Comeback Bid Falls Short in Saturday Matinee
June 23, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Florida Fire Frogs News Release
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Florida Fire Frogs' effort for a come-from-behind victory fell short in a 5-4 defeat to the Daytona Tortugas Saturday afternoon at Osceola County Stadium. The Fire Frogs dropped to 2-8 against the Tortugas during the 2018 season with the loss.
Florida (1-2, 30-39) opened the scoring for the third consecutive game, using a solo blast to center off the bat of Brett Cumberland (1x4, R, HR, RBI, BB) for the backstop's eighth long ball of the season.
Jeremy Walker (2-7) took the one-run advantage into the third inning before a two-out rally from Daytona (2-1, 29-30). With Hector Vargas on first and two outs, Taylor Trammel doubled to the wall in left to knot the game at a run apiece.
The Tortugas jumped ahead in the fourth with another two-out rally, using an RBI single from Many Ventura to push across Bruce Yari to put the home team behind by a run.
The Fire Frogs took advantage of a couple of defensive miscues in the fifth to tied the game at two. Ray-Patrick Didder (3x3, 2 R, 3B, RBI) singled up the middle to start the frame, and stole second during Jordan Rodgers' (2x4, RBI) at-bat. The throw to second from Morgan Lofstrom sailed into center, allowing Didder to reach third on the play.
Rodgers bounced a grounder back to the mound, but Scott Moss' (7-2) throw to third was too low for Brantley Bell to glove, and caromed into the left-field bullpen, allowing Didder to score.
Daytona countered with a three-run sixth to pull back out in front against Walker. After Stuart Fairchild went down on strikes for the first out, Yari reached on an errant throw which sailed into the dugout from Rodgers at second. Daniel Sweet followed with an RBI double to left put Florida behind, 3-2.
Walker struck out Bell on a curveball, but the pitch got away from Cumberland behind the plate, allowing the batter to reach safely. The right-handed starter struck out Ventura looking for the second out, but surrendered a two-run double to Lofstrom to cap off the frame.
The product of Gardner-Webb finished the day with five runs allowed, but only two were earned in the quality start. The 6-foot-5 hurler gave up eight hits, walked a man, and finished with six punchouts in the losing effort.
Didder and Rodgers pulled the Fire Frogs within a run with run-scoring hits in the eighth inning, but Joel Kuhnel (SV, 10) slammed the door in the ninth to had Florida its second loss of the second half.
Didder finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, and scored twice. The native of Aruba has scored four runs over the last two games of the series.
The Fire Frogs will go for the series split in the finale of the four-game set at Osceola County Stadium on Sunday morning. LHP Tucker Davidson (4-5, 4.68) makes his third start of the year against Daytona, while RHP Tommy Bergjans (0-0, 3.86) tosses his first game against Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., with coverage starting at 10:45 a.m. with the Florida Fire Frogs Pre-game Show on the Florida Fire Frogs Broadcasting Network.
Florida State League Stories from June 23, 2018
- Lakeland Sweeps Doubleheader vs. Mets - St. Lucie Mets
- Stone Crabs' Three-Run Tenth Clips Cards 4-1 - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Lartigue Caps Comeback in Walk-Off Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Miracle Erase Early Deficit In 8-3 Win - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Threshers Neon Cap Giveaway on July 6 - Clearwater Threshers
- The Threshers Dog Days of Summer Sundays - Clearwater Threshers
- Tortugas Double Their Way to 5-4 Win - Daytona Tortugas
- Comeback Bid Falls Short in Saturday Matinee - Florida Fire Frogs
- Whitlock Dazzles as Tampa Blanks Jupiter, 5-0 - Tampa Tarpons
- Listi, Threshers Help Lift North in 5-0 Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Florida Fire Frogs Game Notes: June 23, 2018 - Florida Fire Frogs
- Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Jupiter - Tampa Tarpons
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