Tortugas Trounce Mussels in Doubleheader Sweep

June 12, 2022 – Florida State League (FSL) – Daytona Tortugas News Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – 1B Ruben Ibarra garnered his second career multi-home run game and a career-best five RBI in the lid-lifter, while 1B Jack Rogers tallied a career-high three hits in the nightcap, as the Daytona Tortugas swept a doubleheader from the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, taking game one, 11-4, and game two, 3-1, in front of 1,136 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Sunday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Daytona (24-32) wasted no time getting the offense rolling in the opener. CF Jay Allen II (1-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, SO) doubled on the first pitch of the opening frame and SS Brandon Leyton (1-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, SO) was plunked on the next offering to ignite a rally. After a wild pitch advanced the runners and a strikeout, Ibarra (3-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, SO) struck a grounder past the drawn-in infield. Two runs scored on the single, giving the ‘Tugas a 2-0 lead.

The initial lead did not last. RF Carlos Aguiar (1-2, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB) earned a walk with one out in Fort Myers’ (35-21) half of the second and LF Nelson Roberto (1-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, SO) followed by charging a ball to left-center field. His clout clanged off a palm tree beyond the fence for a two-run home run, his first of the year, that knotted the contest at two.

In the bottom of the frame, the Tortugas would have their rebuttal. DH Wilfred Astudillo (1-3, R, SO) reached safely on a throwing error and advanced to second when Allen was drilled. Leyton rifled the first pitch he saw into the gap in left-center for an extra-base hit. Astudillo scored, as Allen advanced to third, placing Daytona back on top, 3-2. RF Jack Rogers (1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, SO) made it a 4-2 contest with a run-producing ground out to first.

Both squads traded runs in the bottom of the third and top of the fourth. Daytona’s LF Jamal O’Guinn (2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, SO) doubled to right, scooted to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch to make it a three-run affair. Aguiar then pounded a pitch into the auxiliary parking lot beyond the right-field wall for a solo home run – his first of the campaign – to yank Fort Myers within three, 5-3.

The Tortugas began to open the game up in the fourth. With two outs, Leyton reached on a three-base throwing error and crossed the dish on Rogers’ two-bagger into the right-center field alleyway. Ibarra then dung in and incinerated a pitch to left-center for a two-run blast. The 23-year-old’s sixth homer of…