Dunedin Scores Early and Holds Off Florida Late To Win 7-5

In the third game of the four game series, Dunedin was looking to take down the Fire Frogs for the third straight day to get the series win. Joey Murray took the hill for the Blue Jays in his fourth start of the season in Dunedin. The righty came out strong to start the game with two strikeouts in the first inning. He finished the night with seven strikeouts, which was his most in a game since coming up from A-Lansing. Murray cruised through the first three innings with no hits allowed to the Fire Frogs offense.
On the other side of the ball, the Blue Jays offense was hitting on all cylinders for the first three innings. A string of walks by Florida starter, Nolan Kingham, loaded the bases for Chavez Young. Young was able to drive a ball to right-center field for a sacrifice fly to take the early 1-0 lead. It was the 2^nd inning where the Blue Jays were able to stretch their lead and send all nine batters to the plate, as they have done so many times this season. Norberto Obeso singled to get the inning started and Samad Taylor followed up with a double to put runners at second and third with one out. Cal Stevenson smoked a line drive to center field just passed the glove of Isranel Wilson for a triple and a 3-0 lead over the Fire Frogs. Kevin Vicuña added a run with a single back up the middle, and Ryan Noda finished the scoring for the inning with a soft line drive single by the shortstop. The Blue Jays finished the inning a home run shy of the cycle as a team.
In the 3^rd inning having flown out in his first at-bat, Chris Bec was looking to do damage to extend the Blue Jays lead. He saw the sinker he was looking for on the inside corner, and he kept the ball just fair of the foul pole for a towering home run. A fielders choice to plate Norberto Obeso would be the last of the scoring by games end for the Blue Jays as they took a 7-0 lead into the 4^th inning.
Joey Murray stayed strong through a little trouble in the 4^th inning getting out of the frame with a runner on third, but the scoreless outing ended in his final inning after a Isranel Wilson single drove home Drew Lugbauer. The bullpen took over from there with Matt Shannon in to take over with Murray in line for the win. The combo of Matt Shannon and Kyle Weatherly gave up zero hits through their combined three innings of work to keep Florida away heading into the 9^th inning.
Gage Burland came in to try and finish out the game with a 7-1 cushion. The righty made his third appearance with Dunedin after coming over from Extended Spring Training. After giving up a leadoff single, he was able to record two straight outs including a strikeout. The Fire Frogs seemed to have solved the puzzle of Burland with a walk and two straight singles bringing the lead to 7-3. A Greyson Jenista double plated two more runs, but a heads up play by Chris Bec to catch the runner in between second and third ended the game for the Blue Jays with a 7-5 victory.
The Blue Jays have now won four in a row and sit 3.5 games ahead for first place in the FSL North Division. Dunedin will go for their second sweep tomorrow at 1:00 pm.