Flying Tigers Hold On For Extra-Innings Win Over Tarpons, 5-4

April 25, 2024 – Florida State League (FSL)
Tampa Tarpons News Release

Tampa Tarpons’ Cade Smith in action
(Tampa Tarpons)

TAMPA, Fla. – The Lakeland Flying Tigers (12-6) took down the Tampa Tarpons (4-14) in a twelve-inning battle Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Both teams were scoreless through the first two extra innings, and then in the twelfth, Lakeland put up a three-spot, capped off by a two-run homer from Jose De La Cruz. The Tarpons battled back for two runs in the bottom half of the inning and had the winning run on base but were unable to capitalize. The Tarpons could not take advantage of scoring opportunities, leaving 17 men on base while going 6-for-24 with runners in scoring position.

RHP Cade Smith (6.0IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB, 7K) tossed six dazzling innings, allowing two runs in his outing. Smith took a no-hitter into the sixth until it was broken up by a single from John Peck. Smith relied on two pitches: his fastball and slider. The slider was the swing-and-miss pitch, recording a whiff rate of 43%. Smith struck out the side in the fourth on his way to a season-high seven strikeouts.

Tampa’s bullpen was sharp, allowing just two runs over six innings of relief. RHP Cade Austin (0-1) pitched a scoreless tenth and eleventh in extras, despite the ghost runner starting on second base. Austin limited hard hits, as his average exit velocity was just 84.0 MPH.

RF Daury Arias opened the bottom of the fourth, smacking a double off the top of the center field wall. 2B Brenny Escanio laced a 101.8 MPH single to right field. On the single, Arias rounded third, trying to score, but De La Cruz threw a laser to nab Arias at home plate. Escanio advanced to second on the throw, and then DH Enmanuel Tejeda was plunked by a sinker. 3B Dylan Jasso put Tampa on the board first, smoking a double to the left field corner, bringing home Escanio. 1B Coby Morales walked to load the bases, and a wild pitch plated Tejeda to extend the lead to two.

Peck picked up Lakeland’s first hit of the night in the sixth, a triple over the head of Arias in right. With Tampa’s infield drawn in, Samuel Gil lined a single to right, cutting the deficit to one. A wild pitch and a groundout moved Gil to third base. Josue Briceño came up clutch for the Flying Tigers, hitting a game-tying double into the left-center field gap.

After being blanked through the first two extra innings, Lakeland broke up the tie in the twelfth. Briceño started on second as the ghost runner, and…