Jays’ late comeback effort falls short in Jupiter
Jupiter, FL – Trailing by three late, the Blue Jays rallied for two seventh inning runs, but Dunedin’s losing streak reached six games with a 5-2 defeat to Jupiter on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Continuing an early-week trend, starting pitching shined to open the contest. Grant Rogers
Jupiter, FL – Trailing by three late, the Blue Jays rallied for two seventh inning runs, but Dunedin’s losing streak reached six games with a 5-2 defeat to Jupiter on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Continuing an early-week trend, starting pitching shined to open the contest. Grant Rogers was strong for Dunedin, opening the game with four shutout innings and six strikeouts. The tall righty worked out of a third-inning jam to keep the Hammerheads off the board. With runners on second and third, Rogers snagged a comeback line drive off the bat of Jordan McCants, and promptly doubled off Jake DeLeo at third base to end the frame.
Jupiter ended the scoreless game in the fifth. Sam Praytor opened the scoring with a one-out RBI double. After a Renny Hidalgo walk, Rogers bounced back to strike out McCants in an 11-pitch battle to end his outing.
Kai Peterson entered the game, inheriting two runners. Both scored – one on a bases-loaded walk and the other on a wild pitch, which made it 3-0.
After six shutout innings from starter Brandon White, Dunedin cracked the Hammerheads bullpen in the seventh. The Jays drew three straight walks to open the frame. The next two batters, Tucker Toman and Bryce Arnold, both drove in runs on fielders’ choices to trim the lead to 3-2.
Cristian Feliz extended the inning with a single, but the frame ended with Arnold on second base, representing the tying run.
The two-run rally snapped a 23-inning scoreless streak that stretched back to the second inning on Tuesday.
Jupiter got both runs back in the bottom of the seventh on a JT Mabry two-RBI double, pushing the deficit back to three, at 5-2.
Dunedin failed to advance a runner into scoring position in the final two frames, and dropped its third straight game to open the series.
The Jays will have the opportunity to get back in the win column on Friday night at 6:30 in Jupiter. Dunedin returns home on Tuesday to begin a six game series with the Tampa Tarpons. Fans can buy tickets now on DunedinBlueJays.com.