Tortugas' Three Homers Can't Stop St. Lucie in 14-7 Defeat

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Yassel Pino had three hits and three RBI while homering alongside Ethan O’Donnell and Connor Burns, but the St. Lucie Mets overwhelmed the Daytona Tortugas 14-7 on Thursday night at Clover Park.

St. Lucie (19-42, 43-83) took the series lead, thanks in part to 12 walks issued by Daytona (25-35, 54-71) as well as scoring 9 of their 14 runs with two outs.

After two scoreless innings began the night, Daytona struck first in the second. With two on and two outs, Pino came up with his first hit of the night, doubling into the left field corner to drive in a run. A wild pitch followed to bring in Jack Moss to stake Daytona to a 2-0 lead.

St. Lucie, though, answered back with a vengeance. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs. A throwing error then scored two runs to tie the game. With runners on the corners, a balk put St. Lucie in front, before a Yeral Martinez double brought in another run. Following a pitching change, a walk brought up Karell Paz, who doubled off the left field wall to score two more runs. Paz then stole third with an errant throw into left field that allowed him to score, capping off a seven-run frame that put St. Lucie ahead 7-2.

Daytona began to mount a comeback bid in the fifth. Moss led off with a single and scored when Pino drilled a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line for a two-run shot. His 398-foot blast, his sixth of the season, closed the gap to 7-4.

St. Lucie, though, answered, as Kellum Clark blasted a two-out, two-run homer to get the runs right back, restoring the five-run advantage with a shot to right-center to make it 9-4.

In the sixth, Daytona once more brought out the longball. Burns led off with a solo shot to right-center, which was followed by a walk. O’Donnell then stepped in and blasted a shot over the center field fence, becoming the first Tortuga since 2018 to homer in four consecutive games. The lead was now trimmed to 9-7.

.@yasselpino is putting together a nice night as he adds a two-run BOMB in the 5th!

Tortugas are clawing back, down 7-4 in the 5th pic.twitter.com/Bl4OPrL7SX

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 8, 2023

.@connor2burns starts off the 6th with an opposite-field shot, his third of the season! pic.twitter.com/2L2oPAWl1r

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 8, 2023

Two batters later, @ethanodonnell14 homers to dead-center for his FOURTH straight game with a home run!

It's now 9-7 St. Lucie in the 6th pic.twitter.com/MgoweGBm9a

— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 8, 2023

However, the Mets again erased that progress in the very next half-inning. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for Martinez, who was plunked to force in a run. Clark followed by blooping a two-run single to center for third and fourth RBIs of the night, yet again restoring the five-run lead at 12-7.

At that point, Daytona failed to score as St. Lucie’s Ramon Henriquez managed to stem the tide, despite a runner in the seventh and two in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Mets pushed across two more runs on a throwing error and a wild pitch.

Henriquez returned for the ninth and recorded the final three outs to secure a 14-7 victory for St. Lucie.

Daytona will play game four Friday night against the St. Lucie Mets. RHP Gabriel Aguilera (0-2, 7.06) will get the ball for Daytona opposite St. Lucie RHP Nolan McLean (0-0, 6.75). First pitch will be at 6:10 p.m. with pregame coverage from Clover Park in Port St. Lucie with the voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense beginning at 5:55 p.m. on the Tortugas Radio Network.

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.