TAMPA, Fla. (April 30, 2019) - Carl Chester homered and the Stone Crabs scored three in the first Tuesday, but their five-game winning streak was snapped in a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Tarpons at Steinbrenner Field. The Stone Crabs (11-14) jumped on the Tarpons (11-14) early. The furious start
TAMPA, Fla. (April 30, 2019) - Carl Chester homered and the Stone Crabs scored three in the first Tuesday, but their five-game winning streak was snapped in a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Tarpons at Steinbrenner Field.
The Stone Crabs (11-14) jumped on the Tarpons (11-14) early. The furious start began with a Vidal Brujan single to center on the first pitch of the game. After he stole second and moved to third on a groundout, Tarpons starter Clarke Schmidt (1-1) issued a wild pitch, allowing Brujan to score and make it 1-0. Moises Gomez then pulled a double to left before Jim Haley reached on an infield single. The next batter was Garrett Whitley , who roped a two-run triple to center to extend the Charlotte lead to 3-0.
The Tarpons didn't waste any time responding in the bottom of the first against Stone Crabs starter Paul Campbell (2-3). After an Oswaldo Cabrera single, Troy Tulowitzki clocked a two-run home run to left to make it 3-2 Charlotte.
With Tampa still down one in the bottom of the third, Cabrera lined a one-out single before Tulowitzki was hit with a pitch. With two on and one out, Steven Sensley drove in Cabrera with an infield single to tie the game at three. Two batters later, Pablo Olivares cranked a two-run double to left to give the Tarpons a 5-3 lead.
Tampa added a run in the sixth on a Donny Sands RBI single make it 6-3.
Stone Crabs reliever Matt Seelinger went three innings in relief, allowing just one run on two hits. Jhonleider Salinas and Jack Labosky each turned in scoreless work in shorter stints.
With Charlotte down three in the top of the seventh, Chester slammed his second homer of the season to left to bring the count to 6-4. However, the Stone Crabs couldn't manage a hit in the eighth or ninth.
Charlotte will look to level the series at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Riley O'Brien (1-0, 1.93) will be on the mound for the Stone Crabs, against Shawn Semple (High-A debut) of the Tarpons. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.
