TAMPA, Fla. — The Daytona Tortugas erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning and rode another career-best outing from Mason Morris to a 12-8 victory over the Tampa Tarpons on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Daytona sent 13 batters to the plate during its biggest inning of the night, built an 11-run advantage by the fifth and held off a late Tampa charge to take a 2-1 lead in the six-game series.
The Rundown
After two scoreless innings, Drew Davies opened the scoring in the third. The Daytona first baseman drove a 3-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his fifth home run of the season, giving the Tortugas a 1-0 advantage.
Tampa answered in the bottom half. Luis Escudero singled and Dax Kilby followed with a base hit before a pair of Daytona errors allowed Escudero to score. The Tortugas avoided further damage when Sherman Johnson threw out Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II at third base to complete an inning-ending double play.
The game changed completely in the fourth.
Ichiro Cano reached on an error before Adolfo Sanchez doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Jirvin Morillo singled home Cano, and Rafhlmil Torres followed with an RBI single to score Sanchez and put Daytona ahead, 3-1.
A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position before Davies lined a two-run single to left, extending the lead to four. After a strikeout, Steele Hall walked and Mulivai Levu followed with another free pass after a pitching change to load the bases.
Cano, batting for the second time in the inning, then singled through the left side to score Davies and Hall. Sanchez walked to reload the bases before Morillo delivered his second hit of the frame, a two-run single that plated Levu and Cano and completed an eight-run inning that gave Daytona a 9-1 lead.
Meanwhile, Mason Morris settled in after the unearned run in the third. The right-hander retired Tampa in order in the fourth and worked around two hits in the fifth before another perfect frame in the sixth.
Daytona added three more runs in the fifth. Johnson singled and Davies walked before Anielson Buten singled through the right side. A throwing error allowed both Johnson and Davies to score, while Buten advanced to second. Cano later reached on a fielder's choice that brought Buten home for a 12-1 lead.
Tampa got one run back in the fifth, but Morris carried the game into the seventh before departing after a leadoff double and walk. He finished with a career-high 6.1 innings, allowing six hits and four runs, three earned, while walking one and striking out three.
The Tarpons scored three times in the seventh after Hunter Hollan entered, cutting the lead to 12-5, but Daytona kept the seven-run cushion into the ninth.
Tampa mounted one final push in the bottom of the ninth. Brando Mayea led off with a solo home run before a hit batter, single and walk loaded the bases. Luke Pettitte followed with a two-run double to make it 12-8 and bring Abraham Gaitan into the game. Gaitan stopped the rally there, striking out Luis Puello before retiring Diego Castellanos on a fly ball to finish the victory.
Stat of the Game
8 — Daytona scored eight runs in the fourth inning, sending 13 batters to the plate and turning a 1-1 game into a 9-1 Tortugas lead.
Notes
• Daytona improved to 54-63 overall and 33-18 in the second half.
• The Tortugas improved to 13-6 in August.
• Daytona improved to 11-8 on Thursdays.
• The Tortugas improved to 42-44 in night games.
• Daytona leads the six-game series, 2-1.
• The Tortugas improved to 5-4 against Tampa this season.
• Daytona improved to 40-50 against right-handed starters.
• The Tortugas improved to 40-3 when leading after seven innings.
• Daytona improved to 30-6 when recording 10 or more hits.
• The Tortugas improved to 38-22 when hitting a home run.
• Daytona improved to 36-24 when scoring first.
• The Tortugas improved to 47-16 when scoring five or more runs.
• Daytona improved to 39-4 when outhitting its opponent.
• All nine Daytona starters scored at least one run.
• Morris set a new career high with 6.1 innings pitched, surpassing his previous best of 6.0 innings, which he had reached twice, most recently July 4 at Bradenton.
• Davies tied his career high with three hits, matching the mark for the second time and first since setting it Aug. 16 against Palm Beach.
• Morillo recorded his third multi-hit game of the season.
• Torres recorded his 27th multi-hit game and 21st two-hit game of the season.
• Morillo recorded his fourth multi-RBI game and third three-RBI game of the season.
• Davies recorded his 11th multi-RBI game and second three-RBI game of the season.
• Cano recorded his 16th multi-RBI game and 12th two-RBI game of the season.
• Cano extended his on-base streak to 11 games.
• Davies extended his on-base streak to 15 games.
• Hall extended his hitting streak to five games.
• Levu extended his on-base streak to five games.
• Morillo extended his on-base streak to five games.
• Sanchez extended his on-base streak to eight games.
Up Next
The Tortugas continue their six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons on Friday, August 21 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.