DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Tyler Stephenson's home run off of Eduardo Jiménez gave Daytona a 6-5 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in front of 3,790 fans. The Tortugas ended a great Star Wars Night with their second walk-off victory of 2018.Lakeland got
DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Tyler Stephenson's home run off of Eduardo Jiménez gave Daytona a 6-5 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in front of 3,790 fans. The Tortugas ended a great Star Wars Night with their second walk-off victory of 2018.
Lakeland got the scoring started two batters into the game against LHP Scott Moss. Daz Cameron led the inning off with a single, then scored a few pitches later on a Chad Sedio double to give the Flying Tigers an early lead, 1-0.
The Tortugas would take the lead in the bottom half. After LHP Gregory Soto retired the first batter, he issued two walks and an infield single to load the bases ahead of Mitch Nay. Nay, who came into tonight tied for the league lead with 28 RBIs, stroked a two-run single to right to give Daytona the 2-1 lead.
In the top of the second, the Flying Tigers would tie the game up. Cam Gibson, the son of Kirk, led the inning off with a walk, prior to an eventful path around the bases. He stole second, moved to third on a Chris Okey throwing error, and scored on a Daniel Pinero sacrifice fly to right.
In the bottom half, Daytona would re-take the lead in the see-saw affair. Daniel Sweet and Tyler Stephenson hit back-to-back one-out RBI singles off of Soto to double Daytona's lead. After Taylor Trammell walked to load the bases, Nay drove in the Tortugas fifth run with a sacrifice fly.
Lakeland would cut the lead to 5-4 in the third. Sedio hit a one-out double off of Moss, then scored on a two-run homerun off the bat of Isaac Paredes to the left field corner. The Flying Tigers tied the game in the fifth, when Anthony Pereira drove in Gibson with an RBI groundout.
The game would remain deadlocked until Stephenson led off the ninth inning with the game winner.
RHP Jesse Stallings (3-1) earns the win in relief, stranding two on base in a scoreless top of the ninth. RHP Eduardo Jimenez (0-2), Lakeland's closer, suffers the loss after allowing the winning home run.
The Tortugas and Flying Tigers are back in action Saturday night for Cinco de Mayo at The Jack. RHP Ryan Olson (4-0, 2.17 ERA) will get the ball for the Tortugas, against RHP Alex Faedo (0-2, 2.48) for Lakeland, a top prospect for the Detroit Tigers.
First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 7:05 PM, with coverage beginning at 6:50 PM with The Metcare Pregame Show on AM 1230, AM 1490, and FM 106.9 WSBB.
NOTES: Tonight was Daytona's second walk-off hit of the year - Bruce Yari had a walk-off single against Charlotte on 4/12… Stephenson reached base four times tonight (2 walks, single, Solo HR)… Stephenson recorded the Tortugas final two hits, a single with one-out in the second and the walk-off HR… Mitch Nay recorded his ninth multi-RBI game of the year. He leads the league with 31 RBIs… The Tortuga bullpen tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief… In Scott Moss's last two starts at The Jack, he was forced out of the game two batters into the sixth inning for reasons out of his control (4/23: rain delay, tonight; hit with comebacker)… Daytona is 11-3 against the FSL North and 10-3 overall at home.
