Hunter's Homer Ties it in Ninth as 'Tugas Steal Ten-Inning Win
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Cade Hunter hit a game-tying three-run home run in the ninth and the Daytona Tortugas followed with four more in the tenth to swipe a 7-3 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Friday night at Clover Park. Daytona (23-32) rallied from a multi-run deficit for the
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Cade Hunter hit a game-tying three-run home run in the ninth and the Daytona Tortugas followed with four more in the tenth to swipe a 7-3 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Friday night at Clover Park.
Daytona (23-32) rallied from a multi-run deficit for the second time this series and earned a final-inning comeback win for the fourth time this season, evening up the series with St. Lucie (18-36) at two wins apiece.
Daytona did nothing in the first two innings against St. Lucie starter Douglas Orellana. In the second, though, St. Lucie threatened against Daytona starter Bryce Hubbart. After a one-out single, back-to-back walks with two outs loaded the bases. However, Wilfredo Lara grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat, keeping the game scoreless.
In the third, St. Lucie again threatened, as a single and walk put two on with no outs. A flyout to left was deep enough for both runners to tag and advance into scoring position. Hubbart, though, struck out the following hitter before inducing a flyout to center to escape trouble once again.
An inning, later, though, St. Lucie finally broke through. Leading off the inning, Jose Hernandez swatted a solo homer to left to put the Mets on top 1-0.
On the other side, Orellana set down the first ten men he faced. Carlos Jorge walked to break up that string in the fourth, only to be immediately picked off. Orellana worked around another walk in the fifth as he took his no-hit bid into the sixth inning.
The St. Lucie right-hander set down the first two batters in the sixth and jumped ahead of Hector Rodriguez 1-2. However, Rodriguez rifled a triple off the wall in right-center for Daytona’s first hit. Orellana, though, struck out Jorge to end the threat, as well as his night, after 6.0 innings of one-hit baseball.
Arij Fransen came out of the Daytona bullpen and worked scoreless fifth and sixth innings, but wobbled in the seventh. After two leadoff walks, Jacob Reimer singled through the left side to bring in a run. Yeral Martinez followed with a sacrifice fly to score another tally to put St. Lucie in front 3-0.
Entering the ninth, Daytona had just the one hit, but against Mets reliever Miguel Alfonseca, fortunes quickly changed. Yerlin Confidan led off with a single, then after a fielder’s choice, Jorge walked to bring Hunter to the plate. On a 2-2 pitch, Hunter blasted a ball 411 feet to center that initially was ruled in play, but quickly overturned to home run, a three-run shot that tied the game at three apiece.
WOW! @cadehunter17 ties the game in the 9th with a 3-run blast to center!
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) June 10, 2023
It's 3-3 and we're still hitting in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/IJAupfMpNw
Zach Maxwell (2-2) followed a 1-2-3 eighth with a scoreless ninth, striking out four over 2.0 shutout frames to set up the winning rally.
In the tenth, Daytona battered Joe Joe Rodriguez. The St. Lucie righty threw a wild pitch, which was followed by a Yassel Pino RBI single. Following a walk, Hector Rodriguez drove a ball deep to right-center that was nearly caught, but fell for a long single to bring home a second run. On a stolen base attempt, an errant throw then brought home Confidan with third run. With the bases loaded, Ariel Almonte put the icing on top with an RBI single up the middle. Hunter was thrown out at the plate on the play, but the damage was more than done, as Daytona now led 7-3 after a four-run frame.
The game-winning rally, a thread:
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) June 10, 2023
First, a @yasselpino RBI single pic.twitter.com/J2p4zU48zT
Luis Mey came on to finish the game and recorded a first-pitch pop-up, but then followed with two walks to load the bases alongside the automatic runner. However, the righty buckled down with a strikeout before fielding a comebacker which he ran to first himself to end the game, nailing down the comeback 7-3 win.
The Tortugas will play game five against the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday night. RHP Johnathan Harmon (2-3, 5.98) will get the ball for Daytona opposite RHP Jordany Ventura (2-1, 5.67) for St. Lucie. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. with pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 5:55 from Clover Park.
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.