Justus Served Daytona a Loss
Published on August 5, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release
TAMPA, FL - Justus Sheffield held the Daytona Tortugas (23-16, 59-49) to just two hits in a 7-1 Tampa Yankee (23-18, 65-45) win at George M. Steinbrenner Field Friday. Tampa's newly acquired starter LHP Justus Sheffield fired six dominant innings and recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in his FSL debut. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Daytona against Tampa.
Daytona, for the second consecutive game, cracked the scoreboard first when they stung back-to-back doubles in the third inning from MLB rehabber Yorman Rodriguez and Chadwick Tromp to take the 1-0 lead. It was the first at-bat for Rodriguez since July 13th, while Tromp drove in his tenth run in his last seven games.
However, that was all the Tortugas would be able to push across against Tampa pitching. The Yankees would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on RHP Keury Mella. A single, fielding error, and walk, loaded the bases with no outs. Wes Wilson tied the game with an RBI single to left before Jorge Mateo rattled a long run-scoring single to right field to push Tampa in front, 2-1. Aristides Aquino would pick up his second assist of the night on the play, cutting down Wilson in a rundown, for his 22nd assist of the year.
The two-run inning would begin a stretch of four straight scoring frames for Tampa. Zach Zeyner made it 3-1 with an RBI double to left in the sixth inning, while Tampa's new shortstop, Gleybers Torres, smashed his first home run with Tampa, to break the game open, 6-1. Tampa added one more run in the eighth for good measure on an RBI hit from Rashad Crawford to make it the final score, 7-1.
The Tortugas had a prime opportunity to climb back in the game in the seventh when they loaded the bases with nobody out, trailing 3-1. But Tampa's RHP Jordan Foley wiggled out of trouble as Daytona failed to hit the ball out of the infield to strand the bags full. Daytona was held to just two hits, while committing three errors for the seventh time this season.
Sheffield (1-0) earned his first victory with Tampa while notching a career-high 11 strikeouts in six innings of work. Mella (7-8) suffered the loss as he allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits in six innings.
Daytona looks to rebound in the second game of the series at Steinbrenner Field on Saturday. Daytona will look to LHP Seth Varner (4-7, 4.19 ERA), while Tampa counters with RHP Domingo German (0-0, 2.02 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., with coverage beginning at 5:50 p.m. on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB.
Notes: The two hits for the Tortugas were the fewest in a game this season...Daytona has left 15 men on base in their back-to-back losses and are hitting just .118 with runners in scoring position (2-for-17) in that span...Sheffield became the fourth starter to strike out double-digit Tortugas and the first to reach 11. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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