DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The Jupiter Hammerhead stayed up late and defeated the Daytona Tortugas by a final score of 6-1 in seven innings in game one of the Florida State League East Division Round on Tuesday night at the historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida.
After a delay that lasted just under three hours, the Hammerheads struck first in the top of the second inning against Daytona starting pitcher Ethan Norby. With one out, Eric Guevara hit a double down the right field line and advanced to third on the groundout. Later with two outs, Andres Valor hit an RBI single to center field to put Jupiter ahead 1-0.
The Tortugas responded in the bottom of the second inning. Mulivai Levu led the inning off with a single against Jupiter starting pitcher Dameivi Tineo and Rafhlmil Torres followed with a one-out single. The next hitter, Jirvin Morillo, hit a ground ball to the first baseman Echedry Vargas, who threw the ball into left field for an error which plated a run and tied the game 1-1.
In the top of the fourth inning, Norby was lifted for Daytona on the mound for Iker Redona (L, 0-1). Jacob Lombard led off the frame with a solo home run, his fifth home run overall this year, to give the Hammerheads the lead again at 2-1.
After Tineo put up a shutdown inning in the bottom of the fourth inning, Jupiter added to its lead in the top of the fifth. Valor drew a leadoff walk and Carlos Sanchez hit a single to put two runners on base. Vargas came up to the plate and hit an RBI single into shallow right field to score Valor. After Wessley Roberson hit a single to load the bases with no outs, Daytona brought in Dusty Revis to pitch in place of Redona. Josh Hogue followed with one out and drew an RBI walk to pile on for the Hammerheads. With the bases still loaded, Luis Arana capped the scoring with an RBI hit-by-pitch as Jupiter took a 5-1 lead. In total, nine hitters came to the plate with three runs scored and the bases left loaded.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Tineo got the first two outs but issued two walks and a double which Daytona got runners at second and third base. Tineo was lifted and Samuel Carpio (W, 1-0) came in for the final out and got Ichiro Cano to groundout to make sure no runs came in to score as Jupiter remained in front 5-1 after five innings.
Tineo finished his start with 4 2/3 innings pitched and allowed one unearned run, four hits, two walks, and struck out six batters in a no-decision.
In the top of the sixth inning with two outs, Vargas blasted a solo home run to left field, his 28th home run overall this year and first of the playoffs, to give the Hammerheads a 6-1 lead.
Carpio finished 1 1/3 innings where he allowed one hit, no runs and struck out one hitter. Davidxon Lara entered for the bottom of the seventh inning and allowed two hits but did not allow a run to score as the Hammerheads took game one by a final score of 6-1 on Tuesday night.
Vargas led the offense once again after he went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Lombard also went 2-for-4 with a solo home run. The Hammerheads are now one win away from an appearance in the FSL Championship series for the first time since 2023.
The series shifts to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for game two of this three-game series on Thursday, September 10 with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your Jupiter Hammerheads tickets.
About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:
Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. Branded as “America’s Busiest Ballpark,” this year-round facility can accommodate everything from birthday parties to corporate outings to tournaments, while never forgetting that every fan is our most important priority.