Tortugas offense rolls in 9-3 win over Mets

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 11, 2023) – The Daytona Tortugas hammered the St. Lucie Mets 9-3 on Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The Daytona offense was locked in, producing nine runs on 14 hits while drawing seven walks. The Tortugas did not go down in order in any of their eight innings at the plate and sent at least five batters to the plate in seven innings. They went 8 for 19 with runners in scoring position after going just 1 for 17 in those situations in the first two games.

It was a slow build by the Tortugas offense. They scored in five separate innings, including the first when Logan Tanner lofted a sac fly off Mets starter Javier Atencio for a 1-0 lead.

The Tortugas scored three times against Atencio in the third inning. Tanner reached on a fielders choice RBI, Hector Rodriguez drilled a RBI single and Rodriguez later scored from third base on a passed ball to push Daytona’s lead to 4-0.

Victor Acosta bashed a RBI double off reliever Joey Lancellotti in the fifth inning. Carlos Jorge scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning and Rodriguez collected his second RBI hit later in the sixth to make it 7-0.

The Mets put together a late rally for the second straight game. They loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth on a double by Jacob Reimer, a walk by Junior Tilien and a hit-by-pitch for Vincent Perozo. Eduardo Salazar made Daytona pitcher Bryce Hubbart pay with a two-run double that cut the deficit to 7-2. However, Hubbart retired the next three batters in order, allowing just a Kevin Villavicencio RBI ground out that made it 7-3.

Mets reliever Brian Gursky retired the first two batters of the bottom of the eighth but then the next five Tortugas reached base and two scored to halt the Mets momentum. Malvin Valdez lashed a RBI single and Jorge plated a run on a base-loaded infield single.

Jorge was the star for Daytona, going 3 for 4 with a triple, two walks, RBI, three runs scored and three stolen bases.

The Tortugas collected six total infield hits.

Atencio suffered his fifth loss in seven appearances. He was tagged for four runs (two earned) and five hits in 2.2 innings.

Brendan Hardy pitched 1.1 hitless and scoreless innings in a MiLB rehab assignment.

Lancellotti gave up five hits and three runs in 1.2 inning. Gursky was charged with two runs on four hits in 2.1 innings.

Daytona starter Arij Fransen, who entered the game with a 8.36 ERA, shut out the Met for 4.2 innings. Easton Sikorski followed Fransen for 1.1 scoreless innings to seize the win.

Hubbart allowed three runs but pitched the final three innings to earn his first save.

Reimer went 2 for 4 with a double and a run in the loss. Salazar also went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.

Mets first baseman Yeral Martinez went 1 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. No other Met has a hitting streak longer than four games this season.

The Mets (8-22) and Tortugas (11-19) play the fourth game of their series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Friday. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.