Tortugas Start Season With 11-Inning Win
Despite letting a four-run lead evaporate, Cam Collier reached base five times with three RBI and Leo Balcazar homered and drove in the go-ahead run as the Daytona Tortugas rallied late to edge the St. Lucie Mets 7-6 in 11 innings to open the 2023 season. Daytona (1-0) tied the
Despite letting a four-run lead evaporate, Cam Collier reached base five times with three RBI and Leo Balcazar homered and drove in the go-ahead run as the Daytona Tortugas rallied late to edge the St. Lucie Mets 7-6 in 11 innings to open the 2023 season.
Daytona (1-0) tied the game while down to their final strike in the ninth before scoring in both extra frames to hold off St. Lucie (0-1) in the first game of the Mets’ Florida State League title defense.
The Tortugas got off and running right away against St. Lucie righthander Jordany Ventura. Carlos Jorge led off the game, which was followed by a walk. Collier followed by lacing a 3-0 pitch into center field for an RBI single to put the Tortugas in front. After a walk loaded the bases, a double play brought home another run, putting Daytona ahead 2-0 in the first.
In the bottom of the inning, a hit batter and a single put runners on the corners for St. Lucie, but Lyon Richardson struck out the following two batters and induced a flyout to keep the Mets off the board.
After a bases-loaded walk by Collier scored another run in the second, Richardson continued to shine. The right-hander struck out the side in the second, then two more in the third. Richardson then was pulled, finishing a 3.0-inning outing with one hit and no runs allowed and seven strikeouts.
The game remained 3-0 into the fifth when Balcazar led off the inning by lining the first delivery from Jawilme Ramirez over the left-field wall for a 384-foot solo home run to put Daytona up 4-0. Two more singles had the Tortugas threatening for more, but a line-drive double play ended the threat.
In the bottom of the inning, St. Lucie rallied against Kenya Huggins. A leadoff double turned into a run thanks to an error. A solo homer by Jett Williams and an RBI single from Jacob Reimer cut the Daytona lead to 4-3.
That remained the score into the bottom of the eighth, where St. Lucie took the lead. Three singles opened the inning, with an error on the third hit allowing the tying run to score while putting runners on second and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Jefrey De Los Santos brought home the go-ahead run before Arij Fransen buckled down and got out of the inning.
In the ninth, the first two Tortugas were retired, but Balcazar walked to extend the game and scooted to second on a passed ball. Collier then came up clutch, rolling a broken-bat roller down the third base line to tie the game. A 1-2-3 ninth from John Murphy sent the game to extra innings.
In the first extra frame, Wendell Marrero wasted no time, leading off the inning by lining a go-ahead double that scored the automatic baserunner.
St. Lucie, though, scored their own automatic runner with consecutive singles to open the bottom of the tenth. After a pop-up, Michel Triana and Logan Tanner teamed up on a 3-2 double play to cut down the potential winning run at the plate to end the inning.
Moving on to the 11th inning, Daytona took advantage of three automatic runner to take the lead without putting a runner on base. A flyout moved Malvin Valdez to third, who then scored when Balcazar rolled a soft ground ball past the mound which no play could be made at home, scoring Valdez to put the Tortugas in front 7-6.
Joseph Menefee then came on and slammed the door. A strikeout, groundout, and pop-up held St. Lucie off the board, securing a 7-6, 11-inning win for Daytona to open the campaign.
Murphy (1-0) earned the win in his affiliated baseball debut while Benito Garcia took the loss (0-1). Menefee earned his first save.
Daytona will play the middle game of their three-game set in St. Lucie on Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. RHP Chris McElvain will get the ball for Daytona against RHP Christopher Vasquez for St. Lucie. The Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will have pregame coverage on the Daytona Tortugas Radio Network beginning at 5:55 p.m.
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.