Bullpen Gem Leads To Walk-Off Win
The Dunedin Blue Jays entered Saturday unsure who would start on the mound for them on Saturday evening against Fort Myers. A string of promotions to members of the starting rotation had left the team without a rested starter for the finale of their three-game set with the Miracle.The night
The Dunedin Blue Jays entered Saturday unsure who would start on the mound for them on Saturday evening against Fort Myers. A string of promotions to members of the starting rotation had left the team without a rested starter for the finale of their three-game set with the Miracle.
The night ended with a walk-off single by Joshua Palacios to give Dunedin a 2-1 win, but it was the work done by members of the Blue Jays bullpen that was the highlight of the game. A quartet of bullpen arms held Fort Myers scoreless until the ninth inning and allowed just four hits in the game, continuing a dominant May during which the Jays relief corps has pitched to a 1.66 ERA over 43.1 innings.
LHP
Higuera had stiff competition on the mound from Fort Myers, as rehabbing Major Leaguer
Higuerra exited after three with the score tied 0-0 having thrown a season-high 45 pitches. The Blue Jays turned to LHP Matthew Gunter to bridge the middle innings and he delivered far more than that. A call-up from Extended Spring Training earlier in the day, Gunter thrived in his first taste of full-season ball. The lefty befuddled the Miracle for 4.0 innings, allowing no hits and striking out three. He walked just one batter and finished his night with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Blue Jays scored the game's first run in the sixth inning. LF
The lead held until the Miracle were down to their final out in the ninth inning.
After a single by
Having watched the tying run score on a ground ball single that he was unable to cleanly field, La Prise quickly returned the favor to the Miracle in the home half of the ninth. With one out in the inning, he lined a single to left. A fielding error by the Miracle allowed the next batter,
The win is Dunedin's fourth straight and improves their record to 15-20 on the season. The winning streak has propeled the Blue Jays from last place in the standings in the FSL North Division to third, 7.0 games out of first. After an off day tomorrow, the Blue Jays will head to Tampa for their first matchups with the newly named Tarpons this season.