FSL1 Daytona Tortugas

Daytona kicks off road trip with 8-4 win

Published on May 27, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


Bradenton, FL - The Tortugas (27-18) offense erupted for a decisive six-run sixth inning on Tuesday night at McKechnie Field as part of an 8-4 win over the Bradenton Marauders (22-23).

Jayson Aquino (L, 2-4) began the back-and-forth game by striking out Daytona's first three hitters. Conversely for the Marauders, they gave RHP Sal Romano a bit to handle in their half of the first. Austin Meadows began with a single and then stole second base. JaCoby Jones then singled to center field to put runners on the corners. Barrett Barnes then hit a run-scoring 6-4-3 double play that brought home Meadows from third.

The Tortugas would respond quickly when 1B Chad Wallach worked a walk to begin the top of the second inning. He reached second base moments later on an Aquino balk. Taylor Sparks singled to move Wallach along to third. The next batter, C Joe Hudson grabbed his 14th RBI of the year with a game-tying double to left center. To keep things going, 2B Carlton Daal hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored 3B Taylor Sparks. Quickly, the 'Tugas had themselves a 2-1 lead.

In the third inning, the Marauders would retake the edge with two runs of their own. Jin-De Jhang led off the inning with a double to right field and advanced to third on a groundout from Wyatt Mathisen. Jhang was able to score on another groundout, this one from Meadows. With the bases empty, Jones singled and Barnes doubled him home, putting Bradenton back on top, 3-2.

Romano exited the game after three innings. In the three frames, he allowed six hits and three runs. He did not strike out or walk a batter. LHP Joel Bender (W, 3-1) took over for Romano in the 4th inning.

The Marauders lead would not last long as the Tortugas were able to plate a whopping six runs in the sixth inning, stringing together seven singles to break the game open.

CF Junior Arias and SS Alex Blandino both singled to begin the inning. Then DH Sebastian Elizalde singled as well and scored both baserunners to put Daytona in front, 4-3. Wallach and Sparks both singled to load up the bases.

That would do it for Aquino and he'd give way to Felipe Gonzalez. Facing his first batter, Hudson, Gonzalez threw a wild pitch that allowed Elizalde to score from third. Hudson popped out but the next man up, Daal, was hit by a pitch to reload the bases.

RF Jon Matthews then grounded a single to right field that scored both Wallach and Sparks. LF Phillip Ervin capped off the rally with an RBI single that plated Daal. Gonzalez was finally able to retire Arias and Blandino for the final two outs but the Tortugas had an 8-3 lead when the dust cleared.

Bender pitched 3.2 innings in relief and let up just three hits. He also struck out four. RHP Evan Mitchell replaced Bender for the seventh inning and gave up just one run in the eighth. Erich Weiss singled off Mitchell and advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder's choice put in play by Reese McGuire. That made it 8-4.

LHP Nolan Becker came out for the ninth inning and recorded two strikeouts but loaded the bases on two walks and a single. RHP El'Hajj Muhammad (S, 2) was called upon to get the final out, and he induced a game-ending line out to second base.

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Florida State League Stories from May 27, 2015


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