Aponte, Blue Jays fly past Tarpons to win sixth straight 

TAMPA, FL – For the first time this season, the Blue Jays posted double-digits in the run column, blasting Tampa 11-2 on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Dunedin has now won six consecutive games.

Both teams scored in the first, as the Blue Jays jumped ahead on an RBI double from Yhoangel Aponte. The Tarpons tied it up courtesy of Dylan Jasso’s RBI double,

Jays’ starter Fernando Perez recovered smoothly from the first inning blow, as the right-hander allowed just one base runner in the next three innings.

The Blue Jays’ bats backed Perez by regaining the lead in the fourth, as Aponte scored on a double play after he reached on his second double of the day. The lead grew to 4-1 in the fifth, as Alexis Hernandez scored on a wild pitch and Aponte drove in Nimmala on an RBI single.

Perez allowed a sacrifice fly in his final inning of work but stranded two runners on to end the fifth, keeping Dunedin in front 4-2.

Dunedin broke the game open with a three-run seventh inning, scoring all three runs with two outs. Aponte roped an RBI triple, driving in Ricardo Balogh. Manuel Beltre joined the party with an RBI single, and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-2.

Aponte finished the night 4-5 with three RBIs – marking the first four-hit performance by a Blue Jay this season.

On the other side of the scorecard, Yondrei Rojas was lights-out in relief of Perez. The righty did not allow a baserunner while striking out five Tarpons in three innings.

The Blue Jays insured their lead with four more runs in the top of the ninth – again, all with two outs. After Aponte reached on an error, and Beltre and Edward Duran walked to load the bases. Yeuni Munoz promptly cleared them with a 3-RBI triple. Bryce Arnold followed with an RBI single to score Munoz, pushing the lead to 11-2.

In the bottom of the ninth, Felipe Bello made his season debut, working around a hit and an error to record a zero to end the game.

The Jays’ six-game win streak is the longest active streak in all of Single-A baseball, and their 6-1 record remains a Florida State League best.

The series with the Tarpons continues on Saturday night at 6:30 pm. Fans can watch the game on MiLB.tv. Dunedin returns to TD Ballpark starting on Tuesday, April 16 to open a six-game series with the Clearwater Threshers. Tickets are on sale now on DunedinBlueJays.com