FSL1 Tampa Tarpons

Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: at Bradenton

Published on August 10, 2018 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release


8/10 Tampa at Bradenton - Game 2 (of four) - LECOM Park (Bradenton, FL) - 6:30 p.m.

Pitching Matchup: RHP Nick Green (6-5, 3.15) vs. LHP Domingo Robles (0-0, -.--).

Live Audio: TuneIn Radio (Tampa Tarpons Broadcast Network).

LAST NIGHT: The Tarpons snapped a season-long eight-game losing streak by defeating the Marauders, 5-3, in the series-opener at LECOM Park...Tampa pitchers tied a season-high with 16 strikeouts...Ben Ruta (2-for-4, HR, 3RBI, R) crushed a three-run homer in the 1st (his 8th HR and 1st on the road)...Bradenton answered with an RBI single by Mitchell Tolman in the bottom of the 1st...Angel Aguilar (2-for-4, HR, 2RBI, R, SB) smashed a two-run homer in the 2nd (his 6th HR), giving Tampa a 5-1 lead...Tolman hit a leadoff homer in the 4th...RHP Nick Nelson (W, 6-4) retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced, tallying 11 strikeouts in 6.0IP (4H, 0BB, HR, HB, 100P/70S)...Dom Thompson-Williams (2-for-4, R) and Steven Sensley (1-for-3, 2B, BB, R) also reached base twice...RHP Hobie Harris (H, 2) added 3K's in 2.0IP (1H, 0R, 2BB)...RHP Greg Weissert (SV, 2) struck out two while yielding a run in the 9th (1.0IP, 2H, 1ER, 0BB).

THERE'S A FIRST: RHP Nick Nelson logged 73.2IP before allowing his first home run with the Tarpons. Bradenton's Mitchell Tolman crushed a 3-1 fastball over the centerfield wall to lead off the bottom of the 4th. Nelson responded by striking out the next three batters to end the inning. The only other homer allowed by the 22-year-old was in his first start of the season with Single-A Charleston on April 8th (100.2IP ago).

RUTA'S RAKING: In his last 19 games, Ben Ruta is batting .365 (27-for-74) with 14RBI and 10 runs scored. The 24-year-old also leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 33 stolen bases.

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 1,092K entering today. That is 104K more than the team ranked second (Clearwater - 988). Tampa is averaging 9.33K-per-game and is on pace for 1,306K, 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 90 home runs. No other team has more than 82.

VS. BRADENTON: Tonight will be the 11th of 16 games scheduled between the Tampa Tarpons and Bradenton Marauders. Tampa leads the season-series, 8-2. The Tarpons are 4-0 in those games played at LECOM Park. In seven games against the Marauders, Diego Castillo is batting .346 (9-for-26) with 8R, 2 doubles, 8RBI, 6BB and 1SB. Ben Ruta is batting .435 (10-for-23) with 7R, 4HR, 8RBI, 2BB and 3SB in six games in the series.

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.

FOR STARTERS: RHP Nick Green (6-5, 3.15) will make his 20th start. Last time out, made a quality start and took a loss vs. Lakeland on 8/5 (6.0IP, 7H, 5R/2ER, 2BB, 5K, 95P/58S)...currently ranks fifth in the league in ERA and fifth in innings pitched (108.2IP)...among qualified starters (min. 0.8IP/team games), ranked third in lowest BA (.235) and fourth in highest K/9.0IP ratio (7.45)...has made a quality start (6.0+ IP/3ER-or-less) in 12 of his 19 starts this season...named a 2018 FSL Mid-Season All-Star and started for the North Division, tossing a perfect 1st-inning (1.0IP, 1K).

VS. BRADENTON: In two starts against the Marauders, Green is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA (12.0IP, 8H, 5R/3ER, 5BB, 7K, 2HR, 1HB, 1WP).

2017: Went 8-9 with a 4.49 ERA (126.1IP, 131H, 74R/63ER, 39BB, 112K) in 26 starts with Single-A Charleston...held left-handed batters to a .201 (38-for-189) batting average...went 4-4 with a 2.77 ERA (65.0IP, 20ER) in 13 starts before the All-Star break...did not allow an earned run in three consecutive starts from 4/29-5/13 (20.2IP, 2R)

Personal: 23-years-old, 6-1, 175 - Fountain, Colorado...Acquired from Texas, along with RHPs Dillon Tate and Erik Swanson, in exchange for OF Carlos Beltrán and cash on 8/1/16...was originally selected by the Rangers in the seventh round in 2014 out of Indian Hills Community College...Played one season (2014) at Indian Hills Community College (Iowa), going 3-1 wit ha 2.97 ERA (36.1IP, 12ER)...graduated in 2013 from Fountain-Fort Carson H.S. (Colo.).

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