Dunedin defeats Tampa in 10 innings for 5th straight win
TAMPA, FL – The Blue Jays pushed their win streak to five games with a 5-4, 10-inning victory over Tampa on Saturday night at Steinbrenner Field. The five game win streak marks Dunedin’s longest since June. The Blue Jays struck first with a two-out push in the second inning. Manuel
TAMPA, FL – The Blue Jays pushed their win streak to five games with a 5-4, 10-inning victory over Tampa on Saturday night at Steinbrenner Field. The five game win streak marks Dunedin’s longest since June.
The Blue Jays struck first with a two-out push in the second inning. Manuel Beltre singled, then JR Freethy and Yhoangel Aponte followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases for Braden Barry. He capitalized on the opportunity, slapping a bases-clearing three-RBI triple into the right field corner to put Dunedin ahead 3-0.
Blue Jays starter Gilberto Batista preserved the lead through the fourth inning, allowing just two base runners in his first four frames of work.
As rain began to pour, Tampa jumped on Batista in the fifth inning. Duncan Pastore got the Tarpons on the board with a sacrifice fly, driving in Juan Matheus. Then, Diomedes Hernandez poked an opposite field, solo homer to make it 4-2 and chase Batista.
Tampa eventually trimmed the lead down to 4-3, as Roderick Arias reached on an error, stole second, reached third on another error, and scored on a wild pitch.
Dunedin couldn’t tack on insurance, but the bullpen kept the one-run advantage in place through the eighth. Ryan Boyer fired a 1-2-3 sixth in his second rehab appearance from AA. Eminen Flores took over in the seventh and proceeded to retire the first six batters he faced.
The righty returned for the ninth inning and allowed a game-tying solo home run to Marshall Toole. Flores remained in the contest and stranded the winning run on first base to send the game to extras.
In the top of the 10th, Carter Cunningham bounced an RBI single past a drawn in infield, driving in Arjun Nimmala to put the Blue Jays back in front 5-4.
Flores returned to the hill for the bottom of the 10th and ended the game with runners on the corners to collect his first win in Single-A.
The Blue Jays will conclude the 2024 season on Sunday against Tampa, with first pitch scheduled for Noon. Fans can listen to the Dunedin broadcast for free online, at https://www.milb.com/dunedin/fans/radio.