Pino's Homer, Stewart's Big Day Leads Tortugas Past Jupiter
JUPITER, FL—Yassel Pino launched his first home run of the season and Sal Stewart reached base four times, scored three times, and stole a pair of bases as the Daytona Tortugas defeated the Jupiter Hammerheads 9-4 on Saturday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Daytona (16-22) took advantage of nine
JUPITER, FL—Yassel Pino launched his first home run of the season and Sal Stewart reached base four times, scored three times, and stole a pair of bases as the Daytona Tortugas defeated the Jupiter Hammerheads 9-4 on Saturday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Daytona (16-22) took advantage of nine walks and five errors committed by Jupiter (21-17) as Daytona earned the victory despite going 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position.
In the first inning, Daytona took advantage of a bout of wildness from Jupiter starter Jhoniel Serrano. The Jupiter right-hander issued four consecutive walks, with a free pass to Yerlin Confidan bringing home Stewart with the game’s first run.
The Tortugas left the bases loaded and stranded a pair in the second, but were finally able to break through in big fashion against Serrano in the third. After a walk and single opened the inning, Ariel Almonte ripped a two-run double just inside the right-field foul line. Pino followed with a ground ball that slipped under second baseman Jordan McCants’ glove for an error to bring in another run. Another error proceeded to bring in a fourth run, putting Daytona ahead 5-0
After a couple of scoreless innings from Daytona starter Mason Pelio, though, Jupiter began chipping away in the third. Two walks led to a Javier Sanoja RBI single. An inning later, Jupiter got more good swings in off Pelio, starting the inning with consecutive hits before a groundout brought in one run and a Torin Montgomery double closed the gap to 5-3. After a two-out walk, Pelio was relieved for Easton Sikorski, who earned a strikeout with two on to end the inning.
Daytona was able to stop the bleeding in the fifth as Pino stepped up to the plate with one out and jumped on a first pitch fastball and deposited it over the left field for a 392-foot solo homer, his first round-tripper of the season to put Daytona ahead 6-3.
Bon voyage for @yasselpino! He launches his first homer of the year 392 feet to get a run back!
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) May 20, 2023
6-3 Daytona at the midway point of this one pic.twitter.com/WhK6eEomcx
Jupiter, though, again fought back in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff single from McCants and a wild pitch set the stafe for Brett Roberts, who lined an RBI single to close the gap to 6-4. However, Sikorski picked off Roberts to end the inning, which marked a shift in the momentum.
In the seventh, a pair of walks came against Manuel Medina with one out. Stewart and Cam Collier then pulled off a double steal. On a chopper to first, a low throw home allowed a run to score and Collier to advance. Collier then came home when Confidan reached on a chopper back to the mound that eventually resulted in two more errors, the last of five committed by Jupiter. Daytona was now in front 8-4.
Sikorski (3-1) threw a scoreless sixth, finishing of 2.1 innings of one-run relief that left him in line for the victory. Jacob Heatherly followed with a scoreless seventh, navigating a pair of walks while striking out a pair.
In the eighth, Daytona added one more as Stewart singled and Collier doubled, then Confidan followed with a groundout to second to drive in his third run of the game—all without a hit.
With a 9-4 lead, Zach Maxwell threw the final two innings. He allowed a one-out double in each inning, but nothing more, as he eclipsed 100 MPH twice and struck out Jorge Caballero to nail down the victory.
The Tortugas will finish the series in Jupiter on Sunday afternoon. RHP Tanner Cooper (1-1, 2.13) gets the ball for Daytona against RHP Collin Lowe (2-1, 5.70). First pitch is at noon with pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 11:45 from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
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.