Tarpons Drop Season Opener to the Flying Tigers, 7-4

TAMPA, Fla. - It was a beautiful night for Opening Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field, but the Tampa Tarpons (0-1) were unable to capture their first victory, dropping the season opener to the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 7-4. LHP Brock Selvidge (5.0IP, 7H, 5R, BB, 6K), who ranks within the Yankees’ top 30 prospects, received the Opening Day nod from Coach Rachel Balkovec. Selvidge (0-1) struggled early on, allowing five runs in five innings of work.

Seth Stephenson got the Flying Tigers (1-0) started early with a broken-bat single to lead off the game. Wenceel Pèrez kept the line moving with a bloop single to give Lakeland two runners on early in the frame. A funky play followed when 2B Dayro Perez dropped a line drive, which ended up resulting in a 4-6-3 double play anyway. With a runner on third, Selvidge struck out Jenkins to avoid some early trouble.

Christian Santana led off the second inning with a deep fly ball to center field that looked like it had a chance to get out, but CF Daury Arias settled under it to make the play at the warning track.

The Tarpons struck first in the bottom of the second. SS Jared Serna ripped a double down the left field line with one out to set up DH Omar Martinez, who crushed a two-run homer to left-center for the first Tarpons’ runs of the 2023 season. Lakeland starter Troy Melton settled down after that, striking out the next two.

Leading off the third, Jose De La Cruz smashed a ball to left field that he thought would clear the wall. While admiring his hit, the ball hit off the fence and De La Cruz settled for just a single. The Flying Tigers’ third base coach was irate about the lack of hustle, but it would not end up mattering all that much. After a walk to Stephenson, Pèrez laced a double over LF Felix Negueis’ head to pull Lakeland within one. With two runners in scoring position, Peyton Graham came through with some situational hitting as he grounded out to second base, plating the tying run. Speaking of “Flying” Tigers, Andrew Jenkins poked a triple down the right field line, and with his blazing speed he pulled into third base with an easy triple to give them a one-run lead.

Lakeland kept the offense coming in the fourth. To start the inning, Perez made a beautiful play, charging in on a ground ball and throwing off balance to get the runner. With the outfield playing shallow, Mike Rothenberg planted a double over Arias’ head in center field. He then advanced on a wild pitch. With the infield in, pinch hitter Carlos Pelegrin punched a ball past 3B Brenny Escanio to give Lakeland some cushion. After the single, Pelegrin swiped second base and advanced to third on a dropped third strike; Dominic Johnson also reached safely on an all-around sloppy play by Tampa. Pelegrin would come around to score on a 6-3 putout to give Lakeland the lead, 5-2.

Cris Williams Jr. (1-0) entered the game for the Flying Tigers in the bottom of the fifth and picked up where Melton left off. He retired the side while striking out two.

RHP Shane Gray entered the game in relief for the Tarpons and was immediately greeted with a line drive single to left, off the bat of Cristian Santana. Gray proceeded to strike out Sequera and Rothenberg. After a stolen base for Santana, Pelegrin came up clutch again and drove him in with a single of his own to left field.

Gregoris Chalas entered for Lakeland and found himself quickly in trouble, issuing a lead-off walk to Perez. Arias hit a no-doubter to dead center field to bring the Tarpons within two runs. The crowd roared after watching the ball bounce off the batter’s eye!

After a pitching change for the Tarpons, RHP Mason Vinyard took over and gave up a one-out double to Pèrez that reached the right field wall on one hop. Graham lifted a fly ball to center field, and Pèrez got to show off his wheels as he tagged up to third. Pèrez made it home on a passed ball by C Agustin Ramirez, stretching Lakeland’s lead to three.

Trevin Michael toed the rubber for Lakeland in the eighth, and with one out, Ramirez chopped a single over the pitcher’s head to reach on an infield hit. Michael bounced one in the dirt that allowed Ramirez to advance to second. The pitch clock became a factor in the inning when Arias hit what would have been an RBI single up the middle, but the home plate umpire, Isabella Robb, called an automatic ball, which resulted in a walk and brought Ramirez back to second base. After the walk, Tampa proceeded with back-to-back strikeouts which halted the rally.

A late bright spot for the Tarpons was relief pitcher RHP Manny Ramirez. He came in for the ninth and stuck out the side on 10 pitches.

The rally caps unfortunately did not work tonight for the Tarpons, who went down quietly to end the game.

The Tarpons will be back in action tomorrow night for game two of the series at GMS Field. RHP Sean Hermann is slated to make the start, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM.