Tortugas Blast Past Hammerheads, Reclaim First Place with 9-6 Win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Arnaldo Lantigua launched a three-run homer, Ichiro Cano homered and drove in two and the Daytona Tortugas built an eight-run advantage before holding off the Jupiter Hammerheads for a 9-6 victory Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Combined with Palm Beach’s loss, Daytona moved back into first place in the Florida State League East Division with a 12-8 record in the second half.

The Rundown

Jake Brink set the tone with three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and facing the minimum nine batters. The right-hander erased a leadoff walk in the first when Andres Valor grounded into a double play, then received another double play on an outfield assist from Kyle Henley in the second.

Daytona struck first in the bottom of the second. With two outs and nobody aboard, Cano fell behind Eiver Mosquera 0-2 before driving the next pitch over the right-field wall for his fifth home run of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The Tortugas broke through for three more runs in the third. Henry Hunter opened the inning with a walk and Bernard Moon followed with a single to right. Jalen Hairston advanced both runners with a groundout before Lantigua turned on a 1-0 offering and launched a three-run homer to left field. The blast, his sixth of the season, extended Daytona’s advantage to 4-0.

Ty Doucette and Henley followed the homer with consecutive singles, but Jupiter prevented further damage by retiring the next two batters.

Hunter Hollan took over in the fourth and worked around a walk and a single to preserve the four-run lead. After Valor walked and Echedry Vargas singled, Hollan induced a groundout and a flyout to strand both runners in scoring position.

Daytona added another run in the fifth. Henley walked, Rafhlmil Torres followed with another free pass and Cano lined an RBI single into left-center field to score Henley. The hit gave Cano his second RBI of the night and pushed the lead to 5-0.

Jupiter broke through against Lisnerkin Lantigua in the sixth when Vargas hit a two-out solo homer to left, but Daytona answered immediately with its largest inning of the night.

Hunter drew his third walk to begin the bottom of the sixth and Moon singled up the middle. Hairston walked to load the bases before a throwing error by Arana on Doucette’s fielder’s choice allowed Hunter and Moon to score. After a pitching change, Henley brought home Hairston with another fielder’s choice, stole second and scored when Torres ripped a double through the right side. The four-run frame extended the lead to 9-1.

The Hammerheads mounted their biggest threat in the seventh. Morlando walked, Yoffry Solano singled and Nixon Chirinos drove in the first run of the inning with a two-out single. Consecutive walks to Luis Cova and Valor forced home another run before Vargas lined a bases-clearing single to left-center, cutting Daytona’s lead to 9-6.

Abraham Gaitan entered with Vargas aboard and immediately faced the potential tying run. Max Williams doubled to right, placing runners at second and third, but Gaitan struck out Arana to end the five-run rally and preserve the three-run advantage.

From there, Gaitan shut the door. Morlando singled to open the eighth, but Solano grounded into Daytona’s third double play of the night before Edgardo De Leon struck out looking. Gaitan then retired Jupiter in order in the ninth, striking out Chirinos before inducing consecutive flyouts to secure his first save of the season.

Notes

• Daytona improved to 33-53 overall and 12-8 in the second half.
• With Palm Beach’s loss, the Tortugas moved back into first place in the FSL East.
• Daytona leads the three-game series 1-0.
• The Tortugas improved to 7-15 against Jupiter this season.
• Daytona improved to 7-4 in July, 5-10 on Fridays, 26-37 in night games and 22-23 at home.
• The Tortugas improved to 22-43 against right-handed starters.
• Daytona improved to 24-3 when leading after seven innings.
• The Tortugas improved to 18-6 when recording at least 10 hits.
• Daytona improved to 21-18 when hitting a home run and 12-9 when homering with runners aboard.
• The Tortugas improved to 22-20 when scoring first.
• Daytona improved to 27-12 when scoring at least five runs.
• The Tortugas improved to 25-2 when outhitting their opponent.
• All nine Daytona starters reached safely and recorded at least one hit.
• Daytona turned three double plays, including Henley’s outfield assist to double Arana off third base.
• A. Lantigua hit his sixth home run and recorded his ninth multi-RBI game of the season.
• Cano recorded his 13th multi-hit game, ninth two-hit game and 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
• Cano recorded two RBIs for the seventh time this season.
• Moon recorded his team-leading 23rd multi-hit game and 16th two-hit game.
• Hunter reached base four times with a double and three walks.
• Gaitan stranded both inherited runners and retired seven of the eight batters he faced to earn his first save.
• Hollan extended his scoreless streak to two innings and his scoreless-appearance streak to two.
• Buten extended his on-base streak to nine games.
• Cano extended his on-base streak to eight games.
• Doucette extended his on-base streak to 19 games.
• Hairston extended his hitting streak to nine games and his on-base streak to 13 games.
• Henley extended his hitting streak to five games and his on-base streak to 11 games.
• Moon extended his hitting streak to four games and his on-base streak to seven games.
• Torres extended his on-base streak to five games.

Up Next

The Tortugas continue their three-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Saturday, July 18 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.