Castillo And Orozco Tie For Batting Title In Season Finale Loss
The Dunedin Blue Jays fought to the end, forcing extra innings with one last late comeback in their series finale against the Daytona Tortugas, but ultimately fell 6-5 in 10 innings. Despite the disappointing final score, the game had no lack of excitement. Dunedin's Nash Knight made a trip around
The Dunedin Blue Jays fought to the end, forcing extra innings with one last late comeback in their series finale against the Daytona Tortugas, but ultimately fell 6-5 in 10 innings. Despite the disappointing final score, the game had no lack of excitement. Dunedin's
There was intrigued from the start, as typical third baseman Nash Knight opened the game behind the plate, making just his second professional appearance at the catcher position. The first three batters of the game singled for Daytona, putting them up 1-0 early.
In the second inning, Knight moved out from behind the plate and headed to first base. Dunedin's
Knight headed to second in the third inning and Daytona put up three runs in the frame, using a fielding error, a double, and a pair of singles to take a 3-1 lead.
The Blue Jays were unable to score in the third and the fourth, but Orozco knocked a single in the third to raise his average from .301 to .302, pulling him within two points of Castlilo's league-leading .304 average.
Knight headed to shortstop in the fourth for the first time in his professional career and third base in the fifth. On the mound, RHP
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Orozco knocked another single up the middle, pulling himself into a tie with Castlilo for the batting title at .304.
RHP
A pair of singles allowed Knight's runner to score and put Daytona up 4-1.
In the home half of the sixth, Lundquist knocked a one-out single and
With Knight moving to centerfield in the seventh inning, Daytona added an additional run on a double by home run champ
A walk to Knight, single by
Knight moved to rightfield in the eighth inning, completing his trip to all nine positions. RHP
Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Gudino and
With one out in the tenth inning,
The Blue Jays finish the year with a 69-68 overall record and a 38-31 record in the second half. Castillo and Orozco become Dunedin's first Batting Champions since Eric Nielsen led the league with a .325 average in 2007.
Daytona's season will continue as they head to the North Division playoffs to square off against the Clearwater Threshers on Tuesday night. In the South Division, the Palm Beach Cardinals will take on the Fort Myers Miracle with the winners of each playoff series meeting for the Florida State League Championship.