After an 11-1 blowout victory in game one of the doubleheader, the Lakeland Flying Tigers (49-55, 18-21) dropped the second game of the twin bill to the Dunedin Blue Jays (49-54, 19-19) on Friday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Lakeland kicked off the scoring in game one with five runs in the first off starter Karson Ligon. Jordan Yost drew a leadoff walk and Carson Rucker drove him in on a two-run blast. Chris Meyers singled and Angel De Los Santos tallied his first full-season homer with a two-run shot. Jesus Pinto singled, moved to second on a balk and scored on an Anibal Salas RBI triple, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Flying Tigers added two more runs over reliever Bradley Wilson in the second. Yost led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a passed ball, stole third and scored on an error. Rucker was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on an RBI double from Meyers, pushing the lead to 7-0.
Lakeland scored three more runs in the fifth off reliever Giacomo Taschin. Pinto and Zach MacDonald led off with singles. After Yost reached on an infield single, Rucker cleared the bases with a three-run double, extending the lead to 10-0.
The Flying Tigers scored one more in the sixth off Taschin on a solo homer from De Los Santos, his second long ball of the night, putting the lead to 11-0.
Dunedin added one run off reliever Jan Caraballo. Adrian Pinto reached on an infield single, moved to third on a single from JoJo Parker and scored on a sacrifice fly from Juan Sanchez, capping the scoring at 11-1.
Reliever Maddox Long (1-0) grabbed the win, going 3.0 shutout innings while allowing three hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Ligon (0-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits across 0.2 innings while striking out one and walking one.
The Blue Jays began the scoring in game two in the first off starter Malachi Witherspoon. Jake Cook walked and Parker drove him in on a RBI double, putting Dunedin ahead, 1-0.
The Blue Jays scored four more runs off Witherspoon in the second. Owen Carapellotti walked, Jake Bennett was hit by a pitch, Brayden Martin walked and Dean West drove in a run on a hit by pitch. Cook and Dameury Pena reached on fielder’s choices while Dean scored on an error. Parker drove Cook and Pena in with a three-run smash, capping the scoring to 6-0.
Blue Jays starter Carson Messina (1-1) earned the win, tossing 5.0 hitless innings while striking out four and walking three. Witherspoon (3-5) took the loss, surrendering six runs on two hits while punching out four and walking three over 3.2 innings.
Lakeland looks for a 3-2 series lead as they host Dunedin on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Flying Tigers RHP Kelvis Salcedo (0-2, 4.60) will face off against Blue Jays RHP Denis Samudio (1-1, 4.01)
