Hammerheads Snap Six-Game Skid with 5-4 Comeback Victory Against Tampa on Sunday
JUPITER, FL – Late-inning heroics helped the Jupiter Hammerheads (25-32) snap a season-high six-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Tampa Tarpons (31-25) on Sunday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Trailing by two runs after six innings, the Hammerheads scored three runs between the seventh and eighth
JUPITER, FL – Late-inning heroics helped the Jupiter Hammerheads (25-32) snap a season-high six-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Tampa Tarpons (31-25) on Sunday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Trailing by two runs after six innings, the Hammerheads scored three runs between the seventh and eighth innings to jump out to a lead for good. The win also prevented a six-game sweep.
The Hammerheads scored first for the first time in the series with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Salas led off the inning with a single and stole second base. Dillon Head drove him in with an RBI single. After advancing to third with an error on a pickoff attempt by Tampa starting pitcher Ben Shields, Head scored on an Andres Valor RBI double to left field to give Jupiter a 2-0 lead.
The Tarpons were kept of the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning off of Jupiter starting pitcher Liomar Martinez. Juan Matheus led off with a triple and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Owen Cobb which cut the Jupiter lead to 2-1.
Martinez later went back out for the top of the sixth inning to get his longest career start. However, Tampa took over in the ballgame. With one out, Engelth Ureña reached on an error by Dub Gleed and Matheus walked. With Kevin Vaupel (BS, 1) out of the bullpen to pitch for Jupiter, Tyler Wilson tied the game on an RBI single. Two batters later, Marshall Toole gave the Tarpons their first lead on a two-RBI single to make it 4-2.
Martinez finished his start with a career-high 5 1/3 innings pitched and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts to bring his team-lead to 52 strikeouts this season.
Jupiter got a run back in the bottom of the seventh inning. Cody Schrier reached on a one-out error by Tarpons third baseman Juan Matheus and he later stole second base. Dub Gleed brought him home with an RBI single for his first Single-A hit and RBI as the Hammerheads trimmed the deficit to 4-3. Later in the inning, the Hammerheads had the bases loaded with one out for Abrahan Ramirez, but Tampa relief pitcher Brady Kirtner (H, 2) was able to get a double play to end the inning.
The Hammerheads jumped out in front in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs, Carter Johnson started the rally with a walk against Tampa relief pitcher Tanner Bauman (L, 2-5; BS, 1). Cam Clayton roped a double off the wall in left field and Johnson raced home from first base to tie the game at 4-4. On the very next pitch, Schrier hit his first career triple down the right field line to score Clayton and give Jupiter a 5-4 lead.
Jupiter relief pitcher Jeckferxon Hernandez (W, 1-0) threw a perfect ninth inning to nail down the win for the Hammerheads and earn his first Single-A victory. He did not allow a run over two innings of work. He pitched around a hit and two walks in the eighth inning and struck out a pair of Tarpons in the ninth.
All nine hitters for the Hammerheads reached base safely at least once. Head logged his 11th multi-hit game of the season. Valor has five doubles in his last 10 games as well as has a hit in 10 of his last 11 games.
Jupiter hits the road for a six-game series against the Bradenton Marauders beginning on Tuesday, June 10th. The Hammerheads return home for a 12-game homestand beginning on Tuesday, June 17th against the Daytona Tortugas. Jupiter faces Daytona and then St. Lucie for six games each.
About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:
Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. This year-round facility can accommodate the smallest birthday party to the largest corporate outing, while never forgetting that each and every fan is our most important product.