Almonte, Balcazar Key Big 7th Frame in Streak-Busting Win
BRADENTON, FL—Ariel Almonte crushed his first home run of the season and Leo Balcazar lined a clutch go-ahead single to highlight a five-run seventh as the Daytona Tortugas rallied for a 6-4 win on Saturday night at LECOM Park. Daytona (6-8) snapped an eight-game losing streak, their longest since 2017,
BRADENTON, FL—Ariel Almonte crushed his first home run of the season and Leo Balcazar lined a clutch go-ahead single to highlight a five-run seventh as the Daytona Tortugas rallied for a 6-4 win on Saturday night at LECOM Park.
Daytona (6-8) snapped an eight-game losing streak, their longest since 2017, rallying from three runs down to end a seven-game win streak for Bradenton (9-5), who lost despite drawing 12 walks in the game.
In the bottom of the first, Bradenton struck against Ryan Cardona. Cardona alternated walks and strikeouts with the first four batters. With two outs, Javier Rivas blooped a single into shallow right to bring in a run, putting Bradenton ahead 1-0, which also chased Cardona.
Daytona tried to mount a rally in the third against Bradenton right-hander Derek Diamond. With one out, Malvin Valdez ripped a double to deep right-center field. Two batters later, Carlos Jorge sent a charge into a ball, but left fielder Braylon Bishop ran down the drive at the edge of the warning track to end the inning.
After Easton Sikorski spun 2.1 hitless innings in relief, he was relieved in the fourth. At that point, Bradenton mounted another rally. The inning began with a single, at which Rivas stepped up to the plate again. He deposited a 1-2 delivery over the left field wall for a two-run homer to put Bradenton ahead 3-0. The Marauders then loaded the bases with two outs, but Joseph Menefee came on and recorded a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
Menefee (2-1) stabilized things again, working around three walks to throw 2.1 hitless, scoreless innings, sending things to the seventh still a 3-0 game.
At that point, Daytona snapped a 24-inning scoreless string in style. Logan Tanner led off with a double, then scored when Almonte demolished a pitch from Diamond and deposited it 418 feet down the right field line for his first home run of the season, pulling the Tortugas within one.
Ariel Almonte can admire this two-run BOMB that puts the Tortugas on the board in the 7th! pic.twitter.com/qwAqLmT9ls
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) April 23, 2023
Good fortune then took over. Wendell Marrero struck out, but reached on a dropped third strike. Michel Triana then reached on an infield single off the first baseman’s mitt. Malvin Valdez followed by singling to left on an 0-2 pitch, scoring Marrero to tie the game. Bradenton then changed pitchers, with two strikeouts quickly following. Balcazar, though, came up clutch, ripping a single into left-center to score. Triana. The ball was then mishandled, allowing Valdez to score to put Daytona ahead 5-3.
Bradenton was far from done, though. Against Zach Maxwell in the seventh, the Marauders worked two walks and stroked a single, with a groundout from Rivas bringing in another run to trim the Daytona lead to 5-4.
In the eighth, two more baserunners with one out led to John Murphy entering the game. Murphy promptly walked his first hitter but struck out the next man for the second out. Tres Gonzalez followed with a hot ground ball in the right-side hole, but Triana made a diving stop and fired to second for a game-saving forceout to preserve the lead.
MY OH MY What a play by @micheltriana66 with the bases juiced to end the 8th!
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) April 23, 2023
5-4 'Tugas to the 9th! pic.twitter.com/epKGb6VyOi
In the ninth, Daytona earned some breathing room as Cade Hunter capped off a two-hit return to the lineup with an RBI single up the middle. Murphy followed with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to cap off his first save of the year, along with a streak-busting 6-4 win.
The Tortugas will finish the series in Bradenton against the Marauders on Sunday afternoon. LHP Rob Hensey (0-0, 4.70) gets the ball for Daytona against RHP J.P. Massey (0-1, 6.75) for Bradenton. First pitch is at noon with pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 11:45 a.m. from LECOM Park in Bradenton.
Daytona Tortugas single-game tickets and ticket packages are on sale now at daytonatortugas.com, (386) 257-3172, or the box office at 110 East Orange Ave.
ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.