TAMPA, Fla. -- In a game that featured seven home runs, 21 runs scored and 25 hits, the Tampa Tarpons (23-19) fell to the Charlotte Stone Crabs (20-22), 12-9. After a 32-minute rain delay, the teams battled through on-and-off showers on Monday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Albert Abreu allowed
TAMPA, Fla. -- In a game that featured seven home runs, 21 runs scored and 25 hits, the Tampa Tarpons (23-19) fell to the Charlotte Stone Crabs (20-22), 12-9. After a 32-minute rain delay, the teams battled through on-and-off showers on Monday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Albert Abreu allowed just four hits in his fourth start with Tampa. All four hits happened to be home runs. The right-hander was tagged for seven earned runs in four innings, walking two while striking out six. Abreu allowed a hit-batter and made one wild pitch while throwing 44 of 81 pitches for strikes.
Peter Maris reached on a fielder's choice and scored when Nathaniel Lowe clubbed a homer over the wall in right. It was Lowe's ninth long-ball of the season. Kevin Padlo hit a solo shot with two outs in the second for his first homer of the year.
Timmy Robinson lined a leadoff double in the third and scored when Angel Aguilar cleared the left field wall with his second homer of the season, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Abreu bounced back with a perfect third, but surrendered four more runs in the fourth. Lowe walked and scored on the sixth homer of the season by Jesús Sánchez. Two outs later, Padlo walked and scored when Rene Pinto mashed is first of the year.
Trailing by five, the Tarpons rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth against RHP Willy Ortiz. Diego Castillo and Kellin Deglan hit back-to-back, two-out singles and scored when Robinson hooked his second homer of the season around the pole in left.
Adonis Rosa tossed a 1-2-3 fifth before facing all nine Charlotte hitters in the sixth. Tristan Gray and Padlo hit RBI singles among four-straight hits by the Stone Crabs. Later in the frame, back-to-back walks forced in a run for a 10-5 score.
Dom Thompson-Williams blasted a leadoff homer in the bottom of the sixth for his first hit since joining the Tarpons.
Rosa finished his outing with a perfect sixth. RHP Brian Trieglaff made his Tampa debut with a scoreless seventh, stranding a hit and a walk.
The Tarpons put the go-ahead runs aboard in the eighth against RHP Trevor Charpie. After a bunt single by Hoy Jun Park , back-to-back singles by Castillo and Deglan loaded the bases. RHP Brandon Koch entered, walked Robinson and plunked Brandon Wagner , forcing in a pair. A wild pitch scored Deglan, but Koch struck out the next three batters to maintain the Charlotte lead at 10-9.
The Stone Crabs scored two insurance runs off RHP Matt Wivinis on three hits in the ninth and Koch (SV, 2) fired a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to close the game.
RHP Blake Bivens tossed two scoreless innings in a rehab start for Charlotte. Scheduled starter Willy Ortiz (W, 4-0) tossed three and a third innings in his first relief out of the season, yielding a season-high six earned runs on seven hits. The righty allowed three homers and walked one while striking out four on 67 pitches (41 strikes).
Castillo (3-for-5, R), Park (2-for-5, 2R), Deglan (2-for-4, 2R) and Robinson (2-for-3, HR, 2B, BB, 4RBI, 2R) logged multi-hit games for Tampa.
The series continues on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Nick Green (4-1, 2.50) is scheduled to make the start against LHP Brock Burke (1-4, 5.92). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network.
On "Tasty Tuesday," fans can enjoy a $24 all-you-can-eat menu from 6:00-8:00 p.m., including: hot dogs, chicken tenders, nachos, fries, popcorn, and fountain soda.
