Cardinals Break No-Hitter With Walk-Off Home Run in the Ninth
The Palm Beach Cardinals were two outs away from being no-hit by a trio of Daytona Tortugas pitchers. Breaking up the no-no would have been a headline by itself on Thursday night. But third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin had other ideas.
The Palm Beach Cardinals were two outs away from being no-hit by a trio of Daytona Tortugas pitchers.
Breaking up the no-no would have been a headline by itself on Thursday night. But third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin had other ideas.
THE SWING HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD@osvaldotovalin with a walk-off three-run 💣 to smash a combined no-hit bid in the bottom of the ninth!
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) April 15, 2022
Take in all 424 feet 😆 ❗️ pic.twitter.com/StIBhMWWMU
Tovalin launched a three-run home run to right-center field, igniting a celebration at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium as Palm Beach secured a seemingly improbable 3-1 triumph over their Florida State League rivals.
.@GoPBCardinals third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin launches a Walk-Off Three-Run Home Run, the Cardinals’ first hit of the game. 3-1 final score at @RDCstadium. pic.twitter.com/m5Zsc5zicT
— Bailey Srebnik (@xwOBAiley) April 15, 2022
With the fans' attention turned towards a possible no-no, the Cardinals stayed alive by getting two of their first three baserunners on base in the ninth.
Daytona allowed the two decisive baserunners aboard with a pair of hit by pitches in the ninth. Before Tortuga relief pitcher Luis Mey hit Cardinals Wade Stauss and Tyler Reichenborn, Jose Franco and starter Sam Benschoter tossed four frames each and combined for 15 strikeouts. Franco's one-out walk of Palm Beach shortstop Jeremy Rivas in the seventh ended Daytona's perfect game bid.
The Palm Beach pitchers were the unsung heroes on an evening with an otherwise storybook finish. Inohan Paniagua tossed six innings, averaging a strikeout per frame. The starting pitcher did give up an unearned run in the fourth, but he also limited Daytona to a paltry one hit and one walk.
Edgar Manzo preserved the one-run margin with two shutout innings before Gianluca Dalatri tossed a scoreless ninth, earning the win.
The Tortugas were unable to add insurance runs to their tally in spite of leaving runners in scoring position in the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
With the win, Palm Beach improves to 3-3 on the year and takes a 2-1 series lead over Daytona. The teams are back for a Friday night, 6:30 p.m. clash at RDCS. Gustavo Rodriguez is scheduled to pitch for the Cardinals.