Stafura’s Slam, Reyes’ Big Night Lead 15-4 Rout

FT. MYERS, Fla—Sammy Stafura blasted a grand slam, Luis Reyes had three his and four RBI, and two others launched home runs as the Daytona Tortugas routed the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels 15-4 on Thursday night at Hammond Stadium.

Daytona (11-6, 42-41) pounded out 14 hits as they matched their season high in runs, winning their third straight to begin the series in Ft. Myers (11-6, 42-40) and their fifth straight overall, moving over .500 for the first time since May 19.

Ft. Myers took the lead in the bottom of the first against Daytona starter Ben Brutti in the first. The Mighty Mussels loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, infield hit, and hit batter, but a double play lightened the blow, while also scoring the first run. Rixon Wingrove then singled to left to bring in a second tally for a 2-0 lead.

Daytona, though, turned the tide immediately. After Ross Dunn labored through a long, but scoreless first, the Ft. Myers southpaw loaded the bases on a single and two walks, departing for Jack Noble. Stafura, though, greeted Noble with a grand slam to left, putting Daytona in front. Connor Burns then added a solo shot to right-center, with the back-to-back blasts putting the Tortugas in front 5-2.

GRAND SLAM SAMMY STAFURA! pic.twitter.com/kOP300vzpW

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) July 11, 2024

The Tortugas kept at it in the third. Taking advantage of three errors in the inning, Daytona scored three times as Reyes brought in Malvin Valdez on a bloop double, then came home on an error. Eddy Isturiz then roped a triple to left-center to make it 8-2, Daytona.

The fourth saw the lead grow even further. Burns and Yassel Pino began the inning with singles, then Burns scored on a double from Valdez. A sacrifice fly from Reyes made it 10-2, Tortugas.

Jorge Bonilla came on in the fifth and got the first two outs, but the Tortugas touched him up. Two walks brought up Pino, who blasted a three-run home run 409 feet to left, as the lead stretched to 13-2.

Brutti settled down after the first, navigating around three hits and a walk over the second through fourth frames, finishing 4.0 innings of two-run ball with three strikeouts. He then gave way to Dualvert Gutierrez who struck out two in 1-2-3 fifth to begin his night.

Gutierrez took the baton from there, allowing a solo home run to Carlos Aguiar in the sixth, but bouncing back with scoreless seventh and eighth frames.

Daytona added their last licks in the eighth as Reyes produced his third hit and second double of the night, a two-run two-bagger that gave him four RBI on the contest and with it, a 15-3 lead.

Gutierrez returned to finish off the game in the bottom of the ninth and was touched up for a run on a Byron Chourio single, but he finished the contest one batter later. Gutierrez (1-0) went the final 5.0 frames, allowing two runs and striking out a season-high six batters to cap off the 15-4 rout.

Daytona will play game four of the six-game series against the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels on Firday night. First pitch from Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers is at 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 6:50 p.m.