Florida Closes Homestand with Extra-Inning Loss on Sunday

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (April 22, 2018) - Jeremy Walker recorded the first quality start of the season for the Florida Fire Frogs, but the strong effort was not enough as the home team dropped the rubber match against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 4-3, in 10 innings. Florida has dropped each of its four extra-inning contests in 2018, and closed out its six-game homestand with a 3-3 mark.

Walker allowed solo runs in each of the first two frames before tossing four consecutive scoreless frames to end his fourth start of the year. The 22-year-old worked around four walks in the outing, striking out two and surrendering four hits. The Gardner-Webb product needed 83 pitches on the afternoon, with 51 crossing the plate for strikes.
Florida (6-11) knotted the game at two apiece with a two-spot in the second inning. Anfernee Seymour (1x3, 2B, RBI, BB) dumped a single into right field to bring home Braxton Davidson (0x1, R, RBI, 3 BB) to cut the deficit in half.
Three batters later, Cristian Pache (2x4 RBI, BB) a bases-loaded walk to force home Ray-Patrick Didder (2x5, R) to tie the contest.
Troy Bacon made his team debut and blanked Lakeland (6-11) through three innings of relief on two hits and two strikeouts. The Tampa native worked out of jams in the eighth and ninth innings, leaving a runner stranded at second in both innings heading into the extra frame.
Mauricio Cabrera (0-1) labored through the 10th, surrendering both runs on just one hit and two walks in the losing effort.
The Fire Frogs attempted a rally against Spenser Watkins (2-0) in the bottom half of the inning and managed to get a run across on Davidson's sacrifice fly to center, but Didder grounded out to short to end the game.
José Bautista finished the day by going 1-for-4 at the dish, including a lead-off double to start the game for the home team's offense. The veteran slugger is off to a 2-for-7 start with the Fire Frogs with a double and two walks.
Florida heads to the road for a seven-game road trip starting Monday against the Daytona Tortugas for game one of a three-game series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark LHP Tucker Davidson (0-2, 7.20) toes the slab in the opener for the Fire Frogs, while it has yet to be announced who will go for the Tortugas. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Fire Frogs return home to Osceola County Stadium for a six-game homestand beginning Tuesday, May 1, with three games against the Palm Beach Cardinals and three versus the Tampa Tarpons.
About the Florida Fire Frogs
The Florida Fire Frogs are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and compete in the Florida State League. The Fire Frogs play their home games at Osceola County Stadium, located at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. For more information, please visit www.FloridaFireFrogs.com, and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
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