The Lakeland Flying Tigers (32-35, 1-1) allowed a three-run lead to slip away in the eighth inning in its 8-6 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays (31-36, 1-1) on Saturday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.
After a 90-minute rain delay, Lakeland kicked off the scoring in the second off starter Giacomo Taschin. Zach MacDonald drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Hunter Dobbins two-run blast, his second run-scoring extra-base hit in as many games, putting the Flying Tigers ahead 2-0.
Dunedin countered with one run in the third off starter Caleb Leys. Dariel Ramon walked, moved to third on a double from Jake Cook and scored on a Blaine Bullard RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The Blue Jays took the lead with two runs in the fourth off Leys. Juan Sanchez led off with a single and moved to third on a Brock Tibbitts double. Aldo Gaxiola drove both men home on a two-run double, pushing the visitors ahead, 3-2.
Lakeland responded with four runs off reliever Angel Obando in the bottom half. MacDonald drew and Jude Warwick drew back-to-back walks and Osorio drove in MacDonald on an RBI double. Jesus Pinto crushed a three-run blast out to left-center to give the Flying Tigers a 6-3 lead.
Dunedin took back the lead for good in the eighth, with the first two runs being charged to reliever Win Scott and the following two charged to Jan Caraballo. Sanchez and Tibbitts both reached on errors, with Sanchez scoring on an additional error. Gaxiola drove home Tibbitts on an RBI triple. Will Cresswell tied the game on an RBI single and later scored on a go-ahead RBI single from Cook, putting the Blue Jays in front, 7-6.
The visitors added one run off Caraballo in the ninth. Sanchez led off the inning with a single and scored on an RBI triple from Tibbitts, capping the scoring at 8-6 in favor of Dunedin.
Reliever Franly Urena (4-1) earned the win, throwing 2.1 hitless innings with three strikeouts and one walk. Caraballo (2-2) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking one across 1.1 innings.
The Flying Tigers look for a series split as they host Dunedin on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Lakeland RHP Charlie Christensen (2-0, 2.05) faces Dunedin RHP Troy Guthrie (1-2, 3.83).
