DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Bruce Yari's single, paired with an Adam Haseley throwing error, gave Daytona their third walk-off victory, beating the Clearwater Threshers, 6-5, Thursday night at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.The Tortugas had two on, and were down to their final out, when Yari came up against
DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Bruce Yari's single, paired with an Adam Haseley throwing error, gave Daytona their third walk-off victory, beating the Clearwater Threshers, 6-5, Thursday night at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
The Tortugas had two on, and were down to their final out, when Yari came up against RHP JD Hammer and hit a game-tying single to center, scoring Hector Vargas from second. Haseley came up throwing to the plate, but his toss skipped past the catcher, Edgar Cabral, allowing Brantley Bell to score the winning run, all the way from first.
The game started with a 26-minute delay, but when it kicked off, Clearwater didn't waste any time getting on the board against LHP Scott Moss. Arquimedes Gamboa led off the game with a Solo home run to left, his first career lead-off homer. Two batters later, Austin Listi did the same thing, hitting the Threshers second Solo home run to left against Moss, taking a 2-0 lead.
Daytona cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second inning against RHP Mauricio Llovera. Jose Siri led off the inning with a double to left and came in to score on a Mitch Nay single to center on the next pitch.
In the top of the sixth, Clearwater added two more runs on a two-run homer from Listi, his second homer of the night, to go up 4-1.
The Tortugas would tie it up in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nay led the inning off with a single and moved to second when Morgan Lofstrom was hit by a pitch. Both would come in to score on a Brantley Bell three-run homer to left, tying the score at four.
In the ninth, RHP Ryan Hendrix came on to try and preserve the tie, but found himself in quick trouble, as the Threshers loaded the bases with no one out. Hendrix got Edgar Cabral to ground-out, forcing the run at home, and then struck out Gabriel Lino. But with two outs, he walked Jose Gomez on five pitches, forcing in the go-ahead run.
Nay was retired to start the bottom of the ninth, but Lofstrom and Bell hit back-to-back singles, putting the tying run at second and winning run at first. Hector Vargas came on to pinch run for Lofstrom, prior to a Shane Mardirosian pop out. Then, on the first pitch to Bruce Yari, the first baseman hit the ball up the middle, providing Daytona with the game-winner.
Daytona heads to Palm Beach Friday to start a series with the Cardinals, and to begin a stretch of nine games on the road in seven days. RHP Tejay Antone (0-1, 7.00 ERA) will start the opener for Daytona.
First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6:30 PM, with coverage beginning at 6:20 PM with The Metcare Pregame Show on AM 1230, AM 1490, and FM 106.9 WSBB.
NOTES: Yari has two of the three Tortuga walk-offs in 2018… Ibandel Isabel struck out four times for the second time this year. Both times have come against the Threshers… TJ Friedl is hitless in his last three games (0-for-14), the longest drought of his season… Both of Brantley Bell's home runs this year have been three-run homers. Bell is tied for the team lead with four three-RBI games… Mitch Nay recorded back-to-back multi-hit games. He has 17 this season, the most on the team… Arquimedes Gamboa's lead-off homer was the first lead-off HR the Tortugas have allowed this season… The Tortugas finish the first half with a 3-4 record against Clearwater. All three wins were decided by fewer than two runs, and all four losses were decided by more than four runs… The Tortugas are the only team in the FSL without a three game losing streak, despite having eight different two game slides.
