Stewart's Big Night, Go-Ahead Homer Pace 'Tugas Fifth Straight Win

TAMPA, FL—Sal Stewart hit a go-ahead homer amidst a three-hit, three-RBI night as the Daytona Tortugas rallied from two runs down to win their fifth straight game, defeating the Tampa Tarpons 6-4 on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Daytona (5-0, 34-36) has now won five straight games for the third time this season, including the beginning of both halves, using a 14-hit barrage to defeat Tampa (2-3, 33-38) for a second straight night.

Both teams recorded baserunners in the first two frames, but both starters were able to work out of trouble.

However, in the third, Daytona put together a rally with one out against Tampa starter Brock Selvidge. Carlos Jorge singled, Stewart walked, and Jorge then stole third. Cade Hunter followed with an RBI single to score Jorge with the game’s first run. After an error loaded the bases, a wild pitch brought home Stewart to put Daytona ahead 2-0. However, the inning ended when a sharp line drive was snagged and turned into a double play, foreshadowing the next two innings.

Arij Fransen turned around picked up the first two outs in the third, but a double to Omar Martinez was followed by a 365-foot rocket off the bat of Daury Arias over the right field wall for a game-tying two-run home run.

In the fourth, Daytona again fell victim to bad luck, but also great defense, as a drive to deep right by Logan Tanner was pulled back over the wall by right fielder Taylor Aguilar, who doubled a runner off first, turning a potential two-run homer into a double play.

To add insult to injury, after a one-out double by Jake Palmer, Jared Serna hit a two-out bloop down the right field line that dropped in between three Tortugas for a double to put Tampa on top 3-2.

An inning later, two leadoff walks chased Fransen, who was followed by Frainger Aranguren. The righty was greeted by a single to load the bases, followed by a grounder which scored a run. However, another groundout against a drawn-in infield and a flyout limited the damage to one run, with Tampa now in front 4-2.

After a scoreless sixth from Jacob Heatherly, Daytona found their power stroke from Wednesday night. With one out, Hector Rodriguez ripped a drive over the wall in right-center field for his 13^th home run of the season. After Jorge was plunked, Stewart stepped up and crushed a drive the other way to right-center that cleared the fence 382 feet away for his fourth homer in five games, a two-run shot that put Daytona in front 5-4.

In the process, Stewart also extended his streak of games with an RBI to eight, the longest by a Daytona player since 2010.

Heatherly (4-3) followed with another scoreless frame, putting him in line for his third straight victory by striking out four over 2.0 scoreless frames. Luis Mey in the eighth put that in jeopardy by walking the first two batters in the eighth, but a 6-4-3 double play and a strikeout put an end to that threat.

In the ninth, Daytona added key insurance against Adam Stone. Jorge stroked his third hit of the night with one out, stole second, and moved to third on a balk. Stewart followed with his third hit, a single off the glove of second baseman Brenny Escanio for his third RBI of the night, extending the lead to 6-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Easton Sikorski came on and started off his outing with a strikeout, but a pair of singles put the tying run on base. After a flyout, a walk loaded the bases with two outs for Palmer. However, Palmer hit a chopper to short that Victor Acosta scooped up and tagged second base for a fielder’s choice, ending the game to secure Daytona’s fifth straight win, 6-4.

The Tortugas will play game three against the Tampa Tarpons on Friday night. Daytona will send RHP Johnathan Harmon (3-4, 5.03) to the mound opposite RHP Hayden Merda ( for Tampa. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense begins at 6:15 from George M. Steinbrenner Field.

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.