JUPITER, FL – The Jupiter Hammerheads (26-16) used an early lead and late insurance runs to defeat the Daytona Tortugas (14-29) by a final score of 7-2 on Friday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. With the win, Jupiter has a two-game lead for the FSL East Division.
The game began as a pitchers’ duel between Jupiter starting pitcher Julio Mendez Jr. (W, 3-0) and Daytona starting pitcher Justin Henschel (L, 0-2). Neither pitcher allowed a run through the first three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Hammerheads scored the first run of the game for the first time in the series. With one out, Andres Valor drew a walk, stole second base, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Emilio Barreras followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Valor and gave Jupiter a 1-0 lead after four innings.
The Hammerheads expanded their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jupiter loaded the bases against Henschel with one out before he was pulled from the mound. Against new Daytona pitcher Dominic Scheffler, Abrahan Ramírez didn’t have to swing the bat on an RBI walk and Barreras drew an RBI hit-by-pitch and the Hammerheads took a 3-0 lead after five innings.
Mendez Jr. went back out for the top of the sixth inning. However, with two outs, Kyle Henley and Tyson Lewis hit back-to-back solo home runs to put the Tortugas within a run. Mendez Jr. was pulled after the home runs and finished with a season-high 5 2/3 innings pitched and struck out nine hitters. Braulio Salas (H, 2) was the first pitcher out of the Jupiter bullpen and finished the sixth inning with no further damage.
Jupiter got back to work on offense in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jupiter loaded the bases with two outs and Ramírez drew an RBI walk to take a 4-2 lead despite leaving the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning.
Salas returned to the mound for the top of the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff double by Rafhlmil Torres. However, he induced a popout, groundout and strikeout to escape the inning with no runs allowed.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Echedry Vargas and Josh Houge started the frame with a pair of singles. Carter Johnson followed with an infield single to load the bases. Ramírez came to the plate and drew his third RBI walk of the game. With the bases still loaded, Barreras smashed a ball off the second baseman’s glove and into right field, which scored two more runs and put Jupiter up 7-2.
Chase Renner (Sv, 2) pitched the eighth and ninth innings and did not allow a run to secure the 7-2 victory for Jupiter over Daytona on Friday night. Barreras drove in a career-high 4 RBIs to lead the offense. Ramírez recorded three RBIs and remains as the team leader with 26.
The Hammerheads and Tortugas head into game five of this six-game series on Saturday, May 23rd with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. into Memorial Day Weekend as the Hammerheads look for their fifth-straight series win. Click here to purchase your Jupiter Hammerheads tickets
Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is “America’s Busiest Ballpark” as the only home of two full season minor league affiliates. Enjoy the best entertainment membership packages in Palm Beach County with our staple programs like “Rockwell Hearing Center Silver Sluggers” every Wednesday for all fans 55 and up, “Thirsty Thursdays” every Thursday for all fans 21 and up, and “Code Ninjas Kids Club” every Saturday for all fans 15 and under.
New to 2026, fans can purchase tickets to the Jupiter Medical Center Champions Club down the left field line for an elevated baseball experience. Returning for 2026, every Tuesday game is a “2-for-1 Tuesday” where fans get two reserved box tickets for the price of one ($15) and every Sunday game is a “$10 Sunday” where all tickets are just 10 dollars. For more information on tickets, schedules, promotions, and more, call the ticket office at 561-630-1828 or visit the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium website.
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.