Tarpons send Blue Jays home blue with offensive onslaught, 9-1

TAMPA, Fla. - After having Saturday off, the Tampa Tarpons (14-25) came out swinging against the Dunedin Blue Jays (21-18) at George M. Steinbrenner Field. 1B Ronny Rojas’ big day at the plate propelled Tampa to victory. He picked up his fourth home run of the season and racked up 3 RBI.

Before heading north, RHP Tommy Kahnle (1.0IP, K) made his second rehab start (right biceps tendonitis) for the Tarpons. Once again, Kahnle was perfect in his inning of work while striking out one. Kahnle ran his fastball up to 97 MPH while also peppering in his changeup, which sat at 86 MPH.

The Tarpons put together a two-out rally in which they loaded the bases in the first. The rally began with C Agustin Ramirez lining a 100 MPH single to center and DH Anthony Hall working an eight-pitch walk. SS Brenny Escanio hit a seeing-eye single past a diving Tucker Toman at third base. Dunedin’s starter Ryan Jennings unleashed a wild pitch all the way to the backstop to score Ramirez and give Tampa the early lead.

The Blue Jays took their turn loading the bases in the second. Peyton Williams reached to open the second frame on a fielding error by 2B Jared Serna. After the error, Toman walked, and Jaden Rudd singled. J.C. Masson brought in the tying run on a groundout to first base.

The Tampa bats kept the hits coming in the home half of the second. LF Tayler Aguilar’s leadoff double into the left-center gap set up 3B Jesus Rodriguez, who showed off the wheels when he blasted an RBI triple over the head of Rudd in right field. With the infield drawn in, Rojas blooped a single into shallow centerfield to extend Tampa’s lead to two. The Tarpons loaded the bases again, and the Blue Jays called on the southpaw, Ryan Chasse. He immediately walked Hall to bring in another run. Escanio lofted a SAC-fly to right field to bring in the fourth run of the inning. Another wild pitch plated Ramirez to add to an already sizeable Tarpon lead.

With runners on the corners and two away, Serna went into a full Superman dive to save a run. Serna was hyped leaving the field as the fans marveled at the run-saving play to end the fifth. This would be the first of two sensational diving plays that Serna made.

Following a leadoff walk to Rodriguez, Rojas crushed his fourth home run of the year over the right field wall.

In the eighth inning, singles from Rodriguez and CF Daury Arias led to an RBI knock to right field off the bat of Ramirez to extend the lead to eight runs, which Tampa would hold onto, capturing their second victory in a row.

The Tarpons will rest Monday and travel to Palm Beach to take on the Cardinals for a six-game set.