The Tampa Tarpons lost 12-11 to the Daytona Tortugas on Tuesday night, Aug. 18, at George M. Steinbrenner Field despite collecting 14 hits. Luke Pettitte made his professional debut for the Tampa Tarpons, going 2-for-3 with his first professional hit, RBI and home run.
Pettitte, the son of Yankees legend Andy Pettitte, hit his first professional home run over the left-field wall in the fifth inning. Yostin Peña and Luis Escudero each went 3-for-5, while Escudero also hit a ground-rule double in the second inning and a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
Tampa Tarpons Answer Daytona Tortugas’ Fast Start
The Daytona Tortugas opened the game with seven runs, but the Tampa Tarpons responded with six in the bottom of the first inning. Paul Contreras hit a two-run triple, and Bear Harrison followed with an infield single to drive in a run. Tyce Armstrong added a sacrifice fly before Pettitte recorded his first professional hit and RBI, and Dax Kilby capped the inning with an RBI single.
The Daytona Tortugas led 7-6 after the first inning and extended the advantage to 9-6 in the second after Rafhlmil Torres hit an RBI single and another run scored following a Tampa miscue. Escudero’s ground-rule double cut the deficit to two runs. Jirvin Morillo then hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Daytona an 11-8 lead.
Pettitte’s home run in the fifth made it an 11-8 game before the Tampa Tarpons scored again in the sixth on a Daytona wild pitch. The Tampa bullpen held the Daytona Tortugas scoreless until the ninth inning, when Daytona added an insurance run on an RBI double.
Tampa Tarpons Rally in Ninth
Armstrong hit his second sacrifice fly of the game in the ninth inning to bring Tampa within two runs. Escudero followed with a two-out RBI single, bringing the Tarpons within one. Tampa could not complete the comeback and fell 12-11.
The Tampa Tarpons entered the game with a 31-17 record, while the Daytona Tortugas entered at 32-17. The division leaders are scheduled to play again the following night at George M. Steinbrenner Field, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
Source: Original report