Sloppy Eighth Dooms Tampa in 5-3 Loss to Lakeland

TAMPA, Fla. - Four fielding errors led to five unearned runs, including four in the eighth, as the Tampa Tarpons fell to the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 5-3, on Tuesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
It was the fourth four-error game of the season by the Tarpons, who finished going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine men on base.
Not to be overlooked was another stellar performance by RHP Miguel Yajure . The 21-year-old tied a season-high with 10 punchouts without issuing a walk over seven frames, posting his 10^th quality start of the season.
Yajure held the Flying Tigers hitless until Cole Peterson lined a leadoff single in the fourth. Peterson was caught stealing by catcher Jason Lopez before Yajure stranded a two-out double by Kody Clemens to end the frame.
Brady Policelli singled to open the fifth and later took second on a groundout. Reece Hampton reached on a two-out infield single, and Policelli scored as first-baseman Steven Sensley overthrew Yajure covering first base, giving Lakeland (18-31, 47-59) a 1-0 lead.
Tampa (19-21, 47-59) was held scoreless by RHP Tom de Blok until the sixth, when Oswaldo Cabrera singled and scored on a go-ahead two-run blast to left by Alexander Palma , giving the Tarpons a 2-1 lead.
de Block posted a quality start, yielding two earned runs on seven hits in six innings, walking none while striking out five on 74 pitches (55 strikes).
Yajure finished strong, getting three punchouts while stranding a one-out single in a scoreless seventh. The Cabimas, Venezuela native threw 71 of 104 pitches for strikes.
Lopez drew a walk, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single by Pablo Olivares off RHP Jake Thompson in the seventh, giving Tampa a 3-1 cushion.
RHP Hobie Harris relieved Yajure in the eighth and Brock Deatherage popped up his first pitch in to shallow right-center. Cabrera missed the catch and bobbled the pickup, allowing Deatherage to take third. Deatherage then scored on a wild pitch by Harris.
One out later, Chad Sedio reached on a hit-by-pitch and took second on a wild pitch. Harris struck out Clemens for the second out, but Dylan Rosa followed with a game-tying RBI single.
Rosa stole second and scored on a base hit by Policelli, and Nick Ames plated Policelli with a double into the right-field corner for the third-straight two-out RBI hit, giving the Flying Tigers a 5-3 lead.
Harris (L, 2-4)(BS, 5) got a flyout by A.J. Simcox to end the eighth before stranding a two-out triple by Peterson in a scoreless ninth.
Cabrera reached on an infield single to begin the bottom of the eighth, and Thompson (W, 1-0) walked both Diego Castillo and Wilkerman Garcia , loading the bases with two outs.
Lakeland turned the ball over to RHP Will Vest, who struck out Lopez with three fastballs to strand the bases loaded. Vest (SV, 2) returned for the ninth and tallied three more strikeouts while stranding a one-out walk to close the game.
Olivares (1-for-4, BB, RBI, SB) extended his hitting streak to eight games. Cabrera (3-for-5, 2B, R) logged his fifth three-hit game of the season. Palma (2-for-4, HR, 2RBI, R) hit his sixth homer (second with Tampa). Castillo (1-for-3, BB) and Garcia (1-for-3, BB) also reached base twice.
The series continues on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., with RHP Janson Junk (3-5, 4.54) slated to start against RHP Jesus Rodriguez (2-12, 5.62). Live play-by-play will be available on the Tampa Tarpons Baseball Network.
 
On "WOWW Wednesday," fans can enjoy half-priced Wings, Wine and White Claws from 5:30-7:30 p.m.