Tortugas Can’t Corral Cardinals, Fall, 6-3

August 31, 2022 – Florida State League (FSL) – Daytona Tortugas News Release

JUPITER, Fla. – C Cade Hunter garnered two hits with exit velocities in excess of 100 mph during his debut, while CF Héctor Rodríguez collected two more RBI for Daytona. However, Palm Beach pushed forward and captured their fifth-straight victory, toppling the Tortugas, 6-3, on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Scoreless through two and a half, Palm Beach (32-23, 62-57) drew first blood in the bottom of the third. With the bases empty and two out, CF Joshua Báez (2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, SO) pounded a 1-1 pitch beyond the batter’s eye in center field for a solo home run. The 2021 second-round pick’s third home run of the season put the Cardinals in front, 1-0.

An inning later, Palm Beach continued to tack on. 3B R.J. Yeager (2-4, BB, SO) reached on a looping infield single on the first pitch of the inning and appeared to advance from first to third on a knock up the middle by C Leonardo Bernal (0-4, R, SO). However, Yeager staggered around second on his way to third, prompting Daytona to appeal that he missed the base on his way by. The base umpire ruled Yeager did indeed miss the base for the inning’s first out.

Alas, that would not quell the Beach Birds. DH Chris Rotondo (0-1, R, RBI, 2 BB, SO) was plunked with a pitch, and 2B Brody Moore (2-4, RBI) and SS Jeremy Rivas (1-4, RBI, SO) garnered consecutive RBI singles to extend the home squad’s lead to 3-0.

Daytona (19-35, 48-71) started to mount a comeback in the sixth. 3B Austin Callahan (2-4, R, SO) laced a one-out base-hit into left-center and scooted around to third on Hunter’s (2-4, R, RBI, SO) first knock, a single up the middle. A walk to DH Jack Rogers (0-3, BB, 3 SO) loaded the bases and produced a pitching change.

On the first pitch from the new arm, Rodríguez (1-3, 2 RBI, BB, SO) dunked a single down the left-field line. Two runs scored on the 18-year-old’s one-base hit, pulling the Tortugas within one, 3-2.

Palm Beach propelled themselves back in front by three with another rally in the bottom of the seventh. CF Victor Scott (2-5, R, 3B, RBI) poked a one-out single to center and motored around to third base on Báez’s worm burner up the middle. 1B Thomas Francisco (1-5, RBI) clanged an RBI knock to center, putting the Cardinals up a pair, 4-2. Walks to Yeager and Rotondo chased in another tally, giving Palm Beach a 5-2 edge.

In the eighth, both teams traded barbs. 2B Braylin Minier (1-4, R, SO)…