CLEARWATER, Fla. — Kyle Henley delivered the go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning after Stharlin Torres provided five strong innings as the Daytona Tortugas edged the Clearwater Threshers, 6-5, on Tuesday night at BayCare Ballpark.
Daytona has won four consecutive games, remains unbeaten since the All-Star break and improved to 15-8 in the second half.
The Rundown
Clearwater struck first against Stharlin Torres in the opening inning. Robert Phelps led off with a single, stole second and scored when Nathan Humphreys lined a one-out single into right-center field.
The Tortugas threatened in the second when Kyle Henley doubled to right, but Clearwater starter Sean Youngerman recorded two strikeouts and a flyout to leave him at third.
Torres settled in after the opening inning and kept the deficit at one. He retired the Threshers in order in the second, stranded Griffin Burkholder following a two-out single in the third and worked another perfect inning in the fourth.
Daytona’s offense broke through against reliever James Tallon in the fifth. Ichiro Cano walked and Anielson Buten singled to place two aboard before Bernard Moon doubled down the right-field line, scoring Cano and moving Buten to third.
Jalen Hairston followed with a two-run double into the right-center-field gap, bringing home Buten and Moon to give Daytona a 3-1 lead. After Arnaldo Lantigua grounded out, Ty Doucette lined a two-out RBI single into right-center, scoring Hairston and completing the four-run inning.
Clearwater threatened in the bottom half when TJayy Walton and Will Vierling opened the frame with consecutive singles before Phelps was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Torres responded by striking out Burkholder and retiring Humphreys on a fly ball to center, preserving Daytona’s 4-1 advantage.
Torres completed five innings while allowing one run on five hits without issuing a walk. He struck out three and stranded six runners, including the bases loaded in his final inning.
Abraham Gaitan took over in the sixth and retired the side in order before Daytona added another run in the seventh. Lantigua turned on a 2-1 pitch from Cole Gilley and drove it over the left-field wall for his seventh home run, extending the lead to 5-1.
Clearwater answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Nolan Beltran and Walton opened the inning with walks, but Vierling grounded into a double play. Phelps kept the inning alive with an RBI single before Burkholder doubled him home. A balk moved Burkholder to third, and Humphreys followed with another RBI single to cut Daytona’s lead to 5-4.
Gaitan loaded the bases later in the inning but induced a groundout from Matthew Ferrara to preserve the one-run advantage.
The Threshers tied the game against Jordan Little in the eighth. Walton walked, stole second and scored on Phelps’ two-out single into right-center.
Daytona answered in the ninth against Marty Gair. After the first two batters were retired, Hairston worked a walk and Lantigua followed with another. Doucette drew a third consecutive walk to load the bases before Henley lined a two-out single into right field, scoring Hairston and putting the Tortugas back in front, 6-5.
Little returned for the bottom of the ninth and finished the victory in dominant fashion. He struck out Humphreys, retired Ferrebus on a groundout and froze Villavicencio for a called third strike, completing a perfect ninth and Daytona’s fourth consecutive win.
Stat of the Day
0 — Torres did not issue a walk over five innings, his second walk-free outing of the season.
Notes:
• Daytona improved to 36-53 overall and 15-8 in the second half.
• The Tortugas have won four consecutive games and remain unbeaten since the All-Star break.
• Daytona leads the six-game series 1-0.
• The Tortugas improved to 10-4 in July, 6-8 on Tuesdays and 28-37 in night games.
• Daytona improved to 3-4 against Clearwater this season and 12-30 on the road.
• The Tortugas improved to 23-43 against right-handed starters.
• Daytona improved to 7-4 when tied after eight innings and 27-3 when leading after seven.
• The Tortugas improved to 12-11 in one-run games.
• Daytona improved to 13-20 when its opponent records at least 10 hits.
• The Tortugas improved to 23-18 when hitting a home run.
• Daytona improved to 30-12 when scoring at least five runs.
• The Tortugas improved to 6-43 when being outhit.
• S. Torres allowed one run over five innings, scattering five hits without issuing a walk.
• Little struck out five over two innings, including all three outs he recorded in the eighth.
• Doucette recorded his 13th multi-hit game and 10th two-hit game of the season.
• Henley recorded his 23rd multi-hit game and 17th two-hit game.
• Hairston recorded his fifth multi-RBI game of the season.
• Hairston extended his hitting streak to 12 games and his on-base streak to 16 games.
• Doucette extended his hitting streak to five games and his on-base streak to 22 games.
• Lantigua extended his hitting streak to four games.
• Rafhlmil Torres extended his hitting streak to four games and his on-base streak to eight.
• Buten extended his hitting streak to five games and his on-base streak to 11.
• Cano extended his on-base streak to 11 games.
Up Next
The Tortugas continue their six-game series against the Clearwater Threshers on Wednesday, July 22 at BayCare Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET.