Collier, O'Donnell's Heroics Lift Tortugas to 9-4 Victory
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Cam Collier had two hits and three RBI while Ethan O’Donnell added a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth as part of a four-RBI day to lead the Daytona Tortugas to a 9-4 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday afternoon at Clover Park. Daytona (26-34,
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Cam Collier had two hits and three RBI while Ethan O’Donnell added a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth as part of a four-RBI day to lead the Daytona Tortugas to a 9-4 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday afternoon at Clover Park.
Daytona (26-34, 55-70) passed 2022’s victory total with the win, defeating St. Lucie (18-42, 42-83) to even the series at one game apiece.
In the first, Daytona took the early lead. Ricardo Cabrera singled and O’Donnell walked to open the game against St. Lucie starter Jonah Tong. After a strikeout, Collier lined an RBI single to left to score Cabrera with the first run of the game. A walk loaded the bases, but Tong prevented further damage with a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
Likewise, St. Lucie threatened in the first as Tortugas starter Arij Fransen walked the first two batters to begin his outing. However, he bounced back to retire the next three batters, two by strikeout, to end the inning.
Fransen then worked around a two-out double in the second before spinning a 1-2-3 third inning. However, in the fourth, a leadoff single and error put Wilfredo Lara at second. After he stole third with one out, a sacrifice fly from Yohairo Cuevas tied the game at one apiece. Nick Lorusso followed by blasting an RBI double to left-center, staking St. Lucie to a 2-1 lead.
Daytona, though, answered right back. O’Donnell was plunked to begin the fifth, then moved to second on an errant pickoff. After advancing to third on a flyout, he came home on a chopper to third by Collier, tying the game at two.
Fransen returned for the fifth and surrendered a leadoff double, but induced ground balls from the next three hitters, stranding the runner at third and working 5.0 innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Graham Osman entered in the sixth and promptly allowed an infield single to Yeral Martinez to begin the inning. After a strikeout, a groundout moved Martinez to second. With Osman holding the ball, Martinez attempted to steal third, but Osman’s throw sailed wide, allowing Martinez to score, putting St. Lucie in front 3-2.
Once more, though, Daytona had an answer. Cabrera singled with one out in the seventh and went to second on a groundout. A dropped third strike extended the inning for Collier, who took advantage by pulling his second hit of the day into right field, driving in his third run to knot things up 3-3.
St. Lucie, however, wrestled the lead right back as Karrell Paz doubled and came home on a single from Jefrey De Los Santos to regain the advantage, 4-3.
In the eighth, Daytona finally broke through and took control once and for all. With one out, Connor Burns and Carter Graham singled to put runners on the corners for Cabrera, who lined his third hit of the day up the middle to tie the game. O’Donnell then stepped up and cracked a 2-2 pitch over the right-field fence for his third home run in as many games, a three-run shot to put Daytona ahead 7-4.
This is @ethanodonnell14's world now and we're just along for the ride, man...
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 6, 2023
This 3-run shot is his third in as many games and gives us a 7-4 lead in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/F2viatd0el
Osman (2-0) returned for the eighth, and thanks to an odd dropped third strike to extend the inning, wound up with a four-strikeout inning, racking up a career-high seven punchouts over 3.0 innings of work to finish off a career-long outing and earn his second win.
In the ninth, Yerlin Confidan singled, which was followed by a Graham walk, with Cabrera driving in a run on a groundout. O’Donnell then capped off another big day by narrowly missing a second home run, instead doubling off the wall in right-center to cap off his four-RBI afternoon to make it 9-4.
In the bottom of the ninth, Luis Mey made his first appearance for Daytona since July 26 and looked sharp, navigating a two-out walk with three ground-ball outs to nail down the 9-4 victory.
Daytona will play game three Thursday night against the St. Lucie Mets. RHP Jared Lyons (3-4, 3.53) will get the ball for Daytona opposite St. Lucie RHP Wilmer Estelin (0-1, 8.10). First pitch will be at 6:10 p.m. with pregame coverage from Clover Park in Port St. Lucie with the voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 1:55 p.m. on the Tortugas Radio Network.
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.