Doubleheader Game Notes: Tampa Tarpons (14-5) at Dunedin Blue Jays (6-13)
May 26, 2021 - Florida State League (FSL)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
TAMPA TARPONS (14-5) at DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS (6-13)
G1: RHP Beck Way (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Jol Concepcion (1-1, 6.23) | G2: RHP Blane Abeyta (2-1, 8.22) vs. RHP Nick Frasso (0-0, 0.00)
Wednesday - George M. Steinbrenner Field - Tampa, FL - 4:00 p.m.
Games #20/21 - Away Games #8/9 - Radio: N/A - Phone App: MiLB First Pitch
LAST TIME OUT: The game began with a pitchers' duel and ended with controversy as the Tampa Tarpons struck late to take the series-opener, 3-2, over the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday night at GMS Field...RHP Matt Sauer logged his first quality start of the season, holding the D-Jays to 2ER over 6.0IP (6H, 0BB, 4K, 64P/44S)...Jake Sanford (2-for-3, BB, RBI, R) tied the game with an RBI single in the 6th before Dunedin took a 2-1 lead in the home-half...Chad Bell (2-for-4, 3B, 2RBI) gave Tampa the lead in the 8th with a 2-run triple* (ball was hit off the batter's eye in centerfield, bounced back onto the field of play and was NOT ruled a HR)...Trevor Hauver (2-for-4, R) also had a multi-hit game...RHP Wellington Diaz (W, 2-0) tossed a perfect 1.0IP (1K) in the 7th...RHP Carson Coleman (SV, 1) logged a scoreless 2.0IP (1H, 2BB, 1K).
NEW KID IN TOWN: On Tuesday, INF Josh Smith was activated off the High-A Hudson Valley 7-Day Injured List and transferred to Tampa to make his 2021 debut. Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in the Yankees system, Smith started and played seven innings at shortstop on Tuesday, going 1-for-2 (BB, HBP, SB).
VS. DUNEDIN: Tonight, the Tarpons will continue a six-game "away" series against the Dunedin Blue Jays. Due to TD Ballpark being occupied by the Toronto Blue Jays through May 31st, the scheduled "away" series will be played entirely at GMS Field (w/ the Blue Jays playing as the "home" team). Tampa currently leads the season-series, 6-1. The teams are scheduled to square off a total of 24 times throughout the season.
SCORING LEADERS: Tampa enters today with an MiLB-best 169 runs scored (8.89/G), which is 21 more than next on the list: Low-A Delmarva (148 runs). No other team in the Southeast League has scored more than 116 runs (St. Lucie). Tampa's offense is scoring (on average) more than eight runs-per-game. Anthony Volpe (20R) currently leads the league in runs scored, with Trevor Hauver (19R) ranking 2nd, Andres Chaparro (18R) tied for 3rd, Elijah Dunham (17R) ranking 5th, Pat DeMarco (16R) and Austin Wells (16R) tied for 6th, and Chad Bell (13R) ranking 13th.
LEAGUE LEADERS: The Tarpons enter today leading the Southeast League in several categories, including runs (169), hits (179), RBI (160), doubles (450), home runs (21), walks (126), AVG (.264), OBP and SLG (.451). The Tarpons have six players ranked among the top-seven RBI leaders in the league, including: Pat DeMarco (T-1st, 21RBI), Trevor Hauver (3rd, 20RBI), Austin Wells (4th, 18RBI), Andres Chaparro (T-5th, 17RBI), Anthony Volpe (T-5th, 17RBI) and Elijah Dunham (7th, 15RBI).
GOING STREAKING: Chad Bell continued to extend his on-base streak on Tuesday by going 2-for-4. Bell has reached base in all 17 games in which he's played this season. Meanwhile, RHP Nelvin Correa logged a scoreless 3.0IP on Thursday night, extending his scoreless innings streak to 12.2IP to begin his season.
MiLB REALIGNMENT: Among the many changes to Minor League Baseball over the offseason, the Florida State League has been renamed the Low-A Southeast League. The league will now consist of 10 teams acting as the Low-A Affiliates (as opposed to High-A) of their respective parent clubs. Bradenton (PIT), Clearwater (PHI), Dunedin (TOR), Fort Myers (MINN), Lakeland (DET) and Tampa (NYY) will compete in the West Division, while Daytona (CIN), Jupiter (MIA), Palm Beach (STL) and St. Lucie (NYM) play in the East Division.
1ST ROUND PICKS HIGHLIGHT OPENING DAY ROSTER: Among the players listed on the opening day roster for Low-A Tampa are catcher Austin Wells and shortstop Anthony Volpe. Wells was drafted in the first round (28th overall) by the Yankees in the 2020 draft and is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in the Yankees organization. In 2019, Volpe was selected in the first round (30th overall) by the Yankees, and enters 2021 ranked by Baseball America at No. 17 among Yankees prospects.
Florida State League Stories from May 26, 2021
- Jupiter Walks-Off Clearwater in Extra Innings - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Jupiter Wins the First Game against Clearwater - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Mets Earn 4-3 Walk-Off Win vs. Tortugas - St. Lucie Mets
- Back-To-Back Blasts Not Enough for Daytona in 4-3 Defeat - Daytona Tortugas
- Doubleheader Game Notes: Tampa Tarpons (14-5) at Dunedin Blue Jays (6-13) - Tampa Tarpons
- Tortugas to Open to Full Capacity on Tuesday, June 1 - Daytona Tortugas
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