Lakeland Flies into Offseason with Shutout Victory

Lakeland, FL - Alfred Gutierrez threw seven shutout innings in the season's final contest as the Flying Tigers ended the season on a positive note, defeating the Palm Beach Cardinals 2-0.

Ian Oxnevad started for the Cardinals and held the Flying Tigers in check through two innings. Colton Thompson entered in relief in the third and followed suit, fanning Zac Shepherd in a perfect inning. Lakeland's first hit of the game came off the bat of Kody Clemens in the fourth, who doubled and scored on a single by Danny Pinero.
The Flying Tigers added a second run in the fifth when Dylan Burdeaux scored on a sacrifice fly from AJ Simcox. The 2-0 lead was more than enough for Gutierrez, who allowed just four hits over seven scoreless innings to earn his second win of the season. Drew Carlton pitched a perfect eighth and Eduardo Jiménez tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 15^th save of the year, good for second in the Florida State League.
The Flying Tigers finished in second place in the second half in the Florida State League North Division six games behind the Clearwater Threshers. The Flying Tigers finished with an overall record of 72-61 and a .541 winning percentage, fourth-best in the Florida State League.
Up Next: The 2019 Lakeland Flying Tigers schedule has been released and will be available online in the coming weeks. The Flying Tigers will kick off the season on Thursday, April 4^th against the Tampa Tarpons at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.