TAMPA (Interstat) — Jackson Lovich homered twice, including a go-ahead solo shot in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Tarpons edged the Dunedin Blue Jays 5-4 Thursday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Lovich finished 2 for 3 with two home runs and two RBIs. He also drew a walk. His second homer, a drive to right-center field off losing pitcher Jack Eshleman, broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth and lifted Tampa to its third straight win. The Tarpons improved to 18-18; the Blue Jays fell to 13-23.

Attendance was 899, and the game lasted 2 hours, 12 minutes.

Dunedin jumped ahead with two runs in the third inning. Owen Gregg and Dariel Ramon singled to start the frame, and a fielding error by center fielder Luis Durango put runners at second and third. Blaine Bullard grounded out, scoring Gregg. After a strikeout, JoJo Parker walked. A wild pitch by Tampa starter Chase Hampton allowed Ramon to score, making it 2-0.

Tampa answered in the bottom of the third. Gabriel Lara doubled and scored on a groundout by Santiago Gomez. Lovich then homered to right field, his fifth of the season, tying the game 2-2.

Hans Montero gave Tampa a 3-2 lead in the fourth with a solo home run to center, his second of the year.

Dunedin reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Parker reached on a throwing error by shortstop Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek and later scored on a double by Yorman Licourt. Aldo Gaxiola singled, driving in Licourt to make it 4-3.

Tampa tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Lovich walked, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a triple by Luis Puello off reliever Austin Smith.

Lovich’s second homer came in the eighth. He turned on a pitch from Eshleman (1-2), who took the loss after allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out three over two innings.

Winning pitcher J.T. Etheridge (3-0) worked four innings of relief, allowing four hits with no earned runs and six strikeouts. Matthew Tippie earned his first save, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with two hits allowed.

Tampa starter Chase Hampton went 2 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one earned run with two strikeouts. Parker Seay tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings with one strikeout.

For Dunedin, starter Troy Guthrie pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts.

The Blue Jays outhit the Tarpons 9-5 but stranded eight runners. Tampa committed two errors, while Dunedin had none.

The Tarpons have won three straight meetings against Dunedin, including the two previous games in the series this week. The teams are scheduled to play again Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Steinbrenner Field.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Tampa 5, Dunedin 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave Tampa a 56.20 percent probability to win.