Rumberos Fall Short in Inaugural Copa Contest at The Jack

DAYTONA BEACH—Carlos Jorge stroked three hits and scored twice, but the Rumberos de Daytona came up just short in the first-ever Copa de la Diversion contest at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, falling 3-2 to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Friday night.

Fort Myers (11-8) struck out 14 Daytona hitters as Daytona (7-12) dropped a second one-run contest of the series, of which the Mighty Mussels have taken three of the first four games.

After a scoreless first, Ft. Myers broke the seal in the second frame. Carlos Aquiar led off with a triple to right. Daytona starter Nicolo Pinazzi struck out the next two batters, but Dylan Neuse came through with a two-out single to bring in Aguiar to put Ft. Myers in front 1-0. After two walks, Pinazzi was lifted for Zach Maxwell, who notched a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the frame.

In the third, Maxwell walked Andrew Cossetti with one down, who then came home on a double to right-center from Aguiar to put Fort Myers up 2-0.

In the fourth, Daytona put together a golden opportunity against Ft. Myers starter Zebby Matthews, as singles from Jorge and Leo Balcazar, plus a walk from Cade Hunter loaded the bases with no outs. Logan Tanner followed with a sac fly to right that scored Jorge and moved the tying run to third. However, Matthews buckled down with a strikeout and a lineout to keep the Ft. Myers lead at 2-1.

Maxwell settled down and fired two more scoreless frames, finishing a career-high 3.1-inning outing by striking out the side in the fifth, half of a total of six punchouts for the right-hander.

He departed for Ryan Cardona, who ran into trouble in the sixth. After a leadoff single, a passed ball put a runner at second foe Neuse, who lined his second RBI single of the night to put Fort Myers ahead 3-1.

The Rumberos, though, fought back. Jorge led off with a bunt single, stole second, and moved to third on a flyout. A groundout by Cade Hunter brought him home to cut the deficit to 3-2.

From there, Cardona threw scoreless seventh and eighth innings to keep the Mighty Mussels in check. On the other side, Daytona mounted a threat in the bottom of the eighth. Ariel Almonte drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Jorge’s third hit of the night.

Jackson Hicks then emerged from the pen, though, and struck out Balcazar and Hunter to end the threat. He then returned for the ninth and worked around a one-out single to secure the save, closing out a 3-2 win for Ft. Myers.

Game five of the series on Saturday night will feature our first bobblehead of the 2023 season, as the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Shelldon Jeep Beach bobblehead. First pitch is at 6:35 with gates opening at 5:30. RHP Arij Fransen (1-0, 7.56) will get the ball for Daytona against Fort Myers RHP Tomas Cleto (0-1, 2.57). Pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense 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.