Stephens outduels Blue Jays top prospect
Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Tortugas (5-6, 43-39) returned home and ended their three-game losing streak with a 3-1 win against the Dunedin Blue Jays (4-9, 36-47). While the offense was at a premium, RHP Jackson Stephens (W, 7-5) set the tone with six strong innings on the mound and out-pitched his counterpart Jeff Hoffman (the No. 9 pick in the 2014 draft) for the 3-1 win. The Daytona bullpen shut down the Blue Jays through the final three innings, and the Tortugas are now 5-2 against Dunedin this year.
Although the Tortugas have scored first in eight of their 12 games thus far in the second half, the Blue Jays were able to get on the board first when Anthony Alford led off the opening inning with a single. He then stole second base and Richard Urena also singled to put Alford on third. With one out, Mitch Nay hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Alford. After the first inning, Stephens settled down tremendously. He gave up just three hits over the next five innings and at one point retired nine Blue Jays in a row. Stephens also set a season high with seven strikeouts.
The minimal but sufficient run support for Stephens came in the fourth inning when the Tortugas were able to score a pair. C Chad Wallach started the one-out rally with single and 1B Robert Ramirez doubled with a high hopper down the right field line. That put two runners in scoring position and both would end up coming home. First, 3B Taylor Sparks hit an RBI groundout to the shortstop to score Wallach and tie the game at 1-1. Then Ramirez scored on a wild pitch that Hoffman threw over his catcher's head, giving Daytona a 2-1 advantage. The Tortugas added a run in the sixth when reliever Brad Allen entered for Dunedin and struggled with his location. Wallach hit a one-out double and then three walks from Allen forced in Wallach from third. Allen was able to get the final two outs and the Tortugas left the bases loaded. Wallach provided the bulk of the offense, going 2-4 with two runs scored.
While the Dunedin bullpen allowed a run, the Tortugas held strong over the final three innings and didn't let up a hit. LHP Joel Bender (H, 10) relieved Stephens for the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings while striking out four. RHP El'Hajj Muhammad (S, 11), who celebrated his 24th birthday on Tuesday, tossed a perfect ninth inning.
With the win, the Tortugas are now 29-12 at home including a 3-1 mark against Dunedin. The series will continue for game two tomorrow and first pitch is set for 12:05 P.M. with Camp Day coming to Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Fans can listen to the action on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB starting with the D.B. Pickles Pregame Show at 11:50 P.M.