Six-Run Lead Slips Away in Series Finale

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—The Daytona Tortugas scored five runs in the first two innings and led 6-0 after five innings, but the St. Lucie Mets scored seven runs over the sixth and seventh frames to steal a 7-6 victory on Sunday evening at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

St. Lucie (17-29, 39-73) claimed just their third series win of the season as Daytona (24-21, 55-56) drew a season-high 12 walks, but were held to just five hits and left 11 runners on base.

For a second game in a row, the Tortugas took control early with a big first inning. With one out, consecutive walks brought Esmith Pineda to the plate. Pineda looped a double just inside the right-field line to bring in a run. Two batters later, Carlos Sanchez roped a single to left-center to bring in two more runs as Daytona took a 3-0 lead.

An inning later, the Tortugas added to the lead. Two walks put runners on the corners with one out. Sammy Stafura took off for second and on the throw down, Eddy Isturiz scampered home, stealing home. Stafura then came home when he advanced to third on a flyout but scored when the throw skipped away, putting Daytona in front 5-0.

Nestor Lorant was excellent as he began his outing by retiring the first six batters. He erased a leadoff walk in the third with a caught stealing as he faced the minimum again. The right-hander followed that up with a 1-2-3 fourth to finish off an outing of 4.0 hitless innings with one walk and five strikeouts.

With a 5-0, Cole Schoenwetter took the mound in the fifth and worked around a one-out single and two-out, striking out two in a scoreless inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Trey Faltine drew a leadoff walk and stole second. With Yerlin Confidan at the plate, Faltine broke for third as Confidan rolled a ground ball to second. Faltine did not stop running and turned for home, then beat the return throw from first to put Daytona in front 6-0.

In the sixth, though, St. Lucie began their push. Nick Rosselli led off with a triple to left, then scored on a groundout. With a runner at second and two outs, Eli Serrano blasted a two-run home run to deep right-center that cut the lead to 6-3.

In the seventh, the tide turned entirely. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out, at which point Jonah Hurney entered the game. The southpaw was greeted by a bloop single from Yonathan Henriquez to score a run. After a strikeout, Ronald Hernandez lined a two-run single to center, tying the game. Serrano then came up and looped an 0-2 pitch into left field, scoring Henriquez to put the Mets in front 7-6.

Hurney bounced back with 1-2-3 eighth and ninth innings, but the damage was done. Pineda lined a two-out single in the eighth for his third hit, but advanced no further. In the fifth, Sanchez drew a leadoff walk, but was erased on a double play. The game ended one batter later as St. Lucie took the 7-6 victory.

The Tortugas will have Monday off before beginning a 12-game road trip on Tuesday, which will get underway with a six-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. First pitch on Tuesday night will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 6:15 p.m.