Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Jupiter
June 23, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
6/23 Tampa vs. Jupiter - Game 3 (of four) - George M. Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL) - 12:00 p.m.
Pitching Matchup: RHP Jorge Guzman (0-3, 2.44) vs. RHP Garrett Whitlock (2-1, 2.35). Live Audio: TuneIn Radio (Tampa Tarpons Broadcast Network)
LAST NIGHT: The Tarpons got a game-tying home run in the 9th from Ben Ruta (1-for-4, HR, BB, RBI, R) before falling, 5-4, in 11 innings as Jupiter evened the series...RHP Nick Green allowed 3R(1ER) in 5.2IP (4H, 3BB, 6K, 2WP, 1HB)...Kyle Holder (1-for-4, HR, 2BB, 2RBI, 2R) put Tampa on the board with a leadoff homer in the 6th (his 1st HR) and forced home another run with a bases-loaded walk in the 7th...RHP Brian Trieglaff logged 2.1 perfect IP (2K)...RHP Matt Wivinis tossed a perfect 9th before allowing an unearned run in the 10th (2.0IP, 1H, 0BB, 4K)...Brandon Wagner (1-for-3, 2BB, R) delivered a game-tying RBI single in the 10th...RHP Andrew Schwaab (L, 0-3) shouldered the loss in the 11th (1.0IP, 1H, 1R/0ER, 0BB, 1K)...Tampa left the bases loaded in the 11th...Donny Sands (3-for-5, R) and Cesar Diaz (3-for-5) both had their first multi-hit games.
ONE-RUN BLUNDERS: Last night's loss resulted in Tampa falling to 2-5 in extra-inning games, which is tied with Clearwater for the worst record in such games. The Tarpons are also now 9-15 in one-run games, which is second only to Charlotte (8-15) for the worst record in such games.
STRIKEOUT KINGS: Nick Green (6K), Brian Trieglaff (2K), Matt Wivinis (4K) and Andrew Schwaab (1K) combined for 13 strikeouts on Friday. Tampa pitchers have tallied double-digit strikeouts in 30 games this season, with the Tarpons going 18-12 in such games. Tampa, by far, leads the Florida State League in strikeouts, totaling 689K entering today. That is 83K more than the team ranked second (Clearwater - 606K). Tampa is averaging 9.57 K-per-game and is on pace for 1,340K, 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 Friday, marking the 14th multi-homer game by Tampa this season. The Tarpons are 9-5 in such games. Tampa currently leads the league with 63 home runs, which is eight more than second on the list (Bradenton - 55HR).
LET'S GO STREAKING: Isiah Gilliam (1-for-3, BB, R) singled in the 5th on Thursday, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. In that span, the 21-year-old is batting .361 (22-for-61) with 2HR and 9RBI. 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. JUPITER: Today will be the third of eight scheduled games between the Tampa Tarpons and Jupiter Hammerheads. The season-series is currently tied, 1-1. Last season, Tampa won the season-series over Jupiter, 6-2, including 2-2 at GMS Field and 4-0 at Roger Dean Stadium.
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 Garrett Whitlock (2-1, 2.35) will make his sixth start with Tampa...Last time out, took the loss at Clearwater on 6/14 (4.1IP, 9H, 5R/4ER, 2BB, 5K, HB, 2WP, 88P/58S)...Spent time on the disabled list (5/26-6/3) after getting hit by a comebacker in a start at Florida on 5/25...Began the season with Single-A Charleston, going 2-2 with a 1.13 ERA (40.0IP, 23H, 5ER, 1HR, 2HB, 7BB, 44K) in seven starts with the RiverDogs...held opponents scoreless for 26-straight innings between his third start 4/17 and his seventh start on 5/11...left Charleston ranked second in the South Atlantic League in ERA and WHIP (0.75).
2017: Made his professional debut between the GCL Yankees West and Rookie-level Pulaski, combining to go 1-0 with a 3.77 ERA (14.1IP, 14H, 7R/6ER, 0BB, 22K, 1HR) in five games (three starts)...began the season in the GCL, recording 14K in 8.2IP over three starts (4H, 2R/1ER)...finished the year with two relief appearances at Pulaski (1-0, 7.94 ERA, 5.2IP, 5ER).
Personal: 21-years-old, 6-5, 190 - Snellville, GA...Selected by the Yankees in the 18th round in 2017 out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham...Pitched two seasons at UAB (2016-17), going 7-11 with two saves and a 3.56 ERA (111.1IP, 115H, 61R/44ER, 45BB, 90K) in 42 games (eights starts)...graduated from Provience Christian Academy (Ga.), where he was a 2015 Perfect Game Preseason All-America honorable mention...currently ranked as the No. 26 Yankees prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Florida State League Stories from June 23, 2018
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- Tortugas Double Their Way to 5-4 Win - Daytona Tortugas
- Comeback Bid Falls Short in Saturday Matinee - Florida Fire Frogs
- Whitlock Dazzles as Tampa Blanks Jupiter, 5-0 - Tampa Tarpons
- Listi, Threshers Help Lift North in 5-0 Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Florida Fire Frogs Game Notes: June 23, 2018 - Florida Fire Frogs
- Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Jupiter - Tampa Tarpons
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