh and the Tortugas again went to work, with two leadoff walks and a groundout putting runners at second and third with one out. However, once again the Tortugas couldn't push across either runner and the lead stayed at two runs.

In the eighth, Palm Beach pulled even. A leadoff double came around to score one batter later on an error, then Pena followed with his second triple of the night. Sammy Hernandez then doubled to right, scoring Pena to knot the score at 5-5.

One inning later, the Cardinals dealt the deciding blow. With one out, Anyelo Encarnacion drilled a bullet over the left field wall for a solo homer to break the tie, putting the Cardinals ahead 6-5, which proved to be the final, as Daytona went down in order to end the game.

Daytona will play game four of a six-game series with the Palm Beach Cardinals at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Friday night. Tomorrow will be a Feel Good Friday and Faith and Family Night. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin on the Tortugas Radio Network at 6:25 p.m.

Tickets for every Tortugas home game are available on our website, by calling 386-257-3172, or by visiting the Jackie Robinson Ballpark box office at 110 E. Orange Avenue.

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