D-Jays can't awake from offensive slumber

RHP Taylor Cole strikes out six, but Blue Jays get swept in Tampa

By Tyler Murray

August 24, 2014

Tampa, FL - The Blue Jays (75-57) were swept by the Tampa Yankees (68-65) with a 5-1 loss on Sunday at Steinbrenner Field. The two teams finished the regular season series tied at 9-9.

Dunedin's lone run came on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly from SS Emilio Guerrero, scoring DH Kevin Patterson, who had doubled to lead off the inning. Patterson moved to third on a single from 3B Mitch Nay, which was his first hit in the Florida State League.

The Yankees plated three runs in the first two innings against RHP Taylor Cole (L, 8-8), who struggled with his command early. His first pitch of the day hit Mark Payton, and Cole then walked Cito Culver on four pitches. After a wild pitch two batters later, Aaron Judge singled home two runs with a ground ball through the middle to give Tampa a 2-0 advantage.

In the second inning, Danny Oh led off with a single and quickly stole second base. He eventually came around to score on a two-out single by Cito Culver, putting the Yankees ahead 3-0.

From there, Cole was nearly flawless. He retired 12 of the last 13 hitters he faced, and tallied six strikeouts along the way. With 167 Ks this year, he is now six strikeouts shy of Joel Carreno's single season franchise record of 173.

The Yankees tacked on insurance runs in the seventh and eighth to put a Blue Jays comeback attempt out of reach. Tampa kept pace with first-place Daytona, and sits 2.5 games out of a playoff spot with six to go.

Brady Lail (W, 2-1) started for Tampa, and allowed just one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in six innings. Phillip Walby (H, 1), Kyle Haynes (H, 4) and Caleb Cotham combined to allow just two hits and a walk over the final three innings of the ballgame.

Dunedin scored one run during the final 21 innings of the series, and was outscored 12-3 by Tampa over the weekend.

The Blue Jays will host the first-place Daytona Cubs in a three-game series starting on Monday at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. 19-year-old RHP Miguel Castro will make his Advanced-A debut.