Sunday Scaries: Tarpons fall to Flying Tigers, 9-3
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (5-16) dropped the series finale to the Lakeland Flying Tigers (14-7) Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Tarpons could not get the offense going, while eight of Lakeland’s nine starters reached base on the way to a nine-run outburst. After a scoreless
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (5-16) dropped the series finale to the Lakeland Flying Tigers (14-7) Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Tarpons could not get the offense going, while eight of Lakeland’s nine starters reached base on the way to a nine-run outburst.
After a scoreless first inning, RHP Ryan Harvey (1.2IP, 5H, 6ER, BB, 2K) unraveled in the second inning. Harvey allowed all six runs of his outing in the second. Lakeland batters were aggressive against Harvey’s fastball, swinging at 77% of his fastballs in the zone.
Brett Callahan and Jose De La Cruz both singled to open the second. Callahan swiped third to put runners on the corners. Samuel Gil singled on a ground ball, which brought Callahan home and moved De La Cruz to third on SS Roderick Arias’ errant throw to first base. Then, Cristian Santana dropped a double just inside the left field foul line to bring home De La Cruz. With Tampa’s infield in, David Smith chopped a grounder to 2B Brenny Escanio, who came home with the ball; however, the throw was late, allowing Gil to score. A throwing error on a steal attempt scored Santana. Lakeland tacked on two more runs on a double from Eduardo Valencia.
1B Oscar Gonzalez continued his strong rehab, blasting his second home run to left field in the fourth inning. The solo shot left the bat at 105.2 MPH and traveled 387 feet. After a pop-out, 3B Dylan Jasso, LF Coby Morales, and C Edinson Duran all walked to load the bases. Lakeland turned to Patrick Pridgen out of the bullpen, who walked RF Daury Arias to bring in Tampa’s second run.
Santana added to Lakeland’s lead in the top of the sixth. He smashed a one-out, 394-foot solo homer over the left field wall.
Jasso cut into the lead in the sixth, belting his first home run of the season to left field. He sat back on a hanging slider and drilled it 383 feet into the left field seats.
Lakeland tacked on another run in the seventh. Josue Briceño led off the inning with a stand-up triple into the right field corner. Valencia’s second hit of the day, a single to right field, brought Briceño home to give Lakeland a five-run lead.
The Flying Tigers added one more run in the eighth, while the Tarpons were unable to add anything in the later innings.
Following an off day on Monday, the Tarpons will head to Dunedin on Tuesday to take on the Blue Jays. RHP Gabriel Barbosa is projected to make the start with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.