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FSL1 Daytona Tortugas

Pigott Provides Winning RBI in Home Debut

July 24, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Seth Varner
Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Seth Varner
(Daytona Tortugas, Credit: Aldrin Capulong)

Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Tortugas (16-11, 53-44) pushed their winning streak to five games, edging out the Charlotte Stone Crabs (11-17, 56-42) 3-2 in front of 3,558 fans on Thursday night at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

LHP Seth Varner (W, 1-2) continued an encouraging trend for Daytona starting pitchers, allowing just one earned run in 5.2 innings on four hits and no walks while collecting five strikeouts. Including Varner, Daytona's last four starters have combined to allow just one earned run in their last 25 innings.

Much like Wednesday's win, Daytona plated three runs in the first three innings on Thursday. 3B Taylor Sparks took Hunter Wood (L, 1-1) deep with a line drive over the left field fence to start the scoring, and the Tortugas plated a pair in the third inning.

DH Brian O'Grady and 2B Wendell Soto started the rally with a pair of bunt singles. A wild pitch put runners on the corners, and SS Carlton Daal gave Daytona a 2-0 lead with an RBI fielder's choice to second base. Daal quickly stole second, and eventually scored on a two-out RBI single from Daytona native 1B Daniel Pigott.

Pigott, who played at Seabreeze High School and the University of Florida, received a rousing ovation in his Jackie Robinson Ballpark debut after drilling a line drive over the shortstop's head to give the Tortugas a 3-0 cushion. It proved to be the game-winning RBI, as Charlotte rallied in the middle innings.

Varner retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced, allowing just a single and a hit batter until Braxton Lee reached on a bunt single with two outs in the fifth. Lee moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a line drive base hit from Yoel Araujo, getting Charlotte on the board, 3-1.

Varner struck out Andrew Velazquez to start the sixth, but an error at first base and a double from Mike Marjama put two runners in scoring position with one out. Granden Goetzman made it a 3-2 game with an RBI groundout, and Jace Conrad drew a hit by pitch to chase Varner from the game. RHP Scott Brattvet (H, 3) induced a groundout from Pat Blair to strand the bases loaded and preserve the lead.

The seventh inning was an adventurous but effective one for the Tortugas bullpen. Brattvet, LHP Nolan Becker (H, 3), and RHP Carlos Gonzalez (H, 2) each recorded one out, with Gonzalez getting Marjama to fly out to center and strand the bases loaded. A pair of walks and a single had put three men on.

From there, Daytona cruised. Gonzalez put together a perfect eighth, and RHP Alejandro Chacin (S, 2), back off the Disabled List for his appearance since June 28, struck out the side in the ninth inning.

The two teams will travel to Port Charlotte and wrap up the series with a pair of games at Charlotte Sports Park, starting on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET. RHP Jackson Stephens (8-5, 3.16) is scheduled to make his 19th start of the season. Fans can listen to the action on The Great Voice of Volusia County, starting with the D.B. Pickles Pregame show on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB.

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Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Seth Varner
Daytona Tortugas Pitcher Seth Varner
(Aldrin Capulong)		   



Florida State League Stories from July 24, 2015


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