Feliz’s heroics help Blue Jays to fifth straight win

DUNEDIN, FL – Cristian Feliz belted a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, then pushed in the winning run on a walk-off walk in the 10th, leading the Blue Jays to a 5-4 win over St. Lucie on Thursday night at TD Ballpark.

The win marks Dunedin’s fifth straight, improving the team’s record to 25-23.

Thanks in part to a strong breeze blowing to right field, seven of the game’s nine runs were driven in on home runs.

The first longball belonged to Alexis Hernandez, who extended his red-hot stretch with a solo shot in the second inning – his fourth homer in six games.

In the top of the third, Boston Baro punched his first home run of the year to right field, putting the Mets ahead 2-1. Bryce Arnold punched back in the bottom of the third, lining a game-tying solo homer to make it 2-2.

From that point on, St. Lucie starter Jack Wenninger became the story, as the right hander allowed just three hits through six innings.

Grant Rogers delivered scoreless innings in the third, fourth and fifth but was chased in the sixth, as Roland Hernandez and Jeffry Rosa went back-to-back to open a 4-2 lead for the Mets.

Wenninger returned for the seventh inning and coughed up an unearned run. Feliz reached on an error, in which first baseman Yohairo Cuevas misfired on a flip to the bag. A batter later, Nic Deschamps laced an RBI double into the corner in right, trimming the lead to 4-3. Wenninger finished the inning with his 12th strikeout of the game.

After Juanmi Vasquez delivered 2.2 scoreless innings, Kai Peterson entered the game in the ninth, and struck out three to strand a runner on second.

In the bottom of the ninth, Feliz led off the inning against lefty reliever Jeremy Peguero. Feliz took three straight balls, and then appeared to take ball four on a fastball high, but it clipped the computerized zone. The 6-foot, 5-inch slugger made the most of the 3-1 offer, launching it above the lights to right field, 411 feet for a game-tying home run.

Jean Joseph then doubled but was left stranded on third base to send the game to extras.

Peterson stayed out for the 10th inning and again struck out the side, stranding the automatic runner on third base.

In the bottom half, Manuel Beltre grounded out to move Victor Arias, the placed runner, to third. The next three batters walked, capped of by Feliz’s four-pitch free pass to end the game.

Dunedin can match its longest win streak of the season tomorrow night, as the series continues at 6:30 ET. Fans can purchase their tickets now at DunedinBlueJays.com.