Stovall Stellar, But Comeback Bid Falls Short 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—Peyton Stovall recorded the first three-hit game of his career, but the Daytona Tortugas came up just short in an attempt to erase a pair of five-run deficits as they fell 8-6 to the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Bradenton (24-38, 53-75) slugged four home runs to defeat Daytona (31-28, 62-63), though the Tortugas saw their magic number to clinch a playoff spot trimmed to two with a Jupiter Hammerheads loss tonight.

In the first inning, Bradenton took the lead against Daytona starter Ben Brutti. With one out, Keiner Delgado singled to left-center, then stole second. Esmerlyn Valdez then stepped up and crushed Brutti’s 1-2 pitch 440 feet to left-center for a two-run blast that put the Marauders in front 2-0.

An inning later, Bradenton tacked on to the lead. Jhonny Severino led off with a solo homer, then Andrew Patrick singled, stole second and third, then scored on a balk. After Carlos Caro walked, Will Taylor singled in a run, chasing Brutti with the Tortugas trailing 5-0.

In the bottom of the second, Daytona began a comeback effort. Ariel Almonte walked to begin the inning, then Jack Moss reached on an error. After a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, Almonte scored on a balk and Moss came home on a wild pitch, trimming the margin to 5-2.

Bradenton, however, found the longball again in the third. After Jimmy Romano recorded the first out, Ethan Lege drew a walk in front of Severino, who proceeded to crush his second home run of the night, a two-run shot to left that pushed Bradenton’s lead back to five runs.

Daytona, though, began chipping away once again. Stovall led off the third with a single, then Bradenton’s Luigi Rodriguez walked the next two to load the bases. He then issued a third straight walk to Ariel Almonte, forcing in a run. He then induced a double play, which brought in another run to make it 7-4.

After a scoreless fourth from Romano, who worked a career-high 2.2 innings, Yerlin Confidan walked with two outs and went to second on an errant pickoff. Stovall then ripped an RBI single to center, closing the gap to 7-5.

Stephen Quigley then entered and spun a scoreless fifth, setting the stage for the fifth, when a hit batter and a walk put two on in front of a throwing error that brought home Eddy Isturiz to make it 7-6.

After another scoreless frame from Quigley, Stovall led off the bottom of the sixth by greeting new pitcher Peyton Stumbo with a triple to right-center, his third hit of the game. However, Stumbo buckled down, inducing a shallow flyout, a strikeout, and a pop-up, as Daytona failed to push across the tying run.

In the seventh, Valdez led off and crushed a solo home run to left, becoming the second Marauder with a two-homer game on the night. Bradenton’s fourth round-tripper of the night made it 8-6 Marauders.

Stumbo then put the clamps on the Daytona offense. He erased a one-out single in the seventh with a double play, then struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth, before striking out the side in the ninth as he secured a four-inning save for the Marauders, who took an 8-6 victory.

The Tortugas will play game three against the Bradenton Marauders tomorrow night, which will be our final Taps and Tacos Thursday featuring half-priced draft beer and sodas and taco specials. Plus, it will be College Night for Bethune-Cookman students with free pizza and beer (21+) in the Budweiser Bullpen for two hours for just $11 for all BCU students. Gates will open at 5:30 with first pitch to follow at 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin at 6:20 p.m.