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Lombard Jr. sets off fireworks early, Tarpons walk-off Blue Jays

George Lombard Jr. flexes to the dugout after hitting a walk-off single Saturday night at GMS Field. (Mark LoMoglio)
By Jake Berend
April 13, 2024

TAMPA, Fla. - SS George Lombard Jr. played hero Saturday night when the Tampa Tarpons (2-6) defeated the Dunedin Blue Jays (6-2) by a score of 8-7 in 10 innings at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Lombard Jr. stepped up to the plate with the winning run on third base and

TAMPA, Fla. - SS George Lombard Jr. played hero Saturday night when the Tampa Tarpons (2-6) defeated the Dunedin Blue Jays (6-2) by a score of 8-7 in 10 innings at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Lombard Jr. stepped up to the plate with the winning run on third base and worked a 10-pitch at-bat before sending the fans home happy with a walk-off single to cap Tampa’s comeback.

Edward Duran led off the second inning with a double that knocked RHP Ryan Harvey out of the game. RHP Kris Bow took over and hit the first batter he faced, Cristian Feliz. Tampa’s sloppy defense from Friday’s game carried into Saturday’s contest. Bow sailed a pickoff attempt to second base into center field. The ball was picked up by CF Willy Montero, who airmailed the throw to third into the visitor’s dugout, allowing Duran to score. Tampa’s third error of the inning came when C Tomas Frick tried to throw out Bryce Arnold, stealing second, but the throw bounced into center field, bringing home Feliz from third. Dunedin added another run in the frame when Victor Arias tripled in Arnold.

The Tarpons answered back for a run in the home half of the second. RF Daury Arias reached via a walk. With D. Arias in motion, Frick ripped an RBI double into the left field corner. It was Frick’s first RBI of the year and cut Tampa’s deficit to two.

Tampa scored two runs to tie the game in the third. DH Roderick Arias rattled a 96.5 MPH double into the right field corner. 3B Dylan Jasso extended his hitting streak to five games with a single to center. With runners at the corners, a pitch to the backstop brought home R. Arias and moved Jasso to second. Montero stepped up to the plate and delivered with a base hit to right field, knotting the game at three.

The Blue Jays put two runners on in the fourth against Bow. With a 2-2 count on Riley Tirotta, the Tarpons made a mid-at-bat pitching change. RHP Osiel Rodriguez came in, and the first pitch he threw landed 373 feet over the left field fence to break the tie and give the Blue Jays a three-run lead.

Tucker Toman added to Dunedin’s lead in the fifth, blasting a solo home run to center field. The homer left the bat at 101.2 MPH and traveled 371 feet.

Frick opened up the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Aguilar cut into the deficit, drilling a two-run home run into the right field seats. Aguilar turned and looked at Tampa’s dugout in an effort to ignite the offense. R. Arias hit his second double of the game, and Jasso reached for the third time with a walk. R. Arias broke for third base early and got caught, halting the Tarpons’ rally.

The Tarpons battled back to tie the game for the second time in the eighth. Once again, Aguilar was in the middle of the rally, starting the inning with a walk. He moved up to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. 2B Brenny Escanio walked, and a wild pitch scored Aguilar while advancing Escanio to second base. Blue Jays’ pitcher Sebastian Espino had some trouble on the mound, committing back-to-back balks, bringing home Escanio to knot the game 7-7.

Toman started the tenth inning on second base as the ghost runner. After Duran grounded out, Toman advanced 90 feet on a balk. With Tampa looking to keep the game tied, RHP Hueston Morrill (2-0) recorded back-to-back strikeouts with his sinker to send the game to the bottom of the tenth, still tied.

The Tarpons started their half of the tenth with two strikeouts, which brought Lombard Jr. to the plate with a chance to send the home faithful happy. PR Enmanuel Tejeda stood on third base after a balk, waiting to score the winning run. Lombard Jr. fell behind in the count 0-2, then fouled off four pitches in the midst of working the count full. On the tenth pitch of the at-bat, Lombard Jr. ripped a single to left field, bringing home Tejeda and sending the Tarpons’ dugout into a frenzy. The team rushed to Lombard Jr. past second base as the celebration continued into left field with high fives and Gatorade showers.

The Tarpons will look to build off the victory and take the final game of a six-game set tomorrow against the Blue Jays. First pitch from GMS Field is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.