Rodriguez, Collier, Stewart Power Tortuga Bats to 9-5 Victory

DAYTONA BEACH—Hector Rodriguez homered and finished a triple shy of the cycle, Cam Collier homered as well, and Sal Stewart drove in three runs to lead the Daytona Tortugas to a 9-5 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Daytona (19-25) is now assured of at least a split of the series with their third win of the set as they battered Lakeland (18-26) pitching for ten hits, half of which went for extra bases.

After a 1-2-3 first from Tanner Cooper, Daytona started off strong against Lakeland starter Max Green. Rodriguez extended his hit streak to ten games with a leadoff double. After a groundout moved him over, Stewart ripped an RBI single to right to put Daytona ahead 1-0.

Cooper fired scoreless second and third frames, with only a two-out single allowed in the third. In the bottom of the frame, Daytona put together their first big inning of the night.

Malvin Valdez reached on an error before Rodriguez walked. After a groundout moved both runners along, Stewart lined a double down the right field line to score both runners. Cade Hunter followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Daytona.

However, Lakeland was far from out of it. With two outs, Jose De La Cruz demolished a 459-foot home run to get the Flying Tigers on the board. After a walk, Abel Bastidas tripled home a run and scored on a Dominic Johnson RBI single. Suddenly it was 4-3 Daytona.

Joseph Menefee, though, came on and steadied the ship in the fifth. Though he did hit a batter, the lefty was otherwise perfect in the inning, striking out a pair of batters. Menefee (4-1) earned the win in his return from the injured list.

The Tortugas followed by adding on to the lead. Rodriguez singled to begin the inning, then scored when Collier lined a home run 360 feet down the right-field line. After two singles, an error brought home Hunter to restore the four-run advantage at 7-3.

Once more, though, Lakeland fought back. Ryan Cardona entered in the sixth and surrendered two singles and balked both runners over to begin the inning. A groundout followed to bring in a run, snapping a 17.0-inning scoreless streak for Cardona. A sacrifice fly from Johnson followed to bring in a second runner, trimming the gap to 7-5.

Daytona, though, went back to the longball to re-establish the four-run cushion in the sixth. After a leadoff walk from Valdez, Rodriguez connected for his third hit of the night: a two-run homer to right that traveled 374 feet. His seventh longball of the season pushed the lead back to 9-5.

At that point, Cardona settled down, allowing just one baserunner, a walk in the eighth, over his final three innings. He finished off the final six hitters in order, polishing off a 4.0-inning effort that earned him his second save as he closed out a 9-5 win.

The Tortugas finish the series against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Sunday evening. LHP Bryce Hubbart (0-1, 4.05) will get the ball for Daytona against Lakeland RHP Ulices Campos (0-4, 10.88). Tomorrow is Shelldon’s Family Fun Day featuring a team photo giveaway. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with first pitch at 5:00 p.m. Pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 4:45 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.