Five-Run Fifth Lifts Tampa to Fifth-Straight Victory

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons rallied for five runs with two outs in the fifth before pulling away with a 7-2 triumph to clinch the series in Lakeland on Tuesday night at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Tampa is now 5-0 in August and 8-2 over its last 10 games.
The Flying Tigers took an early lead off RHP Glenn Otto in the first, when Brock Deatherage singled, stole second and later scored on a base hit by Chad Sedio. Lakeland would load the bases, but Otto got a lineout by Jon Rosoff to escape further trouble.
Otto retired eight of the final 10 batters he faced before reaching his pitch limit after a pair of strikeouts in the third. The 23-year-old allowed one earned run on four hits in two and two-third innings, walking one while striking out three on 54 pitches (34 strikes).
RHP Miguel Yajure relieved Otto and needed just three pitches to strike out Nick Ames, completing a 1-2-3 third. Lakeland loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but Yajure struck out Deatherage and got Cole Peterson to ground into a force out to strand the trio.
RHP Tom de Blok labored through the first four frames, but managed to hold the Tarpons scoreless, stranding a pair of walks in the second and a two-out single by Estevan Florial in the third before tossing a 1-2-3 fourth.
After two quick outs in the fifth, Omar Carrizales looped a single into left. Pablo Olivares followed with an infield single, and Florial walked on four pitches to load the bases. All three scored when Wilkerman Garcia drilled a triple to the wall in right-center.
The inning continued when Alexander Palma was beaned by de Block. After being checked out by athletic trainer Michael Becker, Palma stayed in the game. RHP Billy Lescher entered in relief and, after Palma stole second, Diego Castillo lined a two-run single to left.
de Blok (L, 0-11) allowed five earned runs on four hits, three walks and a hit-batter in four and two-third innings, striking out a pair on 93 pitches (55 strikes).
Lakeland (21-25, 50-61) got a run back when Ames lifted a solo homer over the left field wall with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the lead to 5-2.
Steven Sensley lined a leadoff single in the eighth and, one out later, scored when Jason Lopez doubled to the left field wall. Carrizales followed with a hard-hit single into center, plating Lopez for a 7-2 Tampa (24-21, 52-59) lead.
Yajure (W, 7-6) retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced. The 21-year-old lowered his ERA to 2.04 (2nd in the FSL) by holding the Flying Tigers to one earned run on four hits in five and one-third innings, walking one while striking out six on 78 pitches (53 strikes).
RHP Hobie Harris worked around a pair of walks while notching two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth to close the game.
Florial (2-for-4, BB, R), Garcia (1-for-5, 3B, 3RBI) and Castillo (2-for-4, BB, 2RBI) each extended their hitting streak to six games. Sensley (1-for-4, BB, R) has hit safely in four-straight games.
The series concludes on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., with RHP Janson Junk (3-5, 4.54) scheduled to face RHP Garrett Hill (4-4, 2.08). Live play-by-play will be available on the Tampa Tarpons Baseball Network.