Jays squander late lead, drop finale with Bradenton
DUNEDIN, FL – Despite being no-hit through six innings, the Blue Jays carried a 3-2 lead into the ninth inning, but surrendered two runs in the top of the ninth to fall 4-3 to Bradenton on Sunday afternoon at TD Ballpark. With the loss, Dunedin settles for a series split
DUNEDIN, FL – Despite being no-hit through six innings, the Blue Jays carried a 3-2 lead into the ninth inning, but surrendered two runs in the top of the ninth to fall 4-3 to Bradenton on Sunday afternoon at TD Ballpark. With the loss, Dunedin settles for a series split with the Marauders.
After Blue Jays starter Gage Stanifer and Marauders starter Connor Oliver traded zeros in the first two innings, Bradenton got on the board first with a Keiner Delgado RBI triple in the third.
Stanifer limited the damage to one, using a unique double play. With one out, Omar Alfonzo sent a tapper back to the mound. Delgado broke on contact, and Stanifer flipped to the plate where catcher Edward Duran applied the tag. Meanwhile, Alfonzo missed the first base bag and was eventually tagged out by Cristian Feliz to complete a 1-2-3 double play.
The Marauders lead grew to 2-0 on Enmanuel Terrero’s sac bunt in the fourth inning.
The Jays responded by manufacturing a run in the bottom half of the inning, as Manuel Beltre walked, and Victor Arias reached on an error. With Beltre on third, Arias broke for second, drawing a throw that allowed Beltre to swipe home to make it 2-1.
Following the fourth, Oliver was removed for reliver Carlos Jimenez, who turned in a historic outing. Jimenez walked four batters in the fifth, and surrendered a Jean Joseph sac fly that tied the game at two. Then, in the sixth, Jimenez walked four more batters, including a bases-loaded free pass to Bryce Arnold that put Dunedin ahead 3-2, while still being no hit.
Jimenez finished his outing with eight walks – tying a Marauders record.
Beltre broke up the no hitter to lead off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left field.
The score remained 3-2 until the top of the ninth, when Axiel Plaz launched a game-tying, solo homer against Yondrei Rojas.
The next batter, Javier Rivas, lasered a double off the wall in center, and then scored on a one-out, go-ahead two-bagger from Jeral Toledo that made it 4-3 Bradenton.
In the bottom of the ninth, the D-Jays managed another knock from Beltre, but couldn’t move him past first to end the game.
The Blue Jays’ 12-game homestand continues on Tuesday, as Dunedin welcomes Daytona for a six game series. First pitch is set for 6:30, and tickets are available now at DunedinBlueJays.com.