4-1 loss tightens first half division race
Fort Myers, FL - The Daytona Tortugas (37-30) needed one win in a four-game series against the Fort Myers Miracle (35-32) to cap off a strong first half and secure a division title before the All-Star Break. With a 4-1 loss on Thursday night at Hammond Stadium, Daytona suffered a four-game sweep, and can squander their once-substantial division lead if Clearwater wins all three games of next week's series at Brighthouse Field.
The Tortugas offense accomplished little against Miracle starter Aaron Slegers (W, 4-4), who allowed just two singles and two walks in six dominant innings. Reliever D.J. Johnson (H, 1) held Daytona to one hit over the next two frames, and it wasn't until the ninth inning, trailing 4-0 with two outs, that the 'Tugas showed signs of life. 1B Robert Ramirez lined a single to right and moved to second on defensive indifference, then 3B Taylor Sparks roped a base hit to left center to plate Ramirez with Daytona's only run.
All-Star RHP Barrett Astin (L, 4-2) logged a quality start, but the Tortugas needed perfection on Thursday. He went seven innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts. RHP Alejandro Chacin allowed a pair of singles in the bottom of the eighth, including an RBI from Michael Quesada, that extended the Miracle lead to 4-0.
The ballgame started on a disheartening note for Daytona. After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Astin allowed three singles in the bottom half. A double play appeared to get him out of trouble, but with two men on base, SS Carlton Daal badly misfired a throw to second base that would have ended the inning. Instead, it sailed toward right field and allowed Mitch Garver to score the game's first run.
While the Tortugas mustered just two baserunners in the first five innings, with neither hitter advancing past first base, Fort Myers padded its lead. Jason Kanzler flied a ground-rule double to right and scored on an RBI single from Marcus Knecht, who finished 3-for-3. In the fifth, Engelb Vielma singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and came around on a liner to center from Garver to make it 3-0 Miracle.
In the four-game series, Daytona committed seven errors, allowed eight unearned runs, issued 19 walks, and went 7-for-38 with runners in scoring position (.184). If Clearwater is to complete its improbable comeback in the first half playoff race (the Tortugas had a five-game lead with six to play), it would require a seven-game losing streak from the Tortugas, who had not lost more than three games in a row before Thursday's defeat.
Florida State League All-Star Weekend begins on Friday and runs through Sunday, giving the Tortugas and Threshers three days off before their three-game series in Clearwater. Astin, SS Alex Blandino, LF Phillip Ervin, RHP Nick Travieso, C Joe Hudson, RHP Evan Mitchell and DH Sebastian Elizalde will represent the Tortugas at the 54th FSL All-Star Game in St. Lucie, FL.