Beltre’s walk-off knock boosts Blue Jays to first extra-innings win

DUNEDIN, FL – With two outs in the bottom of the 10th, Jupiter pitcher Justin Storm came within a strike of sending the game to the 11th inning. Manuel Beltre had other thoughts, as the Dunedin third baseman punched a line drive into the left center field gap to deliver a 6-5 win for the Blue Jays on Thursday night at TD Ballpark.

The win is the first in extra innings this season for Dunedin, and the team’s first walk-off victory since Beltre’s walk-off homer on April 7 against Lakeland.

The Jays trailed early, as the Hammerheads scored two runs on four hits in the top of the third inning to claim a 2-0 lead.

Jupiter’s lead didn’t last long, as Nic Deschamps blasted a majestic, game-tying, two-run homer to right field in his first at bat off the injured list in the bottom of the third.

The Hammerheads quickly jumped back in front in the fourth with their own two-run shot, as Angelo DiSpigna lined a two-run home run to left center to put Jupiter back ahead, 4-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Deschamps appeared to answer with another homer. With Beltre on first base with two outs, Deschamps launched another pitch from Jupiter starter Eliazar Dishmey to right center that cleared the fence on the fly, but bounced back into play and was ruled a live ball. Instead of a game-tying homer, Deschamps settled for an RBI triple that trimmed the lead to 4-3. He was left stranded on third base to end the inning.

Blue Jays starter Grant Rogers bounced back from the blow in the fourth with two scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth but exited in line for the loss.

Rogers’ teammates got him off the hook in the bottom of the seventh. Deschamps opened the frame with a walk, and Victor Arias followed with a one-out hit by pitch. Tucker Toman moved both runners over with a ground out, setting up Yhoangel Aponte for a two-out, two-RBI single to left that propelled the Jays to a 5-4 lead.

Sebastian Espino preserved the lead by stranding a runner on third base in the top of the eighth inning. Espino remained in the game to try for the save in the ninth, but Dunedin ran into trouble right off the bat.

DiSpigna popped up the first pitch of the inning into shallow left. As Beltre, Toman and Arias converged, the ball dropped, allowing DiSpigna to reach second base on a double.

After a sac bunt from Jordan McCants and a walk to Renny Hidalgo, Keiner Leon relived Espino. The first batter Leon faced, Jesus Hernandez, scored DiSpigna on a sac fly to shallow right to tie the game at five.

The inning ended as Ryan Ignoffo hit an infield single. The throw to first was low and deflected into right field, opening the door for Hidalgo to score. However, right fielder Alexis Hernandez fired a strike to the plate, forcing Hidalgo into a rundown to end the threat.

The Blue Jays went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extras. Leon stayed in the game, and retired the Hammerheads in order, helped by a sprinting, basket catch by the second baseman Bryce Arnold to end the frame.

In the bottom of the 10th, Storm struck out Arias, but then walked the next two batters – Toman unintentionally, and Aponte intentionally – to load the bases.

The lefty bounced back to strikeout Cristian Feliz, and brought Beltre to the brink, battling to a 2-2 count. On the fifth pitch of the at bat, Beltre lined a single into the gap to score Arnold to end the game.

Dunedin will vie for a third straight win tomorrow night against Jupiter at 6:30 pm. The first 500 fans through the gates receive a friendship bracelet as a part of Ladies Night at TD Ballpark. Tickets are available online at DunedinBlueJays.com.