The Tampa Tarpons fell 12-8 to the Daytona Tortugas Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Tampa entered the game with a 32-18 record, while Daytona entered at 33-18. Luis Puello went 2-for-5 and raised his batting average to .368 during August.
Daytona Takes Control
Daytona opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the third inning. Tampa answered in the bottom half after Luis Escudero and Dax Kilby singled, followed by a Daytona error. A throwing error allowed Paul Contreras to reach home, tying the game at 1-1.
The Tortugas broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs after the first batter reached on a Tampa miscue. Daytona added three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 12-1 lead. Tampa began cutting into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth when Brando Mayea led off with a single and Luis Escudero doubled him home.
Tarpons Rally Falls Short
Tampa continued to chip away in the seventh inning. Luis Puello doubled to lead off the frame, and the Tarpons scored four runs, including a sacrifice fly by Paul Contreras, to make it a 12-5 game. Rafael Arias kept Daytona scoreless over 2.2 relief innings and struck out two batters.
Brando Mayea hit a home run into the right-field bleachers to lead off the ninth inning. A hit by pitch, a single and a walk loaded the bases before Luke Pettitte doubled down the third-base line. The double brought Tampa within four runs with two runners on base, but the comeback attempt ended there.
The Tampa Tarpons and Daytona Tortugas were scheduled to return to action the following night. First pitch was set for 6:30 p.m.
Source: Original report