Tortugas Punch Playoff Ticket Amidst Suspended Game

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—The Bradenton Marauders stormed in front with a five-run third in what was scheduled to be a Friday night doubleheader, but the Daytona Tortugas were the ones celebrating as a Jupiter Hammerheads loss sent Daytona to the postseason amidst a rain-soaked night that saw game one suspended and game two cancelled.

The suspended first game will be played to its seven-inning conclusion beginning at 5:00 on Saturday with a seven-inning second game to follow approximately 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

The doubleheader started 1 hour, 43 minutes late due to rain. Once the game got underway, Bradenton took the lead in the first inning when Esmerlyn Valdez blasted a 2-2 pitch from Daytona strater Juan Martinez 419 feet over the center field wall for a solo homer. In the bottom of the inning, though, two walks and an infield single against Bradenton starter Antwone Kelly loaded the bases for Jack Moss, who lifted a sacrifice fly to left that tied the game at one.

Daytona threatened with two hits and a walk in the second, but a rundown between third and home ended the inning, costing the Tortugas a potential bases-loaded opportunity.

In the third, Bradenton broke the game open. Shalin Polanco put the Marauders back in front with a two-run triple before Valdez drove him in with a sacrifice fly. Jhonny Severino then cracked a 405-foot drive to left-center that cleared the fence for a solo home run. Still not finished, Axiel Plaz doubled then scored on a bloop single from Yordany De Los Santos. Five runs on five hits gave the Marauders a 6-1 lead.

Daytona, though, immediately went right back to work. Singles from Peyton Stovall and Moss bracketed around a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Esmith Pineda then hit a drive to left-center that a stiff cross-breeze knocked down, though it went for a sacrifice fly to score a run. However, the Tortugas could not draw any closer in the inning as Bradenton’s advantage was sliced to 6-2.

After a scoreless fourth from JP Ortiz, the umpires sent the teams off the field in the middle of the fourth as the game entered a weather delay shortly before 8:00 p.m.

Over the ensuing hour and a half, Daytona watched intently from the clubhouse as the Palm Beach Cardinals eliminated the Jupiter Hammerheads from the Florida State League East Division second half race, handing Daytona their first playoff berth since 2018.

Shortly after the conclusion of the Palm Beach-Jupiter contest, Daytona’s contest was officially suspended at 9:40, with the second game declared a wash.

Tomorrow we will celebrate Tortugas and 2024 National League All-Star Elly De La Cruz with a bobblehead giveaway for the first 1,000 fans through the gates. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. ahead of the 5:00 resumption of Friday’s game. Pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network and MiLB.tv/Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will begin at 4:50 p.m.

Game one of the FSL East Division playoffs against the Palm Beach Cardinals will be held at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Tuesday, September 10 at 6:35 p.m. with games two and three (if necessary) held at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Tickets to Tuesday's game can be purchased online HERE or at the Tortugas box office.