Ankeney’s career day lifts Lakeland to 7-5 win over Palm Beach
Lakeland's Beau Ankeney tallied a career-high four hits and matched his career-high with four hits to spur the Flying Tigers (37-42, 6-8) to a 7-5 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals (42-38, 9-5), on Saturday night at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland kicked off the scoring with three runs in the
Lakeland's Beau Ankeney tallied a career-high four hits and matched his career-high with four hits to spur the Flying Tigers (37-42, 6-8) to a 7-5 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals (42-38, 9-5), on Saturday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Lakeland kicked off the scoring with three runs in the second off starter Sem Robberse. Nick Dumesnil led off with a single, advanced to second on a groundout, to third on a single from Anibal Salas and scored on a throwing error. Jordan Yost singled in Salas to double the lead. Yost stole second and scored on a single from Ankeney, putting the Flying Tigers ahead, 3-0.
Lakeland added one in the fourth off reliever Andrew Dutkanych. Jack Goodman laced a leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 4-0.
Palm Beach tallied one run in the fifth off reliever Pedro Garcia. Johnfrank Salazar doubled and scored on an RBI single from Sebastian Dos Santos, cutting into the lead, 4-1.
The Flying Tigers added two runs in the fifth off Dutkanych. Jesus Pinto singled and stole second. Salas was hit by a pitch and Pinto moved to third on a walk from Goodman. Ankeney drove in Pinto and Salas on a single to push the lead to 6-1.
Palm Beach responded with two runs in the sixth off Garcia. Jonathan Mejía walked and scored on a two-run blast from Yordalin Peña, cutting the deficit to 6-2.
Lakeland added one more run in the seventh off reliever Yadiel Batista. Yost reached on an infield single and scored on an Ankeney double, his fourth hit and RBI of the night, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Cardinals responded with two runs in the eighth off reliever Antonio Florido. Florido walked Ryan Mitchell, Brayden Smith and Mejía to begin the inning. Pena laced a two-run double to score Mitchell and Smith, cutting the deficit to 7-5.
Palm Beach failed to score in the ninth as reliever Yoan Valdez shut down the visitors for a 7-5 win.
Reliever Luke Hoskins (4-4) took the win, allowing no runs on one hit over 1.0 inning while striking out two. Robberse (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits while punching out two over 1.2 innings. Valdez (1) earned the save, going 1.0 perfect inning.
The Flying Tigers look for a home series win over Palm Beach on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Lakeland sends out RHP Connor Fenlong (0-0, 0.00) to face Cardinals LHP Nathan Shinn (1-0, 5.68).