Marauders use late homers to down Dunedin

BRADENTON, FL – Fernando Perez dealt six innings of one-run ball for Dunedin on Friday night, but the Blue Jays couldn’t turn it into a victory, as Esmerlyn Valdez’s three-run, go-ahead home run in the eighth inning pushed the Marauders to a 4-3 win.

All seven of the game’s runs were scored on longballs, as the wind whipped out to center field at LECOM Park.

The Blue Jays struck first, as Alexis Hernandez belted a high-arching two-run homer to left field, his first homer of the year, to make it 2-0 in the second inning.

Bryce Arnold ballooned the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a solo home run, his second of the season.

Perez, the Blue Jays No. 24 prospect, turned in his best start of the season, allowing just three hits through the first six innings of the game.

The right hander pitched into the seventh for the first time this season, and struck out the first batter he faced. However, the next batter, Shalin Polanco, drilled a solo homer to end the shutout.

Keiner Leon finished the seventh, leaving runners on first and third – thanks in part to a running catch from Jean Joseph in center field.

Leon returned for the eighth inning and ran into trouble. Braylon Bishop opened the frame with a single, and Omar Alfonzo followed with a one-out knock, which brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Valdez.

Valdez did indeed put the Marauders in front, blasting a three-run homer down the left field line to make it 4-3.

In the top of the ninth, Cristian Feliz worked a leadoff walk and Victor Arias pinch ran, but Arias was stranded on first as the next three batters went down on order to end the game.

Dunedin will look to snap a three-game losing streak tomorrow night at 6:30 in Bradenton. Fans can listen to the hometown broadcast for free online at https://www.milb.com/dunedin/fans/radio.