Hammerheads Run Away Late in 13-3 Rout

JUPITER, Fla—The Jupiter Hammerheads pounded out 13 runs and 17 hits as the Daytona Tortugas had no answers on the mound in a 13-3 defeat on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Jupiter (13-13, 49-43) scored in six of their eight innings at the plate as Daytona (14-9, 45-44) suffered their first double-digit loss of the season and allowed their most hits in a game this season.

In the first inning, Jupiter knocked around Daytona starter Jose Montero. With one out, three straight singles brought in a run as Kemp Alderman singled in the first run. A double followed to put runners on the corners for Junior Sanchez, who singled in two more runs to put Jupiter ahead 3-0.

An inning later, the Tortugas put up their first run against Jupiter starter Eliazar Dishmey. Ariel Almonte led off with a walk, then moved to third on a Connor Burns double. After a strikeout, Jack Moss rolled a ground ball to second, scoring Almonte to trim the deficit to 3-1.

Daytona had a chance to draw closer as Yerlin Confidan doubled with one out and moved to third on a wild pitch. However, a pair of strikeouts by Dishmey ended the inning. The Hammerheads then restored the three-run cushion with a two-out RBI single by John Cruz to go in front 4-1.

The Tortugas had an answer in the fourth. Almonte once more drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a groundout from Burns. With two outs, Moss stroked a single to right-center, extending his on-base streak to 13 games and scoring Almonte to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Once more, though, the Hammerheads had an answer. Jordan McCants led off the fourth with a triple to right, before two walks loaded the bases with no outs. Montero gave way to Nick Sando after a strikeout, and a bases-loaded walk began Sando’s outing. The lefty escaped without further damage, but Jupiter now was back up by three.

After a scoreless fifth, a pivotal sixth inning saw the Tortugas put their biggest threat together. A leadoff single from Ricardo Cabrera was followed by a walk, setting the table for Almonte, who blasted a booming ground-rule double to bring home a run. After a strikeout, a hit batter loaded the bases with one out. However, Jupiter’s Jack Sellinger came on and retired the next two batters and Daytona was turned back, still trailing 5-3.

At that point, the pendulum firmly swung Jupiter’s way. The Hammerheads loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and scored all three runners on a groundout and a two-run single by Alderman, stretching the lead to 8-3.

Jupiter stretched the lead with two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double from Colby Shade. The Hammerheads put the finishing touches on in the eighth, pounding out three more runs on four hits, before finishing off a 13-3 win in the ninth.

Daytona will play game three against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 6:15.