Daytona Squeezed out of Extra Inning Loss

Port Charlotte, FL - The Daytona Tortugas lost a marathon 13-inning game to the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 3-2, on a safety squeeze Thursday night at Charlotte Sports Park. The loss snapped the longest winning streak of the season for Daytona at three games and was also the longest game played by Daytona this season.

The Tortugas scored early with a run in the second inning. With two outs, Ty Washington slashed a double down the third base line to extend the inning. Avain Rachal followed suit by smacked a double off the outfield wall get Daytona on the board first. It was one of a season-high three hits for Rachal on the night. In the third inning, with one out, Ronald Bueno hit his first homerun with the Tortugas by clearing the right field wall, doubling Daytona's lead.

Daytona's starter LHP Ismael Guillon had one imperfection in his outing and it came in his final inning. After recording a strikeout and groundout in the fifth, Christian Toribio singled to pass the baton to Riley Unroe. The second baseman cranked a game-tying two run blast over the left field wall to tie the game up at two. Guillon finished the night with a no-decision, lasting a season-high five innings and matching his season-high with six strikeouts.

The two teams were locked in a stalemate after the fifth inning. It would take seven and a half innings before Charlotte eventually produced the game-winning rally in the bottom of the 13th inning. Mac James began the inning with a walk from LHP Brennan Bernardino (0-2) and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Grant Kay then singled to put runners at the corners with one out, before Jace Conrad dropped a safety squeeze past Bernardino to win the game.

Even with the loss, Daytona still won the series, taking three of four against the defending FSL Champions. It's their first series win since a two-game sweep over Dunedin back on April 29-30.

The Tortugas return home Friday night to host the St. Lucie Mets, beginning a seven-game homestand. RHP Tyler Mahle (3-3, 3.30 ERA) will get the start for the Tortugas while the Mets will send RHP Josh Prevost (2-4, 5.97 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM with the Chili's pre-game show beginning at 6:50 PM on AM 1230 and AM 1490 WSBB.

Notes: Daytona used five different pitchers to bridge the gap from the fifth inning onward, allowing just one run and six hits in the seven-plus innings of work…Ty Washington has hit safely in 15 of his 20 games played, including the last four… Rachal has produced back-to-back multi-hit games for the second time this season. It was his first three-hit game since August 28th of last year with Dayton, also against a Tampa Bay affiliate (Bowling Green).