Confidan's Homer, Hunter's Steal of Home Highlight 9-4 Victory

DAYTONA BEACH—Yerlin Confidan crushed his first home run of the season, Cade Hunter stole home, and the Daytona Tortugas scored eight runs in a three-inning span to overwhelm the Jupiter Hammerheads 9-4 on Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Daytona (27-36) will have a chance to win the series on Sunday evening as Jupiter’s (33-29) first-half playoff hopes are on life support following consecutive losses.

For the fourth straight night, Jupiter jumped on top. Brett Roberts began the game with a triple off the right-field wall off Daytona starter Chris McElvain. Paul McIntosh followed by belting a double off the fence in left-center to bring home Roberts with the first run of the game.

Daytona was hitless in the first two frames against Jupiter starter Karson Milbrandt, but that changed in the third. Yassel Pino legged out an infield single to open the inning and moved to second on a walk. Hector Rodriguez followed with a two-run double just inside the right-field line to pull Daytona in front, 2-1.

However, the Hammerheads answered against McElvain in the fourth. A leadoff double by Ian Lewis was followed two batters later by another double from Harrison Spohn, which knotted the game at two apiece.

The Tortugas, though, quickly wrestled the lead away for good. After a one-out walk, a stolen base and a single moved Victor Acosta to third. Ariel Almonte took off from first base, but the throw was into center field and Acosta scored. Pino followed by lacing a triple to left-center to score another run before coming home a wild pitch to out Daytona ahead 5-2.

Jupiter got a run back in the fifth on a groundout, but McElvain (3-3) was able to get through the inning, gritting out 5.0 innings of three-run ball, allowing six hits and two walks, while striking out five as he earned his third win.

In the bottom of the fifth, Daytona strung together three more tallies. Rodriguez singled, which was followed by a walk. Hunter reached on an infield single to score a run, with an error advancing the runners into scoring position. After a sacrifice fly from Cam Collier, a walk put runners on the corners. Acosta took off for second and Hunter broke for home on the throw down, beating the return home to steal home to put Daytona up 8-3.

Luis Mey came on in the sixth and allowed a run on an RBI double from Renny Hidalgo. However, Confidan got the run right back leading off the bottom of the sixth by unloading on a Juan Reynoso delivery and blasting it 438 feet to right center for his first home of the year, putting the Tortugas up 9-4.

Mey worked a scoreless seventh before handing things off to Easton Sikorski, who allowed two hits and a walk in the eighth, but worked out of it before tossing a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down the 9-4 victory.

The Tortugas will finish the series against the Hammerheads on Sunday evening. RHP Mason Pelio (1-2, 4.53) gets the ball for Daytona while Jupiter counters with LHP Eliezer Rodriguez (2023 debut). Tomorrow is a Shelldon’s Family Fun Day Sunday with postgame Kids Run the Bases. Gates open at 4:00 with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense begins at 4:45 from Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

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.