Blue Jays push past Tampa in seventh for one-run win

DUNEDIN, FL – The Blue Jays used a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Tampa 4-3 on Thursday night at TD Ballpark.

The one-run win marks Dunedin’s fifth consecutive game decided by one run – four of them wins.

Ryan Watson took the ball for the Jays, making his Single-A debut. After working a 1-2-3 first, the Tarpons picked up the first run of the ballgame in the second, as Diomedes Hernandez laced a two-out RBI single.

Tampa’s lead grew to 2-0 as Roderick Arias scored on Jackson Castillo’s RBI knock in the third inning.

Following the third, Watson found a rhythm, retiring the next six batters, eventually racking up seven strikeouts.

Josh Grosz faced one over the minimum for Tampa to start the game but struggled in the fourth inning. Arjun Nimmala got the Blue Jays on the board with one swing to lead off the inning, lining a 3-2 pitch into the bullpen for a solo home run.

Later, Roque Salinas walked, moved to third, and scored on Tucker Toman’s sacrifice fly that tied the game at two.

The tie was short lived, as Tampa responded in the sixth. Watson returned for the inning and retired the first two batters, but then allowed a two-out triple to Willy Montero that snuck past a diving Yhoangel Aponte in center field.

Yondrei Rojas took over and allowed an RBI single to Hans Montero that put the Tarpons back ahead 3-2.

In the seventh inning, with the game still tied at two, Dunedin manufactured two runs to pull ahead. Nic Deschamps walked, and Bryce Arnold singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Victor Arias hopped a swinging bunt in front of home plate to move both runners 90-feet.

That set up Nimmala for a sacrifice fly that brought Deschamps home from third and allowed Arnold to advance to third. Arnold then scored on a wild pitch that put the Jays in front 4-3.

Jordan Powell faced the minimum in a scoreless eighth inning but walked the first batter of the ninth. Dunedin brought Bo Bonds in to nail down the save, and the righty did so by stranding runners on first and second to end the game.

With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 10-7 in the second half and pull within a game of first place Fort Myers.

The series continues tomorrow night at 6:30 at TD Ballpark. Fans can purchase tickets now at DunedinBlueJays.com.