Stewart Reaches Four Times, but 'Tugas Fade Late in Loss

LAKELAND, FL—Sal Stewart reached base four times and drove in a pair of runs, but the Lakeland Flying Tigers broke a tie with a trio of seventh-inning runs to take a 6-3 victory on Wednesday night at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lakeland (17-9, 43-48) earned their third straight victory, sending Daytona (11-13, 40-49) to their second straight defeat to open the series.

Daytona got off to a fast start in the top of the first. Victor Acosta led off the game with a single off Lakeland starter Carlos Marcano, moved to second on an errant pickoff, then scored on an RBI double from Stewart. Cam Collier followed with a single to right-center to score Stewart, staking the Tortugas to a 2-0 lead.

Daytona starter Jared Lyons, though, was greeted by back-to-back doubles from Seth Stephenson and Max Anderson, bringing in a quick run. After a groudout moved Anderson to third, a ground ball in a drawn-in infield saw Carlos Jorge throw out Anderson at the plate, keeping it a 2-1 game after the first.

After a scoreless second, Lyons ran into major trouble in the third. A hit batter was followed by a walk and a single to load the bases with no outs. Jose De La Cruz then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the tying run. Lyons, though, then struck out the next two batters before being lifted. Brett Lockwood then came on and picked up a strikeout with the bases loaded the end the frame, keeping it 2-2.

In the fourth, though, Lakeland pulled in front. With two outs, Stephenson singled. Anderson followed with a single to left, moving Stephenson to third. However, a bobble on the tail end of the play allowed Stephenson to come on an unearned tally, pushing the Flying Tigers in front 3-2.

Lockwood responded by working into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, but he escaped that with a bases-loaded strikeout as he struck out a season-high four batters while allowing just an unearned run over 2.1 innings. Luis Mey followed with a scoreless sixth frame.

On the other side, Marcano fired five scoreless frames to end his outing, working 6.0 innings of two-run ball before giving way to Chris Williams in the seventh. The Tortugas proceeded to loaded the bases with two outs on a hit batter, walk, and infield single. Stewart then drew a walk to force in the tying run, though Williams bounced back with a strikeout to end the inning, with the score now tied 3-3.

Lakeland, though, immediately regained the lead for good against Mey. Cristian Santana led off by blasting a 3-2 offering 398 feet over the left-field berm for a solo homer. A double and a pair of walks would follow, with a wild pitch bringing in a second run. Mey was then lifted for Joseph Menefee, who retired all three men he faced, but allowed an inherited runner to score on a groundout, as the Flying Tigers soared to a 6-3 lead.

Tanner Kohlhepp came on in the eighth as Daytona mounted a threat, with a one-out walk and single putting runners on the corners with one out. However, the right-hander struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.

A two-out walk was all Daytona could muster in the ninth as the Flying Tigers closed out a 6-3 win.

The Tortugas will play game three against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Thursday night. RHP Gabriel Aguilera (0-0, 0.00) will get the ball for Daytona while Lakeland’s starter is still to be announced. First pitch from Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland will be at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage with the voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 6:15 p.m. on the Tortugas Radio Network.

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.