Park Homers Twice in Split Doubleheader

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tarpons snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win in Game 1 before the Flying Tigers closed out the five-game series with a 3-2 victory in Game 2 as Tampa and Lakeland split a doubleheader on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Lakeland (28-23) won four-of-five in the series and improved to 7-3 in the season-series against Tampa (27-26).
The Tarpons earned their league-best seventh shutout win of the season in Game 1.
Ben Ruta jumpstarted the offense with a leadoff home run off Lakeland starter Alex Faedo in the first. It was Ruta's second leadoff homer of the series.
Nick Nelson struck out the side in the first before running into trouble in the second. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Lakeland before heavy rainfall caused a pause in the action with two outs in the frame.
After a 53-minute rain delay, Nelson returned and got Cam Gibson to line out to escape the jam. Nelson retired six of the next eight batters he faced, stranding a walk in both the third and fourth innings. Gibson lined a leadoff single in the fifth and Nelson left after striking out Daz Cameron.
Tampa added insurance off RHP Wladimir Pinto in the sixth when Angel Aguilar singled and later scored on a two-run homer by Hoy Jun Park .
RHP David Sosebee (W, 4-2) got the final two outs in the fifth and retired all five batters he faced. RHP Matt Wivinis (SV, 3) worked around a leadoff single in the seventh, picking up a strikeout while closing the game.
Faedo (L, 1-4) did not return after the rain delay, yielding a home run and getting one strikeout while throwing all nine pitches for strikes. RHP Burris Warner retired 11 of 12 batters faced in his Lakeland debut, holding Tampa to one hit while striking out three.
Nelson settled for a no-decision after holding the Flying Tigers scoreless on three hits and four walks in four and a third innings, striking out seven while throwing 50 of 77 pitches for strikes.
After Game 1, the Tarpons added RHP Shawn Semple from Extended Spring Training to make a spot-start in Game 2. Semple retired eight of the first 10 batters he faced before running into trouble in the fourth.
Luke Burch singled and advanced to third when Isaac Paredes looped a ground-rule double down the left field line. Dylan Burdeaux followed with an RBI single, scoring Burch. Paredes then scored as Danny Pinero reached on a fielder's choice, giving Lakeland a 2-0 lead.
RHP Fernando Perez held the Tarpons to a hit and a walk in three scoreless frames while striking out five in a spot-start for the Flying Tigers. The righty threw 32 of 44 pitches for strikes in his first start since June 30th, 2017.
Tampa got a run back off RHP Trey Teakell in the fourth when Isiah Gilliam doubled and scored on a two-out single by Park.
Andres Sthormes hit a leadoff single in the fifth before RHP Hobie Harris relieved Semple. Sthormes advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Burch.
Semple (L, 0-1) allowed three earned runs on five hits in four innings in his first-career start. The right-hander walked one, struck out two and threw 52 of 79 pitches for strikes.
Ruta singled, stole second and advanced to third with two outs in the fifth. Diego Castillo followed with a walk, but Teakell (W, 1-0) got a groundout from Alexander Palma to end the threat.
The Tarpons cut the deficit to 3-2 when Park blasted his second home run of the day, pulling a ball over the right field wall with two outs in the sixth.
Harris tossed a perfect sixth before working around a pair of hits in the seventh. Sthormes pulled a double off the left field wall, but was thrown out stretching for third by Gilliam in left. Derek Hill singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error, but Harris struck out Gibson to strand the runner.
RHP Alfred Gutierrez (SV, 3) retired all four batters he faced to record a four-out save.
Park (3-for-6, 2HR, 4RBI, 2R, SB) is batting .395 (15-for-38) with six multi-hit games in his last 12 games. Ruta (3-for-5, HR, BB, RBI, R, Sac-B, SB) is batting .367 (11-for-30) over his last eight games. Palma (2-for-6) also hit safely in both games.
Up next, the Tarpons visit Dunedin for a three-game series with the Blue Jays.  RHP Adonis Rosa (4-1, 4.50) will start the series-opener for Tampa against LHP Tayler Saucedo (3-2, 4.21). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network.
Tampa's next home game will be the opener of a four-games series with the St. Lucie Mets on Monday at 6:30 p.m. On "Dollar Dog Night," bring your dog to the game with the purchase of a $1 Dog Ticket. Fans can also enjoy $1 hot dogs all night long.