Tortugas Rally Early, But Go Quiet in 5-2 Loss

JUPITER, FL—The Daytona Tortugas strung together three third-inning doubles to take an early lead, but the bats went quiet and the Jupiter Hammerheads rallied for a 5-2 win on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Jupiter (20-15) held Daytona to just six hits on the night as Daytona (14-21) struggled to muster any offense aside from an early rally as they drop their second straight to open the series.

Both starters were excellent out of the gate, with neither allowing a hit over the first two innings. In the third, though, Daytona jumped on Jupiter lefty Cole Kirschsieper. With one out, Yassel Pino legged out a hustle double, then came home when Hector Rodriguez followed with a double. Carlos Jorge followed with a third consecutive double, driving in Rodriguez to stake Daytona to a 2-0 lead.

Hector Rodriguez gets the Tortugas on the board with an RBI double in the third! pic.twitter.com/RsVFsJuuaY

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) May 17, 2023

Carlos Jorge follows with his own RBI double, his sixth two-bagger of the season! It's 2-0 Daytona in the 3rd! pic.twitter.com/1kcJSk30OI

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) May 17, 2023

After retiring the first seven hitters, though, Bryce Hubbart ran into trouble for Daytona in the bottom of the third. After a single, back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Jordan McCants, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right to put the Hammerheads on the board.

An inning later, Jupiter pulled ahead. After a pair of leadoff walks, a double by Sam Praytor tied the game. Following a pop-up, Cristhian Rodriguez singled to left to bring home a second run, bringing Jupiter in front 3-2.

Brett Lockwood emerged from the bullpen to make his 2023 debut and got the final two outs of the fifth, leaving the bases loaded to keep it a one-run game. He then followed with a scoreless fifth, finishing the night with 1.2 scoreless frames.

After Arij Fransen threw a 1-2-3 sixth, Daytona had an opportunity to draw even in the seventh. Victor Acosta led off with a double off reliever Yeremin Lara, who entered after Kirschieper (5-1) worked 6.0 innings of two-run ball. However, a strikeout followed the double and Pino lined to third with Acosta being doubled off, ending the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Jupiter then got some breathing room against Fransen. A leadoff walk and a groundout preceded a bloop single to center from Javier Sanoja to bring in a run. After a wild pitch, Brett Roberts followed with a single up the middle to bring home Sanoja to extend the Hammerheads’ lead to 5-2.

Daytona failed to mount any meaningful rally the rest of the way, with their only other baserunner coming on a two-out single in the eighth. Evan Taylor came out of the ‘pen in the ninth and set the Tortugas down in order with a pair of strikeouts to end the contest.

The Tortugas will play game three in Jupiter on Thursday night. RHP Johnathan Harmon (2-1, 5.67) gets the ball for Daytona against LHP Cade Gibson (2-2, 3.34). First pitch is at 6:30 with pregame on the Tortugas Radio Network and Bally Live with the Voice of the Tortugas Brennan Mense at 6:15 from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

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.