Tampa’s Offense Stays Hot in Third-Straight Win, 10-6

TAMPA, Fla. – For the third straight game, the Tampa Tarpons (3-0) scored double-digit runs while tallying double-digit hits in a win over the Dunedin Blue Jays (0-3), 10-6, on Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Through three games, the offense has scored 40 runs on 40 hits, including 20 extra-base hits.

Anthony Volpe collected his fourth extra-base hit of the series with a leadoff double in the first. One out later, Trevor Hauver one-hopped the wall in right-center for an RBI double.

In the second, a leadoff walk by Chad Bell later scored on a two-out single by Volpe. Hauver then led off the third with a blast off the roof of the Outfield Bar in right – his fourth home run in three games – giving the Tarpons a 3-0 lead.

RHP Randy Vasquez got the nod and retired the first eight Blue Jays he faced before stranding a two-out walk in the third. One out into the fourth, Orelvis Martinez slugged a homer to left, and Zach Britton singled to left before RHP Sean Boyle entered and retired the next two batters.

Vasquez took a no-decision after yielding one run on two hits and one walk in three and one-third, striking out one on 48 pitches (29 strikes).

LHP Naswell Paulino started for Dunedin and pitched into the fourth, when the first four Tampa batters reached to begin the frame. After a leadoff walk by Max Burt, back-to-back RBI doubles by Elijah Dunham and Evan Alexander drove in a pair. Volpe followed with an RBI single looped into shallow right, prompting the Blue Jays to bring in LHP Rafael Monsion.

Paulino (L, 0-1) allowed six earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five over three plus innings, tossing 45 of 79 pitches for strikes.

Austin Wells reached on a fielding error, putting runners on the corners with no outs in the fourth, but Monsion struck out the next three batters, keeping the score at 6-1 Tarpons.

Monsion sat down six-straight Tarpons before Alexander bounced a double over the left field wall to open the bottom of the sixth. Two outs later, Hauver lined an RBI single into center, giving Tampa a 7-1 lead.

Boyle (W, 1-0) retired eight-straight batters before Zach Britton opened the seventh with a double. One out later, LHP Edgar Barclay relieved Boyle and got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning, but not before a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed Britton to score.

In the eighth, Dunedin loaded the bases with no outs, and Jhon Solarte delivered a two-run single to right before getting thrown out stretching for second on a 9-6-3 putout. A third run scored on a groundout by Martinez before Barclay escaped the inning, preserving a 7-5 lead.

RHP Lazaro Estrada relieved Monsion in the sixth and held the Tarpons scoreless before issuing a pair of two-out walks in the eighth. Spencer Henson followed with a three-run blast over the right field wall, restoring a five-run cushion for Tampa, 10-5.

A leadoff triple by MacKenzie Mueller came around to score on a two-out single by Justin Ammons in the ninth before RHP Zach Kohn got a groundout by Solarte to end the game.

Hauver (3-for-4, HR, 2B, BB, 3RBI, 2R) has reached base safely in 14-of-21 plate appearances, batting .800/.824/2.100 (8-for-10, 2B, 4HR, 9RBI, 6BB) in that span. Volpe (3-for-5, 2B, 2RBI, R), Sanford (2-for-4, BB, R) and Alexander (2-for-4, 2 2Bs, RBI, 2R) also had multi-hit games.

Game four of the six-game series is slated for Friday at 6:30 p.m., with LHP Ryan Anderson (0-0, -.--) set to make his Tarpons debut opposite Blue Jays RHP Jol Concepcion (0-0, -.--). On Sink or Swim Fridays, for $20, fans can enjoy all-you-can-drink draft beer and wine until the opponent scores a run.