Late Push Falls Short as Tampa Drops Opener
May 1, 2017 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Yankees News Release
DUNEDIN, Fla. - Scoring the final four runs of the game was not enough to come back from an early 5-0 deficit as the Tampa Yankees (10-15) dropped the series-opener to the Dunedin Blue Jays (14-11), 5-4, on Monday evening at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.
Albert Abreu flashed a 97 mph fastball but was unable to take down the top hitting team in the Florida State League. The Blue Jays lead that mark with a team average of .290.
After stranding a pair of runners in the first two innings, Abreu retired the first two batters in the third. A walk by Cavan Biggio prolonged the frame and Dunedin mounted a two-out rally.
Back-to-back singles by Max Pentecost and Danny Jansen loaded the bases. Juan Kelly continued with a two-run double into the right field corner. Lane Thomas followed with his own two-run double, lining a ball to the wall in left-center. A strikeout by Mike Reeves stopped the bleeding.
Abreu (L, 0-1) surrendered four earned runs on six hits in three innings of work. The right-hander walked a pair, struck out two and threw 46 of 72 pitches for strikes in his shortest outing of the season.
Tampa struggled to find a timely hit against T.J. Zeuch in the early innings. Jeff Hendrix and Nick Solak began the game with back-to-back hits, but were left aboard. Jhalan Jackson singled to open the second, but would be stranded at third. The Yankees would go 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
RHP Jose Pena relived Abreu in the fourth and worked out of trouble before allowing a leadoff home run by Jansen in the fifth. The Blue Jays continued to threaten, but Peî=B1a stranded runners on the corners.
The Yankees jumped on the board in the sixth. Tito Polo singled up the middle and advanced to third as Trey Amburgey doubled off the left field wall. One out later, Jackson lined an RBI single off the glove Kelly at third base and into left field.
Connor Eller entered in relief of Zeuch and Mandy Alvarez greeted the righty with an RBI single into left field. Eller retired the next two batters, stranding a pair.
Zeuch (W, 2-1) held Tampa to two earned runs on seven hits in five and a third innings, striking out six while not issuing a walk and throwing 67 of 97 pitches for strikes.
RHP Cody Carroll entered in the sixth for Tampa and flashed a 99 mph fastball while striking out all six batters he faced over two perfect relief innings. RHP Dillon McNamara added one strikeout to the stretch before completing a 1-2-3 eighth.
Vicente Conde opened the ninth with an infield single off of LHP Daniel Young. One out later, Hendrix crushed a two-run homer over the right field wall, bringing Tampa to within one. The Blue Jays turned the ball over to Andrew Case (SV, 3) and the right-hander retired Solak and Polo to close out the game.
Hendrix (3-for-4, HR, BB, 2RBI, R) logged his first home run and his first multi-hit game of the season. Solak (1-for-4, BB) extended his hitting streak to six games and his on-base streak to 11 games. Jackson (2-for-4, RBI) collected his eighth RBI and his second multi-hit game of the season.
The series continues on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with RHP Domingo Acevedo (0-3, 5.48 ERA) facing off against RHP Ryan Borucki (0-1, 6.52 ERA). Live audio will be available on the Tampa Yankees Radio Network beginning at 6:20 p.m.
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