DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For the third consecutive season, the Daytona Tortugas are headed back to the Florida State League playoffs.
Daytona officially clinched the FSL East second-half championship Sunday afternoon when Palm Beach dropped the first game of its doubleheader, securing the division for the Tortugas regardless of the result at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The clinch marks Daytona’s fifth playoff appearance in franchise history and its first outright second-half championship. Daytona will host game one of the FSL East Divisional Playoff Series against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday, September 8 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET and tickets are on sale NOW!
The Tortugas have never won the Florida State League championship.
On the field, St. Lucie spoiled the regular-season home finale with a 13-5 victory, using a seven-run fifth inning to break open a game Daytona had led early.
The Rundown
Ethan Norby made his professional debut for Daytona and was outstanding from the start. The right-hander retired all six batters he faced across two perfect innings, striking out three and needing just 21 pitches to get through the first two frames.
The Tortugas gave him the lead in the bottom of the second. Arnaldo Lantigua doubled to open the inning and moved to third on a single from Jirvin Morillo. Drew Davies followed with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Lantigua for a 1-0 Daytona advantage.
St. Lucie moved in front in the third after Alejandro Rivera entered for Norby. Rivera walked Vladi Gomez and allowed a single to Jeremy Rodriguez before being removed following a scary comebacker line drive that struck him on the mound.
Lisnerkin Lantigua entered with two aboard, and Aiden Robbins delivered a two-run single to put the Mets ahead, 2-1.
Daytona answered in the fourth. Arnaldo Lantigua singled and Morillo walked before Davies singled to right, scoring Lantigua to tie the game at two.
The game turned in the fifth.
St. Lucie sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven times on five hits. Ryan Tayman started the rally with an RBI double, Kuhio Aloy followed with another run-scoring double and Jack Toomey added an RBI single. After a walk loaded the bases, Dominic Scheffler entered, but the Mets continued the inning. Jake Ogden drew a bases-loaded walk and Robbins followed with a three-run single that extended the St. Lucie advantage to 9-2.
Daytona responded with one run in the fifth when Steele Hall doubled and later scored on a groundout from Arnaldo Lantigua.
The Tortugas added two more in the sixth. Davies walked and Henry Hunter followed with another free pass. Sherman Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice that brought Davies home when the throw went awry, and Hall followed with another fielder’s choice that allowed Hunter to score, cutting the deficit to 9-5.
St. Lucie pulled away again in the eighth when Julio Zayas launched a three-run home run off Luis Pimentel, extending the lead to 12-5. The Mets added one more in the ninth on a Tayman RBI single.
Daytona put two runners aboard in the ninth but could not score, ending the home portion of the regular season with a loss.
Despite the defeat, the most important result of the afternoon had already come from elsewhere in the league. Palm Beach’s loss officially locked Daytona into the postseason and delivered the Tortugas their first outright FSL East second-half crown.
Stat of the Game
3 — Consecutive seasons in which the Tortugas have reached the Florida State League playoffs.
Notes
• Daytona clinched the Florida State League East second-half championship Sunday afternoon after Palm Beach lost the first game of its doubleheader.
• The Tortugas have now reached the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.
• Daytona has reached the postseason five times in franchise history.
• This is the first outright second-half championship in franchise history.
• The Tortugas have never won the Florida State League championship.
• Daytona finished the day 57-68 overall and 36-23 in the second half.
• The Tortugas finished August 16-11, their most wins in any month this season, topping the 15 victories recorded in July.
• Daytona fell to 8-11 on Sundays.
• The Tortugas fell to 12-21 in day games.
• Daytona finished the regular-season home schedule 38-28 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
• The Tortugas finished 6-4-2 in home series.
• Daytona split the six-game series with St. Lucie, 3-3.
• The Tortugas fell to 1-52 when trailing after seven innings.
• Daytona fell to 18-28 when allowing at least 10 hits.
• The Tortugas suffered their 30th opponent comeback win of the season.
• Daytona fell to 37-26 when scoring first.
• The Tortugas fell to 50-18 when scoring at least five runs.
• Daytona fell to 11-54 when being outhit by its opponent.
• Norby made his professional debut and retired all six batters he faced over 2.0 perfect innings with three strikeouts.
• Lantigua recorded his 21st multi-hit game and 18th two-hit game of the season.
• Davies recorded his 15th multi-hit game and 13th two-hit game of the season.
• Davies recorded his 12th multi-RBI game and eighth two-RBI game of the season.
• Cano extended his on-base streak to 18 games.
• Hall extended his on-base streak to five games.
• Lantigua extended his on-base streak to six games.
• Sanchez extended his on-base streak to five games.
Up Next
The Tortugas open a six-game road series against the Palm Beach Cardinals on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Daytona will enter the final week of the regular season as the FSL East second-half champion with its postseason berth officially secured. The Tortugas will host the Jupiter Hammerheads for the first game of a three game Divisional Playoff Series on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET. Games two and three (if necessary) will be played at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. on Sept. 10 & 11. The Hammerheads will serve as the home team for games two and three (if necessary).