Ninth-Inning Push Comes Up Just Short in 2-1 Defeat

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—The Daytona Tortugas scored a run in the ninth and had the tying run at third, but the Jupiter Hammerheads turned back the rally as Daytona fell 2-1 in the series finale on Sunday evening at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Jupiter (30-21) took five of the six games of the series as Daytona (23-28) finished a season-long 12-game homestand going just 4-8.

After a 1-2-3 top of the first by Ben Brutti, Daytona mounted a two-out threat in the first as Carter Graham singled, then went to third on a ground-rule double by Esmith Pineda. Connor Burns then lifted a drive to left-center, but it died on the warning track to end the inning.

Brutti worked around a one-out bunt single in unusual fashion in the second. After a fielder’s choice recorded the second out, John Cruz stole second, but Burns’ throw sailed into center field. Trey Faltine, though, threw out Cruz trying to advance to third, ending the inning.

Brutti settled in after that, retiring six of seven batters faced over third and fourth frames as he worked 4.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two while hitting a batter. He then handed things off to Nick Sando in the fifth.

Brooks also was dialed in, retiring ten straight batters through the end of the fourth inning. In the fifth, though, Malvin Valdez led off with an infield single, then stole second. A groundball moved him to third with one down, but Brooks buckled down and picked up a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning, keeping the score tied.

Sando worked 1-2-3 fifth and sixth innings, but in the seventh, Jupiter pulled in front. Jesus Hernandez led off with a double, then moved to third on an infield single. Brock Vradenburg followed with a chopper to second and Daytona elected to take the 4-6-3 double play, allowing Hernandez to score the first run of the ballgame.

Brooks (4-1) departed after 6.0 scoreless innings for Jupiter, handing the 1-0 lead off to Yeuris Jimenez, who spun a 1-2-3 seventh.

He then gave way to Caleb Wurster in the eighth, who began the inning with a strikeout, but Faltine walked, then moved to second on an errant pickoff throw. A groundball to short followed, in which Faltine was caught in a rundown, but evaded a tag back to second, allowing Johnny Ascanio to reach.

Jack Sellinger then entered on the mound and Faltine and Ascanio immediately pulled off a double steal to put runners at second and third with one down. However, Sellinger struck out the next two batters to end the threat and keep Jupiter ahead by a run.

In the top of the ninth, Sando (2-1) returned for a career-high fifth inning of work in the ninth and recorded the first out, but a throwing error put Hernandez at second. After a walk, both runners pulled off a double steal, putting two men in scoring position for Vradenburg, whose chopper to first was too slow to record a play at the plate, allowing Hernandez to score to double the lead to 2-0.

Sellinger returned in the bottom of the ninth, but hit Graham to begin the inning. With one out, Burns boomed a ground-rule double to put two in scoring position with one out. Malvin Valdez followed with a ground ball to short to score Graham to cut the lead to one run. Yassel Pino then drew a walk to put two men on, but Sellinger picked up a strikeout to end the game as Jupiter held on for a 2-1 victory.

The Tortugas will have Monday off before hitting the road to take on the St. Lucie Mets beginning on Tuesday evening. Starters for both teams are still to be determined. First pitch from Clover Park in Port St. Lucie is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with Brennan Mense beginning at 5:55 p.m.