Jays Stymied by Garcia, Need One Win to Clinch

CLEARWATER, FL - The Dunedin Blue Jays (42-22) were shut down by LHP Elniery Garcia's (W, 12-4) career high 11 strikeouts in their 4-2 loss to the Clearwater Threshers (41-24). With three games to go in the regular season, Dunedin needs one win to clinch the division and a playoff birth.

RHP Jon Harris (L, 3-2) and his two relievers had an interesting night statistically. The Threshers plated all four of their runs in the fourth inning, sending eight men to the plate against Harris. In the other seven innings Clearwater came to bat, they did not put a man on base.

The four runs gave Garcia a four run lead to work with. C Chace Numata brought in RF Zach Coppola with a sacrifice fly to start the scoring. Then, with two outs, DH Jiandido Tromp doubled in a pair followed by a 3B Drew Stankiewicz RBI-double. The four runs on four hits were the only runs and hits of the night against Dunedin pitching.

Garcia rolled, setting down 12 straight batters before DH Max Pentecost lifted his second home run of the season out to left field. The lefty Garcia fanned 11 over seven innings of work.

Dunedin had the go-ahead run at the plate in the eighth with a pair of runners on base and one out, but RF Jonathan Davis grounded into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play induced by RHP Yacksel Rios (S, 1). Rios then set down Dunedin 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Needing one win with three games to play, Dunedin plays their final road game of the year on Saturday night at 6:15 PM with RHP Conor Fisk on the mound. The Threshers will send out RHP Luke Leftwich.