Blue Jays Drop Third Straight, Clinch Losing Second Half Record

Dunedin, FL – The Dunedin Blue Jays (61-68, 29-34) dropped their third straight game to the Jupiter Hammerheads (68-61, 33-30) Thursday night at TD Ballpark, after another outstanding performance by the Jupiter pitching staff.

LHP Thomas White made the start for the Hammerheads, giving up two hits and issuing two walks, but finding ways to get out of his two innings of work without allowing a run. White made way after the second for RHP Collin Lowe, and he shined in his six innings of relief. Just four hits allowed and six strikeouts, keeping the Blue Jays off the board throughout his bulk outing.

Dunedin’s pitchers put up a fight as well. RHP Aaron Munson went three scoreless innings in his first professional start, only allowing two hits and striking out two. RHP Eliander Alcalde entered in the fourth for the Blue Jays, getting out of a first and third jam by inducing an inning-ending double play.

But in the fifth, the Hammerheads broke the deadlock. A leadoff double by Johnny Olmstead, later stealing third with one out gave Jupiter a scoring threat, and soft chopper back to the mound by Sam Praytor forced a bang-bang play at the plate, with home plate umpire Chad Lagana ruling Olmstead safe for the game’s first run.

Then in the seventh, Olmstead lead off again, this time bringing himself in to score. A leadoff homer by Olmstead off Alcalde doubled Jupiter’s lead, making it 2-0. The Hammerheads would tack on another in the eighth off RHP Michael Brewer to make it 3-0.

But in the ninth, Dunedin had their chance. RHP Josh Ekness entered for the save situation, issuing three straight walks to load the bases and put the potential tying run aboard with nobody out. But he quickly got his command back, striking out Nicolas Deschamps on a full count. A fielder’s choice by Manuel Beltre scored a run, snapping a sixteen-inning scoreless streak to make it 3-1, but Ekness struck out the next batter to wrap it up.

With the loss, the Blue Jays dropped their third consecutive game, giving Jupiter a split of the series at least, and a chance to take the series with a win over the next three days. The teams will go again Friday night at TD Ballpark, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and live coverage starting at 6:15 p.m. on the Dunedin Blue Jays Radio Network.