Tampa sneaks past Blue Jays after late-inning drama

Dunedin, FL – The Blue Jays used a chaotic rally to tie the game in the eighth inning but fell to Tampa 5-4 on Wednesday night at TD Ballpark.

The Tarpons snagged an early lead in the top of the third, as Enmanuel Tejeda belted a 3-run homer to left against Dunedin starter Juaron Watts-Brown.

The Jays got one of those runs back in the fourth, as Yhoangel Aponte was hit with a pitch and then driven in on Manuel Beltre’s RBI double that trimmed the deficit to 3-1.

The Tarpons formulated a quick response in the top of the fifth. Tejeda singled with one out, Coby Morales doubled to move Tejeda to third, and then Roderick Arias drew a walk that finished with a wild pitch, sending Tejeda home from third. The sequence chased Watts-Brown from the game after seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

Carson Pierce took over with men on the corners and stranded them both, holding the score at 4-1.

Dunedin sliced the lead to 4-2 thanks to an RBI ground out from Tucker Toman in the fifth that scored Jean Joseph.

Cade Austin appeared to have the Jays’ number, retiring the first eight batters he faced after taking over for Tarpons starter Luis Serna with one out in the fifth. The Jays cracked him in the eighth. Victor Arias opened the frame with a walk, bringing Toman to the plate representing the tying run.

On the 3-2 pitch, Toman sent a frozen rope off the wall in center. After tripping around third base, Arias beat the throw home to score. Toman hustled to third, drawing a throw that catcher Manuel Palencia sailed into left field, allowing Toman to score standing to tie the game.

In the ninth, Aaron Munson came on to preserve the tie. Tomas Frick started the inning with a double and moved to third on a ground out to second. With two outs, Tejeda blooped a jam-shot single into right to put the Tarpons back in the drivers’ seat 5-4.

The Jays didn’t go down without a fight in the bottom half, as Ricardo Balogh drew a one out walk. Maykel Minoso came to the plate next and sent a hot shot down to third, where third baseman Dylan Jasso made a diving stop and a throw from his knee to gain the second out.

Alexis Hernandez, pinch running for Balogh, moved to second on the play and then motored to third on a wild pitch, but Jean Joseph lined out to center field to end the contest with the tying run on third.

With the defeat, Dunedin falls to 10-13 on the season, while Tampa improves to 6-17.

The set, now tied at a game apiece, continues Thursday night at 6:30. Fans can purchase tickets online at DunedinBlueJays.com.