Tortugas Tamed in 6-0 Defeat

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—One night after scoring a season-high 15 runs, the Daytona Tortugas were shutout on three hits as the Lakeland Flying Tigers won 6-0 on Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Lakeland (21-11) clinched the series with their fourth win of the series, while Daytona (18-14) was on the wrong end of their sixth shutout defeat of the season.

After a 1-2-3 first from Daytona starter Brian Edgington, Daytona notched a couple base runners against Lakeland starter Andrew Sears in the first. Yerlin Confidan was hit by a pitch, but was caught stealing. Alfredo Duno then singled with two outs, but the Tortugas could not turn it into a rally.

Edgington was excellent for the Tortugas early on, striking out three consecutive batters over the second and third innings. The right-hander was perfect through 4.0 innings. However, Sears matched him pitch-for-pitch, with a one-out walk to Duno his only blemish after the first.

After picking up the first out in the fifth, Edgington ran into trouble. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Archer Brookman, who lined an 0-2 pitch deep to left that one-hopped over the left-field wall for a ground-rule two-run double that put Lakeland ahead 2-0.

Sears stymied Daytona by striking out the side in the fifth, striking out nine over 5.0 innings of one-hit ball to put himself in line for the win.

Edgington, meanwhile, returned for the sixth, only to be greeted by a leadoff triple from Kevin McGonigle. Max Clark followed with an RBI single to extend the lead. Edgington departed after a walk put two on with one out for Simon Miller. Miller allowed a single to load the bases, but stranded the runners with a strikeout and a fielder’s choice.

Down 3-0, Daytona could not make headway against the Lakeland bullpen as Gabriel Sequeira spun 2.0 perfect innings, going six-up, six-down over the sixth and seventh.

The Flying Tigers proceeded to further separate with a two-out rally in the eighth. Lakeland strung together four hits and a walk after the first two men were retired in the eighth, netting the Flying Tigers three more runs to extend the lead to 6-0.

Daytona did scratch together singles in the eighth and ninth, but could not put together a rally as Lakeland cruised to a 6-0 victory.

Daytona will finish the series tomorrow evening against Lakeland. RHP Gabriel Aguilera (1-0, 2.74) will take the mound for Daytona while Lakeland’s starter is to be determined. Tomorrow will be a Shelldon’s Family Fun Day with postgame Kids Run the Bases. Plus, we’ll honor mom with a pregame Princess Tea Party in the Turtle’s Nest and gift basket raffles every inning. First pitch from Jackie Robinson Ballpark is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network with Brennan Mense begins at 6:20 p.m.