Tortugas Break Scoreless Tie With Six-Run Tenth, Win 6-1

TAMPA, FL—The Daytona Tortugas broke a scoreless tie with a six-run tenth inning to defeat the Tampa Tarpons 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field, securing their third straight series victory in the process.

Daytona (7-1, 36-37) has now won four of five games in the series after improving to 5-1 in extra-inning affairs. The Tortugas outlasted Tampa in a bizarre game where both teams walked nine batters and left 12 men on base, yet failed to score in regulation.

In the first two frames, both teams extracted multiple walks but failed to score. Daytona drew a pair of one-out walks off Tampa starter Justin Lange in the second, but a double play ball wiped out a potential rally.

In the bottom of the inning, Daytona starter Mason Pelio issued three walks, but a fielder’s choice ended the inning, with the right-hander escaping the threat with no runs.

Daytona mounted a threat in the third with a walk and a Hector Rodriguez single putting two men aboard for Carlos Jorge, but a groundout earned Lange a third scoreless frame.

Tampa responded with a threat of their own in the fourth, with a one-out double from Jesus Rodriguez and a walk putting two on with one down. However, the Tortugas turned a bizarre double play, with a fielder’s choice resulting in an out at second. However, Jorge threw behind the runner Rodriguez at third, who was caught in a rundown and tagged out at home, ending the inning on a 4-6-5-2 twin killing.

In the fifth, Daytona mounted a two-out threat against Lange. Three consecutive walks loaded the bases for Jorge, who worked a 2-0 count. However, on that pitch, Jorge flew to center, ending the inning.

Tampa, meanwhile, began another threat against Pelio with a one-out double from Beau Brewer. A two-out walk spelled the end for Pelio, who gutted through 4.2 shutout innings despite a half-dozen walks. Brody Jessee came on and walked the first man he faced, but picked up a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the inning.

An inning later, Tampa again loaded the bases. This time, a walk, double, and hit batter loaded them up with one down against Jessee. However, a 4-3 double play off the bat of Beau Brewer sent things to the seventh still scoreless.

Daytona put together another attempt at a rally on a catcher’s interference and a two-out walk. Ocean Gabonia came on and threw one pitch to Yassel Pino, who drilled a line drive to left-center, but center fielder Daury Arias made a sliding catch to keep Daytona off the board.

Luis Mey worked around two walks in the seventh before handing things off to Frainger Aranguren in the eighth. He allowed a two-out single, but nothing more. In the ninth, Aranguren surrendered a leadoff single, but erased it on a 6-4-3 double play, which was followed by an inning-ending strikeout to send this one to extras still tied at zero.

In the tenth, Daytona finally broke the stalemate. With the automatic runner, Jorge reached on a catcher’s interference to begin the inning. Pino followed with a line drive into left-center for an RBI double to score Rodriguez for the first run. Cam Collier followed with a two-run double to left. After a strikeout, two walks loaded the bases for Logan Tanner, who dumped a bloop single to left that scored two more runs. Victor Acosta then finished off the rally with an RBI single to right, capping off an inning where Daytona batted around and scored six times.

In the bottom of the tenth, Aranguren allowed the automatic runner to score on a one-out error, but he rebounded by inducing a 3-6-3 double play to end the game, as the fifth twin killing of the day for the Tortugas capped off a 6-1, 10-inning victory.

The Tortugas will finish the series against the Tampa Tarpons on Monday night. Daytona’s starter is still to be announced, while Tampa will go with RHP Baron Stuart (1-5 5.59). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. 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.