Jean’s blast keeps Cards’ season alive

HAMILTON – Luis Jean drilled a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh Wednesday at home against London to save the Hamilton Cardinals’ season.

Jean’s first longball of the playoffs turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead over the Majors, and Hamilton held on for the win. London still leads the best-of-five semifinal 2-1 with Game 4 Friday night back at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.

Anthony Buonaiuto had two hits for Hamilton. Sam Turcotte (2-0) went seven innings for the win, allowing two runs on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Jose Fernandez struck out four of six batters he faced for his second save of the playoffs.

Taylor Wright hit a solo home run for the Majors. Cleveland Brownlee went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Jakob Newton had three hits and a run and Austin Wilkie singled twice.

Pedro De Los Santos (1-1) went 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with four walks and nine strikeouts.