Greene Dominates Tortugas, D-Jays Avoid Sweep
Daytona Beach, FL - Conner Greene struck out 10 and allowed just two hits over seven innings to lead the Dunedin Blue Jays over the Daytona Tortugas on Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, 3-1.
The 10 strikeouts were a new career-high for the 20-year-old Greene (2-3). The only run he allowed came in the first inning and was unearned. He retired 10 in a row at one point and 18 of the final 19 hitters he faced.
The D-Jays got to Daytona starter Nick Travieso right away in the opening inning, as the right-hander walked Anthony Alford and J.D. Davis to open the game. Two batters later, Matt Dean doubled home Alford with a line drive down the left field line that took one hop off the wall.
Travieso lasted just two-plus innings and walked four. Seth Varner (1-4) pitched well in relief, striking out nine in six innings, but took the loss.
The decisive inning for the D-Jays was the fourth. With two out and Dickie Joe Thon at first base, Jorge Saez delivered an RBI triple off the wall in left, his first three bagger of the season. Alford followed with an RBI single the other way to right, and the D-Jays had all the runs they would need.
Matt Dermody tossed a perfect eighth and Wil Browning followed suit in the ninth to record his 15th save of the season with Dunedin.
The D-Jays return home tomorrow to take on the Brevard County Manatees in the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6:30 ET and the action can be heard on DunedinBlueJays.com.