Early Lead Slips Away as Tampa Swept by Lakeland

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Tarpons (0-3) dropped their third straight on Easter Sunday, falling to the Lakeland Flying Tigers (3-0) in the lone Florida State League game of the day, 13-6.

Despite the loss, Danny Flatt turned in a solid season debut. The right-hander worked into the fifth inning, racking up a career-high seven strikeouts and departing with Tampa in front.

Nolan McCarthy opened the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI double, and Anibal Salas followed with a fielder’s choice that brought McCarthy home to take an early lead.

Tampa promptly responded in the bottom half. Willy Montero launched a two-run homer off the scoreboard to even the score, and the Tarpons capitalized on a chaotic dropped third strike to plate JoJo Jackson. After two innings, Tampa held a 3-2 advantage.

The Tarps tallied another run, courtesy of Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, who lined a base hit to score Engelth Urena to make it 4-2.

Lakeland answered by stringing together a rally of base hits, capped by Javier Osorio’s one-hop double off the wall to flip the scoreboard in favor of the Flying Tigers, 6-4.

From there, the momentum swung decisively. Lakeland continued to pile on with a heap of base hits, extending its advantage to 13-4 by the end of the sixth.

Pedro Rodriguez entered the game for Tampa in the top of the seventh and delivered two scoreless frames, allowing two hits and two walks while fanning a pair of Flying Tigers.

Tampa tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Brandon Mayea split the gap with a two-run double, scoring Ediel Rivera and Enmanuel Tejeda to cut Lakeland’s lead to 13-6, which would hold as the final.

The Tarpons hit the road Tuesday, traveling to Clearwater in search of a bounce-back performance against the Threshers.