Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: at Bradenton
August 9, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
8/9 Tampa at Bradenton - Game 1 (of four) - LECOM Park (Bradenton, FL) - 6:30 p.m.
Pitching Matchup: RHP Nick Nelson (5-4, 3.57) vs. RHP Evan Piechota (0-2, 4.94).
Live Audio: TuneIn Radio (Tampa Tarpons Broadcast Network).
LAST NIGHT: The Tarpons got multi-RBI games from both Dom Thompson-Williams and Hoy Jun Park, but the Clearwater Threshers completed a four-game sweep with a 9-4 win on Wedensday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field...Tampa went 0-7 on the home stand and has now lost a season-high eight-straight games...LHP Dalton Lehnen (L, 0-3) allowed an unearned run in the 2nd before yielding five runs in the 5th (4.1IP, 3H, 6R/5ER, 3BB, 3K, 2WP, 86P/54S)...Ben Ruta (1-for-4, 2B) broke up the no-hitter bid by RHP Ramon Rosso (W, 4-1) with a leadoff double in the 5th...Tampa cut the deficit in half with three runs off Rosso in the 6th with a bases-loaded walk by Thompson-Williams and a two-out, two-run single by Park (1-for-3, BB, 2RBI)...After the Threshers added two more off RHP Kyle Zurak (2.0IP, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, 2K) in the 7th, Thompson-Williams (1-for-2, HR, BB, HBP, 2RBI, R) clubbed a solo homer off RHP Blake Quinn in the 8th...Clearwater added one more off RHP Christian Morris (1.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB, 0K) in the 9th before LHP Jonathan Hennigan closed the game with a scoreless bottom of the 9th.
RUTA'S RAKING: In his last 18 games, Ben Ruta is batting .357 (25-for-70) with 11RBI and nine runs scored. The 24-year-old also leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 33 stolen bases.
VS. BRADENTON: Tonight will be the 10th of 16 games scheduled between the Tampa Tarpons and Bradenton Marauders. Tampa leads the season-series, 7-2. The Tarpons are 3-0 in those games played at LECOM Park. In seven games against the Marauders, Diego Castillo is batting .364 (8-for-22) with 7R, 2 doubles, 8RBI, 6BB and 1SB. Ben Ruta is batting .421 (8-for-19) with 6R, 3HR, 5RBI, 2BB and 3SB in five games in the series.
DEIVI'S DOZEN: In Game 2 of Tuesday night's doubleheader, RHP Deivi Garcia tallied 12 strikeouts while retiring all 21 batters he faced over 7.0 perfect innings. The 19-year-old also logged 12 strikeouts two prior, throwing 6.0 shutout innings (2H, 0BB, 1HB, 96P/62S) for Single-A Charleston against Augusta on July 25th.
NO-HITTER HISTORY: On Tuesday, RHP Deivi Garcia (7.0IP) and RHP Christian Morris (1.0IP) combined for an eight-inning no-hitter in a 1-0 loss to the Clearwater Threshers in Game 2 of a doubleheader. It was the first time a no-hitter was thrown in a loss in the Florida State League since August 23, 1992, when RHP Scott Bakkum (Winter Haven) lost to LHP Andy Carter (Clearwater) in a double no-hitter. It was also Tampa's first no-hitter since RHP Jose Ramirez (6.0IP) and RHP Branden Pinder (1.0IP) combined for a seven-inning no-hitter vs. St. Lucie on July 12, 2012.
1,000 K CLUB: Last week, the Tarpons' pitching staff became the first to reach 1,000 strikeouts in the Florida State League. Tampa leads the league in strikeouts, totaling 1,076K entering today. That is 97K more than the team ranked second (Clearwater - 979). Tampa is averaging 9.28 K-per-game and is on pace for 1,299K, which would crush its own FSL single-season strikeout record set last season with 1,215K.
STRIKEOUTS FOR A CAUSE: The Tarpons have partnered with the American Cancer Society. Throughout the month of August, each time a strikeout is recorded by a Tampa pitcher, money will be raised for cancer research. The Tarpons are asking fans to donate $1.00 for every time a Tampa pitcher strikes out an opposing batter in the 31 games scheduled for August. To donate, fans must visit www.PledgeIt.org/TampaTarpons.
BABY BOMBERS: The Tarpons currently lead the league with 88 home runs. No other team has more than 82.
FOR STARTERS: RHP Nick Nelson (5-4, 3.57) will make his 15th start (16th appearance) with Tampa. Last time out, took the loss vs. Lakeland on 8/4 (3.0IP, 4H, 3ER, 3BB, 5K, 81P/51S)...Began the season with Single-A Charleston, going 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA (24.2IP, 18H, 10ER, 1HR, 2HB, 7BB, 35K) in five starts with the RiverDogs...did not allow a run in his final 13.0IP with Charleston.
2017: Spent the season in the Single-A Charleston rotation, making 22 starts and registering a 3-12 record and 4.56 ERA (100.2IP, 103H, 54R/51ER, 50BB, 110K, 5HR)...tied for the SAL lead in losses...after going 0-6 with a 6.34 ERA (38.1IP, 27ER) in his first nine outings, was 3-6 with a 3.47 ERA (62.1IP, 24ER) in his final 13 starts.
Personal: 22-years-old, 6-1, 195 - Panama City, Florida...Selected by the Yankees in the fourth round in 2016 out of Gulf Coast State College...Played two seasons (2015-16) at Gulf Coast State College (Fla.), where he went 13-5 with a 4.16 ERA (114.2IP, 108H, 64R/53ER, 49BB, 121K) in 22 games (21 starts)...had committed to play at the University of Florida before signing with the Yankees...graduated from Rutherford H.S. (Fla.) in 2014...was selected by the Giants in the 31st round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign...Ranked as the No. 18 Yankees prospect by MLB Pipeline.
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