Dunedin can't complete sweep, falls 5-4

Trailing 5-1 in the seventh inning, the Blue Jays mounted a late comeback but dropped the series finale in Dunedin

By Tyler Murray

May 4, 2013

Dunedin, FL - Another valiant comeback effort came up short in Dunedin, as the Blue Jays fell 5-4 against the Brevard County Manatees on Saturday night at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

After taking the first two games of the series in come-from-behind wins, the D-Jays trailed 5-1 after Chadwin Stang's two-run homer in the seventh inning. The comeback began with two outs in the seventh, when DH Derrick Chung and LF Marcus Knecht hit back-to-back singles off starter Brent Suter (W, 2-0). Then came RF Matt Newman, who entered the at-bat hitting 0-for-18 against left-handed pitchers. He smashed the first pitch off the right-center field wall, scoring both runners and bringing the Jays within two.

Dunedin scored again with two outs in the eighth inning when 1B K.C. Hobson hit a ground ball single off closer Seth Harvey (S, 7) that awkwardly bounced away from the glove of shortstop Yadiel Rivera to score 3B Andy Burns from third and keep the inning alive.

Chung then drew a walk to load the bases, bringing up Knecht with the go-ahead run in scoring position. He smacked a hard grounder to third base that bounced off the glove of third baseman Brandon Macias and rolled toward Rivera at shortstop. He grabbed the ball and threw to first, apparently beating Knecht by a hair to end the inning.

SS Peter Mooney drew a one-out walk in the ninth, but the game ended on a 6-3 double play off the bat of 2B Jon Berti, who ended his league-best 15-game hitting streak with an 0-for-5 night.

RHP Casey Lawrence (L, 2-2) struggled in his second-straight start, and allowed five runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings despite retiring each of the first seven hitters he faced. He gave up two separate two-run homers, and his ERA went up to 3.48 after posting an 0.75 ERA through his first three starts.

LHP Tony Davis and RHP Dustin Antolin each threw scoreless frames, with Antolin dancing out of danger in the top of the ninth after loading the bases with one out.

The Blue Jays start a four-game series with the Bradenton Marauders of the FSL South tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. RHP Jesse Hernandez (2-3, 2.38 ERA) will start for Dunedin.