Two Homers, Two Sterling Efforts Lead Tortugas to Shutout Win

DAYTONA BEACH—Johnathan Harmon and Jean Correa tag-teamed on a four-hit shutout, Johnny Ascanio and Yerlin Confidan blasted home runs and the Daytona Tortugas cruised to a 6-0 victory on Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Daytona (14-19, 43-55) posted their sixth shutout victory of the season to gain the upper hand in the series as St. Lucie (11-24, 35-65) left nine men on base and didn’t move a man past first in the final four frames.

After a delay of nearly 90 minutes due to a power issue, St. Lucie loaded the bases on a single, error, and walk with one out in the first inning against Harmon. However, the right-hander induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Nick Lorusso to end the inning with no runs.

Daytona, meanwhile, went right to work against St. Lucie starter Saul Garcia. With one out, back-to-back walks set the table for Cam Collier, who roped a double to left-center to score a run. Ascanio followed and on a 1-2 pitch, he unloaded a 421-foot drive down the right-field line for a no-doubt, three-run home run. His second roundtripper of the year put Daytona ahead 4-0.

Harmon brushed off a one-out walk in the third and worked out of a two-on, no-out jam to finish off 4.0 scoreless innings, in which he allowed two hits and three walks while striking out five.

Correa followed Harmon in the fifth and plunked a batter before allowing a single. However, a lineout, fielder’s choice and flyout to right ended the inning with no damage. The righty then settled in with only a two-out single in the sixth before spinning a 1-2-3 seventh.

On the other side, Garcia spun three scoreless frames of his own before departing after a leadoff walk in the fifth. Eric Foggo came on and threw scoreless fifth and sixth innings, but he faltered in the seventh.

Leading off the inning, Confidan stepped in and demolished a 1-1 offering from Foggo, depositing the pitch 422 feet away over the wall in right-center for his second home run of the season. Victor Acosta followed by extending his hitting streak to 11 games with a single. After moving to second on a ground, Collier lined his second RBI double of the night, pushing the lead to 6-0.

Correa did the rest from there, working around two-out walks in both the eighth and ninth innings to nail down the victory. In the process, Correa (1-0) went a season-high 5.0 innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out three to pick up his first win of the season, finishing off the 6-0 win.

The Tortugas will finish the series against the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday night. RHP Ryan Cardona (1-2, 3.38) gets the ball for Daytona while St. Lucie’s starter is still to be determined. Tomorrow will also be a Shelldon’s Family Fun Day and Kids Run the Bases. First pitch from Jackie Robinson Ballpark will be at 5:00 p.m. with pregame coverage with the voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, beginning at 4:50 p.m. on the Tortugas Radio Network.

Daytona Tortugas single-game tickets and ticket packages are on sale now at daytonatortugas.com, (386) 257-3172, or the box office at 110 East Orange Ave.

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.