Cubs win on Baez walk-off

Daytona Beach, FL - A wacky ninth inning and a walk-off home run from Javier Baez propelled the Daytona Cubs to a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Yankees in 11 innings on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

After LF John Andreoli dropped a bunt down the third base line for a single to lead off the 11th with the game tied at 4-4, SS Javier Baez lined the first pitch he saw from RHP John Brebbia over the left-center field wall to win the game for the Cubs. The win for the Cubs was the first walk-off of the season.

In the ninth, with Daytona trailing 4-3, Baez and RF Jorge Soler both popped out to start the inning. With nobody on a two outs, 1B Dustin Geiger struck out but reached first after the wild pitch was thrown past Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez. With pinch-runner Taiwan Easterling on first, 3B Ben Carhart sharply grounded a ball to third, but 3B Dan Fiorito bobbled the grounder and threw it over first baseman Jose Toussen's head, which allowed Easterling to advance to third and Carhart to move to second. The next batter C Chadd Krist grounded a ball between Fiorito and SS Carmen Angelini. Fiorito could not cut the ball off, and after Angelini fielded it, he threw a one-hopper to first that was not fielded cleanly by Toussen. Easterling scored on the play and Carhart was thrown out at home attempting to score from second on the error. After the first two outs were made in the inning, the Cubs struck out and reached on two errors, and in-turn, RHP Taylor Garrison was charged with the blown save.

LHP Frank Del Valle improved to 3-0 on the season after pitching a scoreless 10th and 11th for Daytona.

RHP Eduardo Figueroa and RHP Larry Suarez both pitched scoreless innings of relief for the Cubs after LHP Austin Kirk surrendered three runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts in his start, and RHP Austin Reed allowed a run over his two innings of relief. Tuesday was Suarez' 2013 debut.

Daytona trailed 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 to the Yankees in the third, fourth and sixth innings respectively.

CF Zeke DeVoss went 1-3 with a sacrifice fly and two outs, and Krist had an RBI double. Carhart reached base four times.

Sanchez hit his eighth home run of the season in the third inning, four of which have come off Daytona pitching.

With the win and Dunedin and Brevard County losses, the Cubs improve to 25-24 on the season and are 2.5 games out of first place in the Florida State League North.

The Cubs and Yankees will play game two of the three-game series on Wednesday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.