D-Jays lose rain-shortened game to Jupiter, 9-4
After an hour and 20 minute rain delay halted the game at the midway point, a second storm stopped the game entirely in the top of the eighth inning, making it an official game in favor of the Jupiter Hammerheads, 9-4.
Dunedin (50-43, 9-14 2nd half) did not get the best of starts from Chad Beck (2-4), who took his first loss as a starter for the D-Jays after giving up home runs in each of the first three innings.
Jupiter (30-60, 8-14) got home runs from Ben Lasater in the first inning, Jose Ceballos in the second and Jeremy Synan in the third to take a 5-0 lead through two and a half innings. Lasater and Ceballos both had two-run home runs.
Jon Del Campo answered Synan's solo shot with his own in the bottom of the third inning, but Dunedin saw Jupiter take complete control of the game in the fifth, plating four runs against Dumas Garcia as the rain started to trickle down.
Play was halted after the top half of the fifth inning and the tarp was pulled onto the field, and with the game close to being official, the tarp was soon pulled off and the field prepped for the game to continue.
After the hour and 20 minute delay, Dunedin scored their final runs on a three run home run by Bradley McElroy in the seventh inning, but this was hit as rain started to come down again.
After a double play was turned in the top half of the eighth, play was halted and the tarp placed on the field once more, this time for good.
The game was called just shy of 8:50 p.m. and made a winner of Graham Johnson (1-11), who won his first decision of the season after pitching the game's final three innings.
Del Campo and Mike McDade each had two hits for Dunedin while Synan, Ceballos and Daniel Pertusati each had three for Jupiter, with all three players also hitting home runs.
Game two of this four game set will go on as scheduled on Monday night at 7 p.m. as Chad Jenkins takes the hill for the D-Jays.
Notes: Dunedin ended up losing three of the four games in St. Lucie to end last week. They are now 1-6 over their last seven road games...Chris Hopkins was promoted from Single-A Lansing on Friday to fill in the final roster spot for the D-Jays. Hopkins hit .273 with the Lugnuts and had as many strikeouts as he did walks, 20, along with 15 steals.