Rodriguez, Hensey's Big Nights Not Enough as Tortugas Fall 7-5

BRADENTON—Hector Rodriguez homered and drove in three runs and Rob Hensey did not allow an earned run in 5.0 innings in relief, but seven errors by the Tortuga defense doomed Daytona as the ‘Tugas fell 7-5 to the Bradenton Marauders to open a six-game road trip Tuesday night at LECOM Park.

Daytona (5-5) now has dropped five straight following their 5-0 start to the season as they suffered their first road setback on the season. Bradenton (6-4) earned their fourth consecutive win, pounding out 12 hits in the contest.

The game got off to an ominous start in the first inning as the Marauders scored two runs in the first off Daytona starter Arij Fransen, which included a pair of errors in the frame. The second was no better as the Marauders added two more runs, in the process chasing Fransen after 1.2 innings.

Trailing 4-0, the Tortugas mounted a rally in the third. After a leadoff single, an errant throw on a potential double-play ball instead put two men aboard. A single then loaded the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Logan Tanner came through with a two-run single down the right-field line. A hit batter then re-loaded the bases for Rodriguez, who lined a two-run hit of his own to center, tying the game at four apiece.

However, Bradenton immediately responded in the bottom of the frame against Joseph Menefee. Two more runs came home for the Marauders, in part due to two more miscues by the Daytona defense, putting Bradenton back in front by a 6-4 margin.

In the fourth, Hensey came on for the Tortugas and got off to a rocky start, allowing a pair of hits in his first inning and being the victim of two additional errors behind him. One run scored, but Hensey picked up a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the inning and limit the damage, trailing 7-4.

At that point, both pitching staffs settled down. The Tortugas went down in order in the fourth and fifth inning, but broke that string in the sixth when Rodriguez connected with one out in the sixth inning, just clearing the center-field wall for a solo home run, trimming the deficit to 7-5.

HECTOR RODRIGUEZ LEAVES DEAD CENTER! A solo shot trims the deficit to 7-5 in the 6th! pic.twitter.com/U455tNxoGm

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) April 19, 2023

Hensey stabilized the pitching side for the Tortugas in excellent fashion, retiring 12 of his final 14 hitters as he did allow a run over the final four innings as he went 5.0 innings in relief, the longest outing for any Tortuga pitcher this season.

On the other side, though, the Daytona offense dried up in the later innings. The Rodriguez homer turned out to be the only hit for the Tortugas in the final six innings. Daytona did draw a walk in both the eighth and ninth innings, but failed to turn either of those into a rally as they fell 7-5.

The Tortugas will have Monday off before travelling to Bradenton for a six-game series against the Marauders beginning Tuesday. RHP Lyon Richardson (0-0, 1.50) gets the ball for Daytona against Bradenton RHP Wilber Dotel (0-0, 8.10). 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 a.m. from LECOM Park in Bradenton.

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.