Harmon's Strong Start For Naught as Lead Slips Away in 9th

DAYTONA BEACH—Johnathan Harmon threw 5.0 innings of one-hit ball, but the Daytona Tortugas let a three-run lead slip away as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels rallied for three in the ninth to win 5-4 over the Tortugas on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Fort Myers (9-7) scored four of their five runs in the final two frames to send Daytona (6-10) to a gut-wrenching loss to open the homestand, the 10^th defeat in the last 11 games for the Tortugas.

After Johnathan Harmon began the night with a 1-2-3 first, Daytona jumped in front right away. Ft. Myers southpaw Develson Aria walked the first two batters in the first. After a strikeout, Logan Tanner lined a 1-0 pitch into the left field corner for an RBI double. Aria struck out the next batter, but Ariel Almonte came through with a two-run single through the left side to put Daytona ahead 3-0.

In the second, Andrew Cossetti led off with a double down the third-base line for the Mighty Mussels, then moved to third and scored on successive flyouts to right, trimming the Daytona lead to 3-1.

From there, Harmon took over for Daytona. While he was not overpowering, striking out only two, Harmon did now allow a hit after the Cossetti double. He proceeded to set down 12 of the last 13 men he faced, with the only runner reaching on an error.

Harmon went 5.0 innings, allowing just the one run on one hit, with no walks and two strikeouts.

In the meantime, his offense scraped together another run of him in the bottom of the fourth inning. Malvin Valdez led off with a double off the wall in left-center. However, two strikeouts had the Tortugas in danger of wasting it. But, Valdez went to third on a balk and Leo Balcazar beat out a roller to third, scoring Valdez to put Daytona ahead 4-1.

In the sixth, Kevin Abel, making his season debut, relieved Harmon and issued a walk and a single, but a double play helped him work out of the inning. In the seventh, a double and error put runners at the corners with no outs, but he struck out the next three batters to end the frame.

In the eighth, though, he was not as lucky. A one-out single and stolen base put Jorel Ortega at second with two outs. Ricardo Oliver came through with a single to score Ortega, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Abel gave way to Zach Maxwell, who got the third out with little trouble.

In the ninth, Maxwell returned looking for a save, but trouble came immediately. A bloop double and a walk put two on for Rubel Cespedes, who singled up the middle, cutting the lead to one while moving the tying run to third with no outs. After a strikeout, Dylan Neuse then singled through the left side of a drawn-in infield, tying the game and moving the go-ahead run to third. Maxwell struck out Ortega, but Danny De Andrade looped a single to shallow right that brought in pinch-runner Luis Baez to put Fort Myers ahead 5-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Victor Acosta led off with a bunt single, but Gabriel Yanez picked him off first, then retired the last two hitters to end the game, closing out a 5-4 win for Fort Myers.

The Tortugas will play game two against Fort Myers on Wednesday night. It will be Belly Buster Wednesday with all-you-can-eat hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, and Marcos Pizza, plus a 50-50 raffle for Wishful Wedndesday. First pitch is at 6:35 with gates opening at 5:30. RHP Kenya Huggins (0-1, 11.25) will get the ball for Daytona against Fort Myers RHP Cory Lewis (2-1, 3.77). Pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 6:20 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.