St. Lucie staves off Jays comeback after delay

DUNEDIN, FL – The Blue Jays stranded baserunners in eight of nine innings, eventually falling short of a third straight walk-off win with a 5-4 defeat to St. Lucie on Friday night at TD Ballpark.

Dunedin (25-24) stranded a season-high 15 runners on base, going 1-12 with runners in scoring position. The loss snaps the team’s win streak at five games.

The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Cristian Feliz ripped a one-out double, setting up Edward Duran’s RBI two-bagger that made it 1-0. Later, Duran scored on Bryce Arnold’s RBI groundout.

The lead was short lived, as the Mets rallied for four runs on three hits – including RBI triples from Kevin Villavicencio and Boston Baro – to claim a 4-2 lead.

Following the rally, Jays’ starter Fernando Perez was strong, allowing just two more baserunners in his six inning outing.

After stranding two runners in four consecutive innings, Dunedin finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh inning. Alexis Hernandez opened the threat with a hit by pitch, and Feliz bounced a double into shallow left to put runners on second and third. Duran drove in Hernandez on a ground ball to first, which first baseman Estarling Mercado fired to the plate late.

With men on the corners, Bryce Arnold sent a pop up into shallow right field. The wind carried the ball away from three converged Mets’ fielders, allowing Feliz to score to knot the game at four.

After Daniel Perez singled, lightning struck in the distance, sending the game to a lightning delay with two outs and runners on the corners.

An hour and 20 minutes later, the game resumed at 9:56 pm, as Marcos De La Rosa walked to load the bases for Jean Joseph. The Jays’ leadoff man barrelled a fly ball to left, but the wind knocked it down to the warning track, where Willy Fanas made the catch.

The Mets responded in the top of the eighth. Jesus Baez started the inning with a sharp ground ball to the hole at short. Manuel Beltre backhanded the ball, but threw high to first, allowing Baez to reach on an error. With two outs, Collin Houck made Dunedin pay with a two-strike double to center, pushing in Baez to push the Mets ahead 5-4.

In the ninth, the Blue Jays threatened with two outs, as Perez reached on a dropped third strike, and Marcos De La Rosa followed with a single. Then, a passed ball moved both runners up 90 feet, bringing the Jays a hit away from what could have been a third consecutive walk-off win. However, the game ended as Joseph grounded out to third.

Dunedin has the opportunity to clinch the series win tomorrow night, with first pitch set for 6:30 pm. It’s cancer awareness night at TD Ballpark. All fans who donate blood to the oneblood blood bus outside the ballpark receive free admission.