Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Single-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Tampa Tarpons Tampa Tarpons

Carela’s solid performance not enough as Blue Jays edge Tarpons 7-3

INF Grant Richardson. (Mark LoMoglio)
April 14, 2022

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Tarpons (4-2) were unable to capitalize on an early lead and a strong performance from their starting pitcher, dropping Thursday night’s game at George M. Steinbrenner Field to the Dunedin Blue Jays, 7-3. RHP Juan Carela toed the slab for Tarpons, logging his first start

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Tarpons (4-2) were unable to capitalize on an early lead and a strong performance from their starting pitcher, dropping Thursday night’s game at George M. Steinbrenner Field to the Dunedin Blue Jays, 7-3.

RHP Juan Carela toed the slab for Tarpons, logging his first start of the season. Carela made light work of the Blue Jays (2-4), striking out eight of the first ten batters he faced. In the top of the first, Carela greeted the Jays’ by striking out the side on just 12 pitches. The right-hander continued dealing in the top of the second, striking out another two batters and prompting a ground ball out to third baseman Benjamin Cowles.

The Tarpons took an early lead in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Grant Richardson singled on a line drive to center field. Cowles advanced Richardson on a fielder’s choice, and Ryder Green reached safely on a fielding error by Blue Jays’ second baseman Angel Del Rosario. With runners on the corners and two outs, Green stole second base for his first steal of the season. Roberto Chirinos laced a ground ball to shortstop Rikelbin De Castro, who threw widely to first base. Richardson and Green both scored on the misplaced throw. Alexander Vargas added an RBI single of his own, plating Chirinos on a line drive to left field, and the Tarpons took a 3-0 lead.

Carela remained hot in the third, striking out two more batters and generating a pop fly to center field. The Blue Jays finally began punching back in the fourth inning, and things got messy for the Tarpons. Carela opened the fourth inning with yet another strikeout but hit the next batter, Angel Del Rosario, with a pitch. Del Rosario swiped second base, and Damiano Palmegiani reached first on a throwing error by Vargas. Gabriel Martinez drove in the first Jay’s run, scoring Del Rosario on a single to left. Adriel Sotolongo walked, and that spelt the end of Carela’s night. Through 3.2IP, he only allowed one hit and one walk while giving up three unearned runs, striking out eight batters on 61 pitches (42 strikes).

RHP Zach Messinger entered in relief with the bases loaded and two outs. On a 2-0 pitch, De Castro beat the Tarpon’s shift and lined a base hit to right field, tying the game 3-3. Messinger finished the inning by striking out Jommer Hernandez.

The Jays’ put the pressure on Messinger in the sixth inning and didn’t look back. Palmegiani drew a leadoff walk, and Rainer Nunez singled to center to give the Jays’ two men on with no outs. Martinez drove in Palmegiani on an RBI single to take the lead, and De Castro stretched the margin to 5-3 with another RBI single. RHP Kenlly Montas relieved Messinger of his duties and forced Hernandez to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Over 2.1 innings, Montas struggled with his command and allowed 2ER on one hit, one HBP and three walks. Palmegiani doubled off Montas to deep left scoring Dasan Brown in the seventh, and a wild pitch scored Adriel Sotolongo in the eighth to make it 7-3 Blue Jays. RHP Harold Cortijo finished the game on the mound for the Tarpons, recording two strikeouts over 1.1IP.

The Tarpons will square off with the Blue Jays for game four of their six game set on Friday April 15th, with RHP Tyrone Yulie expected to make the start. Fans can enjoy sink-or-swim happy hour Friday for $20, all-you-can-drink draft beer and wine until the opponent scores a run. Discounted select mixed drinks also available until the opponent scores a run in the DEX Imaging Bullpen Club.