THE SERIES ... Lakeland concludes its five-day homestand with a trio of games against Daytona. Thursday’s and Friday’s games are at 6:30 pm with the series finale Saturday at 6 pm. The two clubs have split their two series played so far with each team winning two of three on their home field. Both of the Tortugas’ wins at Jackie Robinson Ballpark were in 11 innings. Each club has posted one shutout.
THE FLYING TIGERS (25-27, 4th, 6.5 GB) ... Lakeland split a 23-inning doubleheader with Tampa last night after Tuesday’s scheduled game was rained out. The Yankees took the first game 2-0 while the Flying Tigers prevailed 2-1 in 16 innings in game two. The split gives Lakeland a 9-15 record at Joker Marchant Stadium while the team is 16-12 on the road. Dominic Ficociello is now 10th in the FSL with a .292 batting average. With just eight hits in the 23 innings last night, Lakeland has dropped to 10th in the league with a .235 team batting average, but remains tied for second with 24 home runs.
THE TORTUGAS (32-21, 1st, 5.0 GB) ... With just over two weeks remaining in the first half, Daytona is sitting atop the league standings with a five-game lead over Clearwater (over in the South Division, Charlotte has an eight-game lead). The Tortugas are 12-7 since May 12 and are 6-3 their last nine games. Alex Blandino is third in the FSL with a .314 average, second with a .395 on-base percentage and fourth with 60 hits. Phillip Ervin has nine home runs and 33 RBI, which are both tied for most in the league. He also leads the FSL with 37 runs scored and tied for third with 19 extra base hits. On the mound, Barrett Astin is tenth with a 2.17 ERA while Amir Garrett is tied for fourth with 54 strikeouts. Daytona bats .248 as a team and is the league’s top home run hitting team with 31 dingers. One chink in the Tortugas’ shell has been the team defense. Daytona has been charged with the second most errors (82) in the league.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
6/04 – RHP Jonathan Maciel (2-5, 6.12 ERA) ... Maciel would probably like to forget his last outing on May 30 at Brevard County as the righty was tagged for a season-high 11 runs—seven earned—on 10 hits in just 3.1 innings. The seven earned runs matched the number he allowed in his previous four starts and 22.1 innings. It was the third time this season he has surrendered 10 hits while the 3.1 innings marked his shortest outing. Maciel is looking for his first home win against three losses. He has faced the Tortugas once before this season, holding Daytona to one earned run in 4.1 innings.
6/05 – RHP Ryan Longstreth (2-4, 3.48 ERA) ... Longstreth lost his second straight start on May 31 at Brevard County, allowing a season-high seven runs—six earned—on six hits. It was the second straight game he has allowed six hits. Like Maciel, Longstreth lasted just 3.1 innings in the Manatees outing. He is 1-2 at home with a 3.32 ERA in five starts. Longstreth is 0-0 in two starts vs. Daytona and has a 0.82 ERA in this games, allowing just one run in 11.0 innings with eight strikeouts and one walk.
6/06 – LHP Matt Crouse (2-1, 1.05 ERA) ... Crouse is making his third start since moving into the starting rotation after the promotion of Tommy Collier to AA Erie. Crouse won his previous two starts, working 5.0 innings in each and allowing just one run in each. In his last start on June 1 at Brevard County, he struck out a season-high six batters and held the Manatees to just three hits. This is just his fourth appearance at home and his first start. Crouse had not allowed a run in his previous 7.2 innings at Joker Marchant Stadium. He has one appearance vs. Daytona this season and gave up one run in one inning.
LET’S PLAYED 23! ... Lakeland played a make-up doubleheader with Tampa last night. Twenty-three innings later the Flying Tigers walked off with a split of the twinbill. After shutting out Lakeland 2-0 in the first seven-inning game, Tampa continued to dominate in game two as Yankee hurler Jason Montgomery made his FSL debut a memorable one by tossing a perfect game through six innings before Jiwan James reached on a fielding error. James would later score on a sac fly to knot the game at 1-all. Tampa relievers held the Flying Tigers hitless until one out in the 12th inning, when James again played spoiler, rapping a solid single to left field to break up the no-hitter. Neither team could crack the scoreboard until the bottom of the 16th frame when Dominic Ficociello led off with a single and after being sacrificed to second, scored on a double by Fransisco Martinez to end the 4 hour, 13 minute marathon. Tampa outhit Lakeland 13-4 in game two, but stranded 13 runners.
JAMMIN’ JIWAN ... Jiwan James has now reached base safely in 25 straight games dating back to May 5—the longest streak in the Florida State League this season. He saw his nine-game hit streak snapped in game one last night. He was 12x41 (.293) during the streak and has at least one hit in 22 of his last 25 games.
MIGHTIER PEN ... With 9.0 shutout innings in game two last night, the Flying Tigers relief core has allowed just seven runs—six earned—in the last 52.1 innings over the last 12 games for a 1.01 ERA. Julio Felix has not allowed a run and given up just five hits in his last 17.0 innings over seven relief outings.
VOELKER STOPPER ... Paul Voelker has worn the crown of stopper since joining the club and has picked up a save in all five of his save opportunities so far. He is 2-0 with five saves and a 1.50 ERA.
GUNNING THEM DOWN ... Lakeland catcher Grayson Greiner has thrown out 37.8 percent of the runners attempting to steal against him this season to rank third in the FSL. He has gunned down 17 would-be thieves, the second most in the Florida State League.
A TOUGH AT BAT ... Javier Betancourt is the second toughest batter to strike out in the Florida State League with one whiff per 16.23 total plate appearances. He has struck out just once in his last 11games six times in his last 34 games dating back to April 27.
APRIL TO MAY ... Lakeland opened the 2015 Florida State League season winning just eight of their 21 games in April. The Flying Tigers clubbed 15 homers and hit .248 over the first month. Lakeland was 16-13 in May with a .244 average and nine homers. The big difference has been the pitching. The Flying Tigers posted a 4.21 ERA in April and just a 2.97 earned run average in May.
THE SKIPPER (thru 6/3) ... Flying Tigers manager Dave Huppert ranks 17th among minor league manager in terms of wins and has a 1,896-1,764 record entering tonight’s game. Huppert now trails Cal Ermer who is in 16th place with a 1,906-1,728 record compiled from 1947-1984. Huppert is a 2012 FSL Hall of Fame honoree and is back for a 28th season as a minor league manager. He is in his fifth season with the Flying Tigers and has a 288-302 record, including a FSL championship in 2012.
UP NEXT ... After a day off on June 7, the Flying Tigers the welcome Fort Myers, June 8-11.
ROSTER MOVE ... Infielder Raph Rhymes, the leading home run hitter on the Flying Tigers, was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday with infielder Brett Pirtle called up from Extended Spring Trainer. Pirtle was a 23rd round pick by Detroit in 2014 out of Mississippi State University. He hit .294 at Connecticut last summer.
PEREZ SIGNED BY MILWAUKEE ... While one former Flying Tiger, Daniel Fields, was called up by Detroit on Tuesday, another made an exit as Hernan Perez was claimed off waivers by the Brewers.
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