FSL1 Daytona Tortugas

Tortugas Split Critical Twin Bill

Published on June 20, 2017 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Daytona Tortugas News Release


DAYTONA BEACH, FL - The Tortugas started strong but lost a heartbreaker on Monday evening as part of a doubleheader split, with scores of 4-2 and 4-3, against the St. Lucie Mets on Monday evening at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in front of 1,688 fans.

Game One: Daytona allowed a first inning run, but rebounded to grasp the victory. Jhoan Urena 's sacrifice fly off of RHP Vladimir Gutierrez brought in the first tally of the contest.

Gutierrez tossed 5 1/3 stanzas of two-run ball and yielded a walk and six hits with two punchouts. RHP Zack Weiss (2-1) recorded the final five outs to nail down the win.

After Eudor Garcia smacked an RBI single in the fifth to tie it, the Tortugas scored two in the bottom of the sixth to provide them with the final margin. Daniel Sweet 's RBI knock plated Nick Senzel to bring in the go-ahead run. Reydel Medina added some insurance with a sacrifice-fly later in the frame to make it 4-2.

RHP Andrew Church (5-5) took the loss for the Mets while logging six frames and permitting eight hits and four earned runs while striking out five Tortugas.

Game Two: In a game that needed extra innings, the Tortugas tied it late before falling in the eighth on a J.C. Rodriguez solo shot off of RHP Jake Ehret (1-1) to give St. Lucie the 4-3 triumph.

Daytona got its first run on a homer off Shed Long 's bat, his 13th of the campaign, to take the early advantage, 1-0, in the first.

RHP Mark Armstrong allowed a single in the fourth to John Mora to begin things, but then picked him off and got a skyout from Rodriguez to get the first two outs. His fatigue then began to show, giving free passes to Urena and Patrick Mazeika to put two men on. This set the stage for Peter Alonso, who hit a moonshot three-run long ball over the left field fence to catapult St. Lucie into the lead, 3-1.

Armstrong walked three and fanned two over his 3 2/3 innings. RHP Brian Hunter was fabulous out of the pen in relief of Armstrong, striking out five Mets over 2 1/3 innings.

The Daytona rally in the seventh began with two of the first three men reaching base. Senzel walked and Sweet singled to bring up Chris Okey . The catcher delivered with a two-run double off of Mets RHP Tyler Bashlor into the left field corner to plate both men and tie the contest. The Tortugas would get Okey over to third but fail to bring him in.

Bashlor (2-0) suffered just his second blown save in nine tries, but was able to save his own win. LHP Kevin Canelon surrendered just the homer to Long over four innings and notched five strikeouts.

The Tortugas must win on Silver Sluggers Night and Taco Tuesday at The Jack to keep their hopes alive for a North Division title. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM with The Metcare Pregame Show beginning at 6:50 PM on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB.

Notes: The Tortugas must win their last two games and have Clearwater and Tampa lose their last two contests to lock up the division crown...The Tortugas are 2-8 in their last ten one-run games and are 10-12 on the season...T.J. Friedl made his Tortugas debut, singling in both games...Shed Long has gone deep four times this season off of St. Lucie pitching.

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Florida State League Stories from June 20, 2017


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