FSL1 Tampa Tarpons

Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Bradenton (8/12 Continuation)

Published on August 31, 2018 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release


8/31 Tampa at Bradenton (in Tampa) - Game 1 (of three) - George M. Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL) - 6:30 p.m.

Pitching Matchup: RHP Rony Garica (0-5, 4.83) vs. RHP Mike Wallace (5-10, 4.67).

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

LAST TIME: After back-to-back rainouts on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Tarpons and Fire Frogs managed to play Game 1 of a doubleheader on Thursday morning before rainfall washed away Game 2 after two complete innings...Tampa won Game 1, 3-1, to take both games of the scheduled four-game series over Florida...RHP Domingo German started and logged 3.0IP (3H, 1R/0ER, 1BB, 3K, HB, 40P/31S)...Daniel Barrios (2-for-3, 2RBI) delivered a go-ahead, two-out, two-run single in the 4th...Dom Thompson-Williams (1-for-3, HR, RBI, R) added a solo homer in the 5th (his 21st HR and 16th w/ Tampa)...LHP Dalton Lehnen (W, 1-3) earned his first Tarpons win by pitching 4.0 shutout relief innings (3H, 2BB, 4K, HB, 2WP, 61P/38S)...Diego Castillo (1-for-1, BB, HBP, R) reached base three times...Tampa led Game 2, 1-0, thanks to an RBI single in the 1st by Isiah Gilliam and 2.0 scoreless innings by RHP Albert Abreu (1H, 1BB, 1HB), but the game was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions.

TO BE CONTINUED: Tonight's game will be the continuation of a suspended game on August 12th at LECOM Park in Bradenton. After a scoreless top of the 1st, rain showers halted play in the middle of the inning. The game will be picked up in the bottom of hte 1st, with the Marauders batting as the "home" team.

RED THUNDER RETURNS: On Thursday, OF Clint Frazier joined the Tarpons on a Major League Rehabilitation Assignment for the second time this season. The 23-year-old had been sidelined since July 19th with concussion symptoms. Frazier also played four games with Tampa between April 26-29, batting .200 (3-for-15, 3R, HR, RBI, 2SB) in his first rehab assignment. The Georgia native has played 15 games with New York this season, batting.265 (9-for-34, 9R, 3 doubles, 1RBI, 5BB), but has spent most of his season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .311 (59-for-190, 38R, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 10HR, 21RBI, 23BB, 4SB) in 48 games.

FINISH STRONG: The Tarpons have won 10 of their last 12 games and are back over the .500 mark for the first time since August 2nd (55-54). Despite the hot stretch, Tampa has been eliminated from postseason contention and will not play in the playoffs after doing so in 2016 and 2017.

RBI MACHINE: Dom Thompson-WIlliams (1-for-3, HR, RBI, R) extended his hitting streak to eight-straight games. In that span, the 23-year-old is batting .344 (11-for-32) with 4HR and 13RBI. Since joining the Tarpons on May 21st, Thompson-Williams leads the Florida State League with 61RBI. The University of South Carolina product is batting .327 (32-for-98) with 21R, 4 doubles, 3 triples, 8HR, 27RBI and 13BB in August (26 games).

RUTA'S RAKING: Over his last 38 games, Ben Ruta is batting .345 (50-for-145) with 24RBI and 17 runs scored. The 24-year-old also leads all Yankees minor-leaguers with 37 stolen bases.

VS. BRADENTON: Today will be the 13th of 16 games scheduled between the Tampa Tarpons and Bradenton Marauders. Tampa currently leads the season-series, 10-2, including 4-2 in those games played at GMS Field. In 10 games against the Marauders, Diego Castillo is batting .429 (15-for-35) with 9R, 3 doubles, 10RBI, 6BB and 2SB. Ben Ruta is batting .469 (15-for-32) with 9R, 1 double, 1 triple, 4HR, 12RBI, 2BB and 4SB in eight games against Bradenton.

STRIKEOUT RECORD BROKEN...AGAIN: For the second-straight season, Tampa has broken the single-season Florida State League record for most strikeouts by a pitching staff. In 2017, the Tampa Yankees set the mark at 1,215 strikeouts. Entering today, the Tarpons have totaled 1,233 strikeouts. Tampa is averaging 9.20 K-per-game and is on pace for 1,260K.

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 lead the league with 104 home runs, surpassing the mark accomplished by Tampa in 2017 (103).

FOR STARTERS: RHP Rony Garcia (0-5, 4.83) will make his ninth start with Tampa. Last time out, took the loss at Daytona on 8/24 (4.1IP, 6H, 5R/3ER, 2BB, 6K, HR, 94P/58S)...Began the season with the RiverDogs, going 3-4 with a 4.18 ERA (71.IP, 73H, 44R/33ER, 13BB, 62S, 5HR, 6HB) in 14 starts...promoted to Tampa on 7/13.

2017: Combined at Rookie-level Pulaski and Single-A Charleston to go 2-3 with a 2.50 ERA (75.2IP, 63H, 29R/21ER, 17BB, 56K, 4HR) in 13 starts...opponents hit .225 (63-for-280)...allowed 3ER-or-fewer in each of his 13 starts...started the season with Pulaski, posting a 3.97 ERA (11.1IP, 11H, 7R/5ER, 2BB, 11K, 1HR) in two starts...was promoted to Charleston on 7/5 and went 2-3 with a 2.24 ERA (64.1IP, 53H, 22R/16ER, 15BB, 45K, 3HR) in 11 starts.

Personal: 20-years-old, 6-3, 200 - Mao, Dominican Republic...Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 7/2/15.

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Florida State League Stories from August 31, 2018


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