Montero Spins Gem in Relief as Tarpons Salvage Finale

TAMPA, Fla—Jose Montero spun 3.2 scoreless innings in relief, but the Tampa Tarpons scored three runs in the second and never looked back as they salvaged the series finale against the Daytona Tortugas on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Tampa (19-20, 43-62) halted a six-game losing streak as they held Daytona (22-17, 53-52) to just three hits as they Tortugas saw both their five-game winning streak and their quest for their first six-game series sweep in franchise history come to an end.

In the top of the first, Daytona jumped out to a quick lead. Yerlin Confidan led off the game with a single, then promptly stole second. With one out, Confidan took off for third and Gabriel Barbosa stepped off to throw him out. However, Barbosa’s throw sailed wild and Confidan scored on the error to put Daytona ahead 1-0.

In his first start as a Tortuga, Ovis Portes ran into trouble early as he began his day with a walk and a single. However, he retired the next three batters, stranding runners at second and third to end the first.

The second, though, was not as kind. After a strikeout to begin the inning, the next three batters all walked. Brendan Jones stroked a two-run double to right-center to put Tampa in front for the first time in the series. After Portes was lifted, a groundout to second brought in a third run and Tampa was now in front 3-1.

With the lead, Barbosa settled in. While the right-hander did not throw a 1-2-3 inning over his 5.0-inning stint, he kept Daytona hitters off balance and the Tortugas could not string together baserunners in any inning.

On the other side, Alex Johnson spun 1.2 scoreless innings in relief for the Tortugas, working around a leadoff walk in a scoreless third. Alex Blandino followed with a scoreless fourth, striking out two in the inning as he brushed off a one-out single.

In the fifth, Blandino returned but immediately ran into trouble. Willy Montero singled and Marshall Toole doubled, putting two in scoring position with one out. Hans Montero then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to put Tampa in front 4-1.

At that point, the game entered into a lightning delay at 1:36 p.m. and the two teams headed to the clubhouses for a delay that ultimately stretched to 86 minutes long. After the restart, Montero entered the game picked up the final two outs of the inning to prevent the deficit from growing.

In the sixth, Daytona put together a threat as two walks and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with one out. However, a strikeout and groundout ended the inning as the Tortugas wound up leaving the runners at second and third.

Montero picked up steam as the game went on, throwing a 1-2-3 seventh. After allowing a walk and single to begin the eighth, a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play helped squash the threat, before he ended the inning with another strikeout.

Daytona mounted one last threat in the eighth, as two walks put a pair of runners on board with one out. However, two straight strikeouts ended the inning.

Montero came out and struck out the side in the eighth, finishing his outing with five straight strikeouts to cap off 3.2 shutout innings with six strikeouts.

The Tortugas went down quietly in the ninth as Tampa salvaged the final game of the week, ending the series with a 4-1 win.

Daytona will have Monday off before returning home to begin a six-game series against the St. Lucie Mets on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Tuesday will be a Silver Sluggers Night as well as a Breast Cancer Awareness Night and Taco Tuesday, with taco specials beginning at $3. Gates will open at 5:30 with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin at 6:20.