Complete Efforts Lead Tortugas to Doubleheader Sweep of Hammerheads

WEST PALM BEACH, FL—The Daytona Tortugas shut down the Jupiter Hammerheads in a doubleheader sweep, winning 7-1 and 5-0 to start the series off in style on Wednesday evening at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

Daytona (17-19, 46-55) earned their second doubleheader sweep of the season and ran their winning streak to four games, holding Jupiter (15-19, 52-52) to just one run on eight hits, while also playing error-free defense over 14 innings of action.

In game one, the Tortugas jumped out to a quick lead. With one out in the first, Hector Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a Carlos Jorge single, then scored on a Cam Collier single to right-center. Johnny Ascanio then executed a successful squeeze bunt which scored Jorge to boost the lead to 2-0.

In the bottom of the first, Jupiter got a run back with one out as Jake DeLeo jumped on a pitch from Arij Fransen and swatted a low line drive into the left field bullpen for a solo homer, trimming the lead to 2-1.

The Tortugas, though, responded with a two-out rally in the second. Yerlin Confidan doubled down the right-field line and came home when Victor Acosta extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a bloop single to left, scoring Confidan to make it 3-1.

Armed once more with a two-run lead, Fransen went back to work. He worked around a leadoff single in the second inning by striking out the next three batters, though he had to work hard for some outs.

Fransen needed 13 pitches to strike out Carlos Santiago in the second and expended 15 pitches to Jordan McCants before surrendering an infield single an inning later. As a result, despite throwing 61 of his 77 of his pitches for strikes and not walking a batter, Fransen only lasted 4.0 innings, though he struck out six batters and allowed just the one run.

In the fifth, the Tortugas added insurance with another two-out rally. Collier and Ascanio both walked ahead of Yassel Pino, who rolled a single up the middle to bring in Collier to make it 4-1.

An inning later, the Tortugas put the game away. Logan Tanner led off and crushed a line drive into the left field bullpen for his second home run of the season. Confidan followed with a triple to right-center. After a fielder’s choice, Jorge swatted a triple of his own to bring in a second run. Collier followed with his second RBI hit to push the lead to 7-1.

Jacob Heatherly (6-3) did his job, tossing two scoreless innings and working around two singles and a walk, putting him firmly in line for the win. Pedro Alfonseca followed with a 1-2-3 seventh to nail down the game one victory.

In between games, though, a storm rolled in and forced the tarp on, delaying the start of game two by an hour.

Once the second contest finally began, Daytona took the lead amidst unusual circumstances. Jupiter starter Jose Salvador walked Acosta on four pitches to start the game, then left the game due to injury. Euri Montero came out of the bullpen and issued a walk. Collier followed with an RBI single, his third of the twinbill, to put Daytona in front 1-0.

Jared Lyons came out firing, striking out two batters after a leadoff single in the first, before striking out two more in the second, with a one-out walk erased by Connor Burns throwing out the runner stealing.

In the third, Daytona began to pull away. With one out, Rodriguez doubled and Jorge walked. Pino then roped a double to left to bring in a run and put two in scoring position. Collier then ripped a single up the middle, his fourth hit of the twinbill, to bring in his fourth and fifth RBIs of the day. Daytona now led 4-0.

An inning later, the Tortugas added one more with a two-out rally. Rodriguez was plunked, stole second, then scored on an RBI single from Jorge to push the advantage to 5-0.

The pitching staff did the rest as Lyons struck out two batters in each of the third and fourth innings before navigating a one-out walk in a scoreless fifth. All-told, Lyons (2-3) went 5.0 innings for the second straight start, allowing one hit, no runs, and two walks with a career-high eight strikeouts.

Alex Johnson came on to throw a 1-2-3 sixth. He returned in the seventh and allowed a leadoff single, but set down the next three batters to nail down a 5-0, two-hit shutout in the nightcap to sweep the twinbill.

Daytona will play game three against the Jupiter Hammerheads beginning on Thursday night. RHP Gabriel Aguilera (0-1, 7.94) will get the ball for the Tortugas opposite Jupiter LHP Cole Kirschsieper (7-6, 4.98). First pitch from the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage with the voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 6:15 p.m. on the Tortugas Radio Network.

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.