Daytona Tortugas drop Game 1 of FSL playoffs to Jupiter Hammerheads
· Yahoo Sports
DAYTONA BEACH — The Daytona Tortugas are down to their final chances of 2026.
After falling to the Jupiter Hammerheads 6-1 in Game 1 of the Florida State League East Division Series, the Tortugas have to win their next two contests on the road to advance to the championship series. A loss in either of the next two outings would end their season.
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Game 2 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 10.
The clubs got off to a slow start on Sept. 8 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Uncooperative weather caused a three-hour delay. And because first pitch arrived after 9 p.m. (9:31), minor league rules stipulated the game be shortened to seven innings.
Jupiter dented the scoreboard first. With two outs in the top of the second inning, Andres Valor singled, plating Eric Guevara to create a 1-0 lead.
Daytona answered in the bottom of the inning when a Hammerheads throwing error brought Mulivai Levu home. Levu paced the lineup with two hits in three at-bats.
But that marked the end for the Tortugas’ offense. It finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Jupiter pulled away against the Daytona bullpen in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
To kick off the fourth, Iker Redona replaced starter Ethan Norby. Jacob Lombard welcomed Redona to the game by blasting a solo home run to left field to make it 2-1.
The Hammerheads added three runs in the fifth — first on an Echedry Vargas RBI single off Redona and then on a walk and a hit-by-pitch from Tortugas reliever Dusty Revis with the bases loaded.
Jupiter concluded its damage with a Vargas dinger in the sixth.
Overall, the Hammerheads outhit Daytona 9-7.
Dameivi Tineo pitched the first 4⅔ innings for Jupiter. He gave way to Samuel Carpio, who earned the win with 1⅓ shutout frames. Davidxon Lara closed things out in the bottom of the seventh.
Redona took the loss for the Tortugas.
The final out occurred at 11:42 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Tortugas drop Game 1 of FSL playoffs to Jupiter Hammerheads