Blue Jays can’t catch up to Jupiter, drop series opener

DUNEDIN, FL – Despite tallying 13 hits, Dunedin couldn’t fully overcome an early deficit and dropped the series opener to Jupiter 9-6 on Tuesday night at TD Ballpark. With the loss, Dunedin falls to 14-20, while Jupiter improves to 7-0 against the Blue Jays.

Jupiter set the tone for a high-scoring game in the second inning by tallying four runs on five hits against Dunedin starter Connor O’Halloran. The lead grew to 5-0 in the top of the third on an RBI single from John Cruz.

The Jays responded with a three spot in the bottom of the third. Jean Joseph opened the inning with a homer – his second of the season – to get Dunedin on the board. With one out, Yhoangel Aponte ripped a double, and then scored on Manuel Beltre’s two-out RBI single. Cristian Feliz trimmed the lead down to 5-3 with his own two-out RBI knock.

Dunedin cut the deficit to 5-4 in the fourth, as Joseph delivered an RBI single that drove in Bryce Arnold.

The Hammerheads quickly regained the tally, as Colby Shade opened the fifth inning with a solo homer off O’Halloran to push the lead to 6-4. Dunedin once again answered in the bottom half on Feliz’s second RBI single of the night.

O’Halloran exited following five innings having allowed four earned runs, striking out seven.

Kai Peterson took over in the sixth and ran into trouble after retiring the first batter he faced. Newly-acquired Marlins No. 5 prospect Dillon Head picked up a triple – his third hit of the night – before four consecutive walks and two wild pitches allowed three runs to score, which burgeoned the deficit to 9-5.

Dunedin tallied a two-out RBI double from Maykel Minoso in the bottom of the seventh but failed to score in the final two innings as Yeuris Jimenez nailed down the save for the Hammerheads.

The series picks back up tomorrow at 6:30 in Dunedin, with Blue Jays No. 18 prospect Juaron Watts-Brown set to start on the mound for the Jays. Tickets are available now at DunedinBlueJays.com.