Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Fort Myers
June 26, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
6/26 Tampa vs. Fort Myers - Game 1 (of three) - George M. Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL) - 6:30 p.m.
Pitching Matchup: LHP Tyler Watson (0-0, 5.29) vs. RHP Will Carter (0-1, 4.91). Live Audio: TuneIn Radio (Tampa Tarpons Broadcast Network)
LAST TIME OUT: The Tarpons scored 10 runs on 16 hits on Sunday afternoon while blanking the Hammerheads for the second-straight day at George M. Steinbrenner...Tampa won three-of-four to claim the series...RHP Nick Nelson (W, 3-2) retired the first 13 batters he faced and tossed six scoreless innings (3H, 0BB, 8K)...Donny Sands (4-for-5, 3R) logged his first-career four-hit game...Kyle Holder (3-for-5, HR, 4RBI, 2R) and Ben Ruta (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 3RBI, 2R) both homered while tying career-highs in RBI...Isiah Gilliam (2-for-5) and Hoy Jun Park (2-for-4, BB, R) also had multi-hit games...LHP Justin Kamplain (2.0IO, 1H, 1BB, 2K) and RHP Andrew Schwaab (1.0IP, 1H, 1K) completed the shutout.
STRIKEOUT KINGS: Nick Nelson (8K), Justin Kamplain (2K) and Andrew Schwaab (1K) combined for 11 strikeouts on Sunday. Tampa pitchers have tallied double-digit strikeouts in 32 games this season, with the Tarpons going 20-12 in such games. Tampa, by far, leads the Florida State League in strikeouts, totaling 713K entering today. That is 81K more than the team ranked second (Clearwater - 632K). Tampa is averaging 9.64 K-per-game and is on pace for 1,349K, which would crush its own FSL single-season strikeout record set last season with 1,215K.
BABY BOMBERS: Kyle Holder and Ben Ruta homered on Sunday, marking the 16th multi-homer game by Tampa this season. The Tarpons are 11-5 in such games. Tampa currently leads the league with 67 home runs, which is 11 more than second on the list (Bradenton - 56HR).
LET'S GO STREAKING: Isiah Gilliam (2-for-4) singled in the 1st on Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. In that span, the 21-year-old is batting .357 (25-for-70) with 3HR and 11RBI. Gilliam's streak is the longest active hitting streak in the league.
2ND-HALF BEGINS: Thursday marked the beginning of the 2nd-Half of the Florida State League schedule. The Tarpons finished with an even 35-35 record at the half way point, falling 4.0GB of the 1st-Half Champion Daytona Tortugas (37-29). Meanwhile, the early postseason spot in the South Division was captured by the Palm Beach Cardinals (39-25). Tampa will look to win its second-straight 2nd-Half North Division title and return to the playoffs for the third-straight season.
VS. FORT MYERS: Tonight will be the 10th of 12 scheduled games between the Tampa Tarpons and Fort Myers Miracle. Tampa currently leads the season-series, 5-4, including 2-1 at GMS Field and 3-3 at Hammond Stadium. Isiah Gilliam has played in all nine games and is batting .486 (18-for-37) with 9R, 3 doubles, 1HR, 7RBI and 2BB. As a team, the Tarpons are batting .289 (88-for-305) while the pitching staff owns a 2.51 ERA (21ER/75.1IP) when facing the Miracle.
CASTILLO WINS ALL-STAR GAME MVP: Tampa's very own Diego Castillo was named the Bush's Best Most Valuable Player of the 2018 Florida State League All-Star Game on Saturday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Castillo started at 2B and finished 2-for-4 at the plate, including a go-ahead RBI double in the 2nd before adding a second double in the 4th. The North Division defeated the South Division for the third-straight season, winning 5-0. INF Brandon Wagner (0-for-3, BB, R) started at 1B and RHP Nick Green (1.0IP, 1K) started on the mound, tossing a 1-2-3 frame. RHP Adonis Rosa (1.0IP, 1H) and LHP Trevor Lane (0.1IP, 0H) contributed to the shutout.
FOR STARTERS: RHP Will Carter (0-1, 4.91) will make his fourth start (fifth appearance) since rejoining Tampa. Last time out, took the loss at Fort Myers on 6/19 (2.2IP, 5H, 6ER, 4BB, 2K)...Spent time on the disabled list (6/5-6/14) with a blister...Began the season with Double-A Trenton, going 0-2 with a 6.07 ERA (29.2IP, 33H, 24R/20ER, 1HR, 2HB, 23BB, 20K) in seven starts with the Thunder.
2017: Went 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA (47.0IP, 53H, 19R/17ER, 13BB, 23K, 3HR) in 15 games (six starts) with Trenton...as a reliever, went 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA (19.2IP, 6ER) in nine appearances...2016: In 21 starts between Single-A Charleston (1GS), Tampa (12GS) and Trenton (8GS), was 3-7 with a 4.61 EAR (107.1IP, 113H, 60R/55ER, 37BB, 68K, 2HR)...was 2-3 with a 4.85 ERA (59.1IP, 32ER) at Tampa.
Personal: 25-years-old, 6-3, 195 - Gray, Tennessee...Selected by the Yankees in the 14th round in 2015 out of the University of Alabama...Graduated from Science Hill H.S. (Tenn.)...in one season at Alabama (2015), went 4-6 with a 5.03 ERA (62.2IP, 35ER) in 13 games (11 starts)...prior to attending Alabama, played at East Tennessee State University (2013) and Walters State (Tenn.) Community College (2014)...was selected by Texas in the 35th round in 2014 but did not sign.
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