Tarpons Drop Rubber Game to Tortugas, 7-3
July 24, 2019 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
Estevan Florial of the Tampa Tarpons
(Tampa Tarpons, Credit: Mark LoMoglio)
TAMPA, Fla.- For the second-straight night, Tampa tied the game with a fifth-inning rally before getting stymied by Daytona pitching as the Tortugas went on to win the series with a 7-3 victory in the rubber game on Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
RHP Jio Orozco stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the second before leaving the game in the third. After a one-out bunt single by Andy Sugilio, Orozco got Jose Garcia to pop out for the second out before exiting with an apparent injury.
The 21-year-old left the field alongside pitching coach José Rosado and athletic trainer Michael Becker after throwing 30 pitches (20 strikes), yielding three hits and one walk while striking out two over two and two-third innings.
RHP Jefry Valdez threw one pitch before Sugilio was caught stealing by catcher Jason Lopez to end the frame. Valdez was added to the roster earlier in the day, returning to Tampa after pitching in 16 games with Single-A Charleston.
Alejo Lopez singled in the fourth and, with two outs, advanced to second on a base hit by Bryant Flete. Daytona then took the lead with three-straight two-out RBI singles by Yonathan Mendoza, Mark Kolozsvary and Lorenzo Cedrola before Sugilio flied out to end the rally.
RHP Jared Solomon retired the first nine batters he faced before Pablo Olivares looped a single into right. Olivares took second on a groundout by Estevan Florial and later scored on a two-out single by Omar Carrizales, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Tampa (16-19, 44-57) completed the comeback with two more runs off Solomon in the fifth. Lopez singled to left before walks by Leonardo Molina and Kyle Gray loaded the bases. Lopez then scored as Olivares grounded into a 6-4-3 double-play. Florial followed by ripping a 3-2 pitch into right for a game-tying, two-out RBI single, knotting the contest at 3-3.
Solomon walked Oswaldo Cabrera before exiting the game, allowing three earned runs on five hits in four and two-third innings. The 22-year-old walked three and struck out three on 82 pitches (53 strikes).
The Tortugas responded by retaking the lead against Valdez (L, 0-2) in the sixth. Back-to-back walks and a fielder's choice put two on with one out. Valdez got Kolozsvary on a flyout to left, but Cedrola delivered a go-ahead, two-out, two-run double down the left field line.
RHP Matt Wivinis relieved Valdez and got a groundout by Sugilio to end the sixth before working around an error in the seventh and stranding a two-out walk in the eighth.
Sugilio then reached on an error to begin the ninth and took third on an errant pickoff throw by Wivinis before scoring on a base hit by Michael Beltre. Beltre stole second and, one later, scored on a two-out single by Bruce Yari off RHP Kyle Zurak, giving Daytona a 7-3 cushion.
RHP Michael Byrne (W, 4-3) retired all seven batters he faced in relief of Solomon, followed by a perfect eighth by LHP Andy Cox (H, 1) and a 1-2-3 ninth by RHP Connor Bennett. Daytona (17-18, 58-48) pitching closed the game by retiring the final 13 Tampa batters.
Diego Castillo (1-for-4) singled in the fourth to extend his on-base streak to a season-best 21 games. Wilkerman Garcia (0-for-4) snapped his nine-game hitting streak.
The home stand continues on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. with the opener of a four-game series vs. the Jupiter Hammerheads. RHP Trevor Stephan (0-3, 7.88) is scheduled to start for Tampa in the series-opener, with Jupiter's starter to be announced. Live play-by-play of the action will be available on the Tampa Tarpons Baseball Network.
On "Taco Thursday," fans can enjoy an all-you-can-eat Taco and Nacho bar for $10, House Margaritas for $6 and Coronas for $4 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Images from this story
 Estevan Florial of the Tampa Tarpons (Mark LoMoglio) |
 Estevan Florial of the Tampa Tarpons (Mark LoMoglio) |
Florida State League Stories from July 24, 2019
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