Rodriguez's Homer, Abel's Gem Highlight 7-2 Victory

DAYTONA BEACH—Hector Rodriguez swatted his 11^th home run of the season, Kevin Abel threw a career-high 5.0 innings to earn the win, and the Daytona Tortugas scored six runs over the fourth and fifth frames to pull away from the Jupiter Hammerheads 7-2 on Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Daytona (26-35) pounded out 12 hits to even the series as Jupiter (33-28) was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position as the Tortugas stepped up in key spots.

For the third night in a row, the Hammerheads jumped out to a first-inning lead. Jordan McCants led off the game with a triple to left off Abel, before two walks loaded the bases with no outs. A double play brought in a run, but also muted the chances of a big inning, and Abel finished off the frame with just the one run allowed.

Jake Eder got the ball for Jupiter and was sharp early on, holding the Tortugas to just a walk and an infield single over the first three innings.

In the fourth, Abel’s first pitch of the inning was lined over the right-field wall for a solo home run by Jorge Caballero, a 370-foot shot that extended the Jupiter lead to 2-0.

However, the Tortugas woke up against Eder in the bottom of the frame. Sal Stewart led off with a single and stole second, then came home on a Yassel Pino RBI double. Two batters later, a bloop single from Logan Tanner tied the game. Yerlin Confidan followed with a bullet off the wall in left-center that brought home a pair of runners, pushing Daytona in front 4-2.

An inning later, the Tortugas tacked on two more. Rodriguez led off the inning by elevating an 0-2 curveball from Manuel Medina and depositing it over the right-field wall for his 11^th home run of the season. Daytona wasn’t done, though, as Stewart and Cam Collier singled immediately after. Pino then rolled a ground ball to short, but it was thrown into right field, scoring Stewart to put Daytona ahead 6-2.

Abel (1-1) finished a career-high 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. He then handed things off to Johnathan Harmon to begin the sixth.

Harmon allowed three baserunners over his first two innings, but managed to escape trouble both times, thanks in part to a diving stop from Carlos Jorge with two men on to end the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Daytona tacked on one more run as Pino singled, was replaced at first on a fielder’s choice by Johnny Ascanio, then Tanner lined his second RBI single of the night to make it 6-2.

Harmon returned and fired a 1-2-3 eighth before issuing a leadoff walk in the ninth. He buckled down, though, inducing a flyout before spearing a comebacker to start a 1-6-3 double play to wrap up a 7-2 victory.

The Tortugas will play game five against the Hammerheads on Saturday night. RHP Chris McElvain (2-3, 2.78) will get the ball for Daytona against Jupiter RHP Karson Milbrandt (2-2, 5.32) Tomorrow the Tortugas will celebrate the 45^th anniversary of the iconic musical with “Grease”-inspire Pink Shelly bobbleheads for the first 1,000 fans. Gates open at 5:30 with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense begins at 6:20 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.