The Dunedin Blue Jays were defeated 4-2 by the Bradenton Marauders on Tuesday evening at Dunedin, their fifth consecutive loss this season to the Marauders. RHP Josh DeGraaf allowed two earned runs over 5.0 innings, but a pair of unearned runs helped hand him the loss, dropping Dunedin's record to
The Dunedin Blue Jays were defeated 4-2 by the Bradenton Marauders on Tuesday evening at Dunedin, their fifth consecutive loss this season to the Marauders. RHP Josh DeGraaf allowed two earned runs over 5.0 innings, but a pair of unearned runs helped hand him the loss, dropping Dunedin's record to 11-20 on the season.
Bradenton took an early 1-0 lead when the leadoff batter Jared Oliva homered to left field in the first inning. After the homer, DeGraaf struggled against a tight strike zone, walking a pair of batters in the first inning, an unusual event for the typically exceedingly accurate righty who had walked more than one batter in a game just once this season. A pair of fly balls and a ground out helped DeGraaf escape the inning without further damage.
The Blue Jays answered in the bottom of the second inning. DH Bradley Jones led off the frame with a single and 1B Kacy Clemens followed by working a walk. C Riley Adams drilled a double over the head of Oliva in center, scoring both runners and putting the Blue Jays up 2-1.
The leadoff batter in the top of the third reached on a fielding error by SS Logan Warmoth. The error was the 38th committed by the Blue Jays this season, the most in the Florida State League. DeGraaf forced fly outs from the next two batters, but the Marauders capitolized on the extra out given to them by the Blue Jays. With two down, Arden Pabst homered to left, taking the lead back for Bradenton at 3-2.
After their second inning outburst, the Blue Jays wouldn't have another hit until the sixth inning and woudln't score again in the game. Bradenton added an insurance run in the fifth on a pair of doubles by Bligh Madris and Arden Pabst, increasing their lead to 4-2, the eventual final score.
DeGraaf took the loss in the game despite only allowing two earned runs over 5.0 innings, dropping his record to 1-5 on the season. He allowed five hits, two walks, and struck out three. DeGraaf has been handed a loss in each of his last five starts despite only allowing more than two earned runs once.
The Blue Jays received quality relief behind Degraaf from RHP William Ouellette and LHP Travis Bergen. Ouellete threw 2.2 shutout innings, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out 3. Bergen added 1.1 innings of shutout ball, striking out two while allowing a single hit.
RHP Eduardo Vera was the winner on the mound for Bradenton, improving him to 3-1 on the season. He allowed two earned over 7.0 innings on five hits. For Vera, it was his second consecutive start against the Blue Jays and his second straight win. In his two outings against Dunedin this year, he holds a 1.29 ERA.
RHP Scooter Hightower picked up the save, setting down the Blue Jays in order in the both the eighth and the ninth while striking out three batters.
Offensively, the Blue Jays had five hits in the game. LF Eduard Pinto was the only Dunedin batter with multiple hits, finishing 2-2 with a walk. Statistically the hardest batter in the Florida State League to strike out (one K every 18.0 at-bats), Pinto has hit .364 over his last 10 games.
The loss drops the Blue Jays into a tie for last place in the North Division. Bradenton and Dunedin will finish their three-game set at Dunedin Stadium tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM. LHP Tayler Saucedo will take the mound for Dunedin looking to build off of his brilliant performance in his most recent outing (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K versus Clearwater on May 4th).
