Blue Jays fall in finale, settle for split with Tampa

DUNEDIN, FL – The Blue Jays couldn’t overcome an early 8-2 deficit to Tampa and fell 9-5 in the final game before the All-Star Break on Sunday at TD Ballpark.

With the loss, Dunedin splits the series three games apiece with the Tarpons.

Tampa struck first in the top of the first against Juanmi Vasquez, who was making his first start of the season with Dunedin, as Jackson Castillo lined an RBI double.

The Tarpons chased Vasquez in the top of the third with two two-run home runs; one from Dylan Jasso and one from Willy Montero that made it 5-0.

The Blue Jays responded with a Yhoangel Aponte 2-RBI double in the bottom of the third to trim the deficit to 5-2.

Tampa got those runs back, plus one more in the top of the fourth inning, scoring on a Jasso sac fly, Montero RBI single and Coby Morales bases loaded walk to grow the lead to 8-2.

Dunedin’s bullpen settled in, as Julio Ortiz and Nate Garkow combined for 3.1 scoreless innings to hold the score.

Arjun Nimmala got the Blue Jays back on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, launching a solo homer (his sixth of the season) to make it 8-3.

In the eighth, Robert Robertis blooped a two-RBI single to bring Nimmala to the plate as the tying run with men on the corners, but the threat stopped there with a strikeout.

In the ninth, Jackson Castillo picked up an RBI single for insurance to make it 9-5, and Dunedin went in order in the bottom half to end the game.

The Blue Jays return to action on the road on Friday, July 19 at Lakeland for a 6:30 first pitch.