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Viola knuckles, Threshers' knees buckle in W

RHP Frank Viola III gets the win in his FSL deubt, Smith goes 4-5
July 4, 2014

Dunedin, FL - RHP Frank Viola III (W, 1-0) stole the show on the Fourth of July, knuckleballing his way through six strong innings in his Florida State League debut to lead the Blue Jays (6-9, 52-32) to a 5-1 win over the Clearwater Threshers (5-10, 22-61) at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Viola surrendered just one run on five hits with four walks and no strikeouts. He allowed a mere four base runners over his final four innings, and did well to escape an early jam. The Threshers hit a single and drew three walks in the second inning, and plated their lone run on an RBI groundout from Angelo Mora. Viola stranded the bases loaded by inducing a line out to 1B L.B. Dantzler.

As for the Blue Jays offense, LF Nick Baligod opened the first inning with a single to left, and moved to third on a double by CF Dwight Smith, Jr. With RF Marcus Knecht batting, Threshers starter Jordan Guth balked, scoring Baligod to give Dunedin a 1-0 lead.

The score would remain tied until the bottom of the sixth, when the Blue Jays struck for three runs against Lino Martinez (L, 0-5). DH Kevin Patterson and C Jorge Saez drew a pair of walks to start the rally, and 2B Christian Lopes loaded the bases with a single. Baligod gave Dunedin a 2-1 lead with a run scoring groundout down the first base line, and Saez came home with the team's third run on a wild pitch. Smith then provided the only run-scoring hit of the ballgame with an infield single.

Dunedin took a 5-1 lead in the seventh inning with some base running wizardry. SS Emilio Guerrero led off with a single, and moved up on a base hit by Patterson and a fly out from Saez. With runners on the corners and two out, Patterson broke for second, drawing a throw from catcher Gabriel Lino. As Patterson slid in safely, Guerrero broke from third, stealing home to cap a bizarre day of scoring.

LHP Chad Girodo (S, 2) recorded the final nine outs of the ballgame, allowing just a single and a walk with three strikeouts in three innings to keep Clearwater off the board.