Tarpons Back in Win Column After Late Inning Surge

TAMPA, Fla. — On Armed Forces Night, the Tampa Tarpons (19-19) pulled away late in a back-and-forth battle with the Dunedin Blue Jays (14-24), erupting for five runs in the seventh inning en route to a 10-4 victory at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Dunedin struck first in the opening inning on an Eric Snow RBI single up the middle, but the Tarpons answered immediately. Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek lifted a sacrifice fly into the right field corner to score Jackson Lovich and even the game at one apiece.

Tampa grabbed the lead in the second inning. Luis Durango brought home a run with a productive groundout to shortstop before Lovich lined an RBI single to left, giving the Tarps a 3-1 advantage.

The Blue Jays battled back in the fifth, using a pair of RBI doubles to tie the game at three. Tampa briefly reclaimed the lead in the bottom half when Willy Montero worked a bases-loaded walk, but Dunedin struck back with another RBI double, knotting the score at 4-4.

The floodgates opened for Tampa in the bottom of the seventh. Hans Montero lit the fire with an RBI ground-rule double, and Luis Puello ripped a two-run triple off the center field wall. Engelth Urena joined the RBI train with a single past the outstretched shortstop, while Lovich capped the five-run inning with a bases loaded walk to make it 9-4.

Tampa tacked on one final insurance run in the eighth on a Willy Montero RBI single to right field, sealing the 10-4 win.

The Tarpons and Blue Jays will wrap up their series tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for noon.