Tortugas End Season On High Note With 13-4 Rout
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Carlos Sanchez and Yassel Pino drove in three runs apiece and the Daytona Tortugas rode a pair of big innings to a 13-4 rout to cap off the 2023 season with a victory over the St. Lucie Mets Sunday afternoon at Clover Park. Daytona (56-72) drew a
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—Carlos Sanchez and Yassel Pino drove in three runs apiece and the Daytona Tortugas rode a pair of big innings to a 13-4 rout to cap off the 2023 season with a victory over the St. Lucie Mets Sunday afternoon at Clover Park.
Daytona (56-72) drew a season-high 14 walks to aid in an attack that only tallied six hits, but got the knocks when they mattered most to defeat St. Lucie (44-84) for a 17th time this season.
In the top of the first inning, St. Lucie starter Ernesto Mercedes struggled with his command, walking the bases loaded with two outs. However, Mercedes picked up a strikeout to end the inning, ending the threat.
On the other side, A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases for St. Lucie in the first. A fielder’s choice brought in a run before back-to-back hits by Jefrey De Los Santos and Nick Lorusso brought home runs, staking St. Lucie to a 3-0 lead.
In the second, though, Daytona chased Mercedes. Two walks and a wild pitch opened the frame before an infield single from Connor Burns brought in a run. Following a strikeout and a pitching change, Ethan O’Donnell reached on an error to bring in a second run. After a walk loaded the bases, Pino blasted a two-run, ground-rule double to give Daytona the lead. Jack Moss followed with a sacrifice fly to stake the Tortugas to a 5-3 lead.
The Tortugas score FIVE times in the second, highlighted by a booming two-run double by @yasselpino!
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 10, 2023
5-3 Daytona mid-2 pic.twitter.com/qD3eKDFGPL
An inning later, Daytona added to the lead as Sanchez led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout, then came home a groundout from Burns to extend the lead to 6-3.
Meanwhile, Tortugas right-hander Jose Montero came on with one out in the first and induced a line-drive double play to end the first. He then spun 1-2-3 second and third frames. In the fourth, he surrendered a one-out walk followed by a single, but a strikeout and pick off ended the fourth, allowing Montero (1-1) to finish 3.2 inning of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts, earning the victory.
After a scoreless fifth from Nestor Lorant, Daytona proceeded to break the game open the sixth. With one out, two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for Cam Collier, who stroked an RBI single. Pino drove in his third run of the day with a bases-loaded walk. Moss followed with his second sacrifice fly of the day to bring in a third run. After a walk re-loaded the bases, Sanchez stepped up and ripped a bases-clearing double. He was thrown out at third on the play, but three runs scored to cap off the six-run frame, which put Daytona in front 12-3.
Carlos Sanchez may have been thrown out on this play, but we ain't even mad. This three-run double caps off a six-run 6th!
— Daytona Tortugas (@daytonatortugas) September 10, 2023
12-3 Daytona mid-6! pic.twitter.com/lTVYLAzTOZ
Lorant allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Daytona got the run back as Dominic Pitelli led off the inning with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Collier to restore the nine-run advantage to go ahead 13-4.
From there, Frainger Aranguren took care of the rest. He allowed two hits in the seventh, but ended the inning scoreless thanks to a double play, then spun a 1-2-3 eighth with a pair of strikeouts. He allowed two more hits in the ninth, but was able to finish off the contest to earn a three-inning save.
The 2023 season has now come to conclusion, with the next Tortugas game being Opening Day, 2024. The 2024 schedule will be announced soon, with 2024 Tortugas season tickets currently scheduled to go on sale on October 1.
ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.