Daytona holds off late Lakeland push, 6-4

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Daytona celebrated Independence Day in style on Sunday night. SS Ivan Johnson and 2B Brandon Leyton each clocked solo home runs, as the Tortugas held off a late rally from the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 6-4, before 2,141 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The Tortugas (25-29) held a 4-1 lead through five, but Lakeland (17-35) began to chip away in the sixth. 3B Nick Quintana (1-5, RBI, 2 SO), 2B Colt Keith (2-4, R, SO), and 1B Jake Holton (1-2, 2 BB) each singled with one out in the frame to load the bases. Following a fielder’s choice to get the force at home, a wild pitch scored Keith to pull the Flying Tigers within two, 4-2.

In the seventh, the visitors evened the tide. DH Álvaro González (2-4, R, BB, 2 SO) singled up the middle and SS Gage Workman (1-3, R, 2B, BB) doubled to right to set up men at second and third with nobody out. Consecutive ground outs to second from RF Jimmy Kerr (0-5, 2 RBI) and Quintana brought home both runners to tie the game at four.

LF Leo Seminati (1-3, 2 R, 2B, SO) ignited a rally for the Tortugas in the bottom of the seventh with a high-arcing fly ball that dropped into an empty patch of turf in shallow left-center. The 22-year-old slid into second with a leadoff double before advancing to third on a ground out to right side of the infield. CF Ranser Amador (0-2, 2 RBI, SO) would loft a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Seminati, to put Daytona back ahead, 5-4.

Leyton (1-4, R, HR, RBI, SO) followed with the bags empty and proceeded to wallop a 2-2 offering beyond the batting cages in left for a solo home run. The León, Nicaragua native’s third home run of the season extended the ‘Tugas advantage to a deuce, 6-4.

From that point forward, Lakeland’s offense was stifled. RHP Manuel Cachutt (2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 3 SO) stayed on for the eighth after giving up a pair in the seventh and struck out the side in order, earning his second win of the series and the season.

RHP Stevie Branche (1.0 IP) emerged for the ninth and slammed the door shut. The New Paltz, N.Y. native dispatched the Flying Tigers in order to seal his third save of the season.

Lakeland jumped out an early 1-0 lead in the first, as CF Victor Reyes (0-2, R, BB, SO) walked and scored on a ground out to first by Kerr.

Daytona’s offense sprung to life in the fourth. Johnson (1-4, R, HR, RBI, 2 SO) broke up a streak of 10-straight batters retired to begin the game by depositing a solo home run beyond the right-center field fence. His third long ball of the campaign tied it at one. 1B Michel Triana (1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2 SO) walked, took second on an errant pickoff throw, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a grounder to first from RF Austin Hendrick (0-4, RBI, 2 SO).

An inning later, C Daniel Vellojín (1-3, R, 2 SO) began with a single and scooted to second a wild pitch. After Seminati reached on catcher’s interference, 3B Debby Santana (1-3, RBI) stung a single back through the middle to chase home another tally and push the lead to 3-1. Amador subsequently delivered a run-producing grounder to third, making it 4-1.

Neither starter factored into the decision on Sunday. RHP Miguel Medrano (4.0 IP, H, R, ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) allowed just one hit and one run over four innings for Daytona, while Lakeland's RHP Joseph Salazar (4.0+ IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, BB, 6 SO) punched out six.

RHP Dario Gardea (3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 SO) yielded two runs over three innings, suffering his first defeat of the campaign for the Flying Tigers.

Following a league-wide off day on Monday, the Tortugas will hit the road to open up a six-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads, Low-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Tuesday’s contest. Coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network will begin on the MiLB First Pitch app and www.daytonatortugas.com at 6:15 p.m. The first pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.

Daytona will return home on Tuesday, July 13, to open up a six-game homestand against the Bradenton Marauders, Low-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It will be a Breast Cancer Awareness Night presented by Radiology Associates Imaging, as Daytona players and coaches will don special pink-tinted uniforms to mark the occasion. Silver Sluggers Night — the best club in baseball for fans 60-and-over — presented by Conviva Cares Solutions will also be a part of the festivities. Fans can get in on deals at the concession stand with $2.50 Michelob Ultra draft beers.

Season tickets, multi-game plans, group packages, and single-game tickets are currently available and can be purchased online at www.daytonatortugas.com or by calling the Tortugas’ Ticket Office at (386) 257-3172.

ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Low-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Low-A Southeast. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach. 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.