Daytona Escapes Charlotte to Snap Skid
May 16, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release
Port Charlotte, FL - Jimmy Herget left the bases loaded in the ninth, as the Daytona Tortugas broke their five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Charlotte Stone Crabs Monday night at Charlotte Sports Park. Aristides Aquino drove in two of the three Daytona runs.
Daytona struck first with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Blake Trahan extended his career-high on-base streak to 23 games with a single, and was tripled home by Aquino. It was the third straight game with an RBI for Aquino. Two batters later, Taylor Sparks singled to center to drive in his 19th RBI of the season.
In the eighth, Aquino drove in a key insurance run, scoring Blake Butler from second on a lined single to left. Butler was originally called out, before home plate umpire Jonathan Parra realized the ball had gotten away from catcher Nick Ciuffo. It was Aquino's team-leading 20th RBI and his fifth in the last six games.
RHP Keury Mella (3-4) was sharp again, tossing six innings and allowing an earned run on a Cade Gotta single with two outs in the sixth. Mella picked up his third win of the season and now has allowed two earned runs or less in his last seven outings. Charlotte's starter RHP Benton Moss (2-3) was just as sharp, striking out a career-high 10 in six innings of work, but suffered the tough luck loss.
Herget notched his sixth save in as many chances, but it was his toughest one yet. Two straight singles led the inning off before a one-out walk loaded the bases for Charlotte in the bottom of the ninth. After an infield pop up, Thomas Milone drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a 3-2 game. With the tying run just 90 feet away, Herget got Riley Unroe to fly out to left field to end the threat and preserve the one-run win.
The Tortugas are back at it Tuesday night for the second game of the series. LHP Seth Varner (2-1, 2.49 ERA) gets the start for Daytona against RHP Greg Harris (4-2, 3.08 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM, with the Chili's pre-game show beginning at 6:20 PM on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB.
Notes: It's the third time Daytona has snapped a five-game losing streak of the season. In those games, Daytona has outscored opponents 15-11 in such games. Mella was the winning pitcher in the last two...The Tortugas are now 4-6 in one run games...The top of the order in Butler, Trahan, and Aquino combined for six hits, scored all three runs. Butler has an eight-game hitting-streak, Trahan has a 23-game on-base streak and Aquino has a six-game hitting-streak...It was Daytona's fourth series-opening win of the season, and their first overall win against a South Division opponent since April 18th (Fort Myers, 4-1).
Florida State League Stories from May 16, 2016
- Miracle Take Series Opener with 5-2 Win - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Daytona Escapes Charlotte to Snap Skid - Daytona Tortugas
- Errors Cost Evans, Cardinals - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Campos Goes 7 Scoreless as Yankees Beat Hammerheads, 3-1 - Tampa Yankees
- Threshers Come from Behind to Beat Mets 8-5 - St. Lucie Mets
- Green Perfect at Plate in 8-5 Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Miracle Clip Blue Jays, 5-2, in Dunedin - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
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