Dwyer earns unusual complete game

The Royals prospect recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts en route to his first Minor League complete game Friday as the Wilmington Blue Rocks -- playing as the visitors at home -- beat the Winston-Salem Dash, 7-1.

Sounds a little off? It wasn't your typical game, but it was one in which Dwyer hoped he'd get a second chance.

"It was funny, we got rained out and we sort of wondered if we would make it up," he chuckled. "I mean, we had a six-run lead."

Friday's game began, literally, on Sunday but was suspended due to rain with the Blue Rocks leading, 6-0. Dwyer's solid start -- three scoreless frames -- did not go to waste, nor was it handed over to someone else, as he was slated to "start" on Friday when the game resumed. The teams played two games in Wilmington, with the Blue Rocks serving as the road team in the opener.

"They let me know, 'You're gonna continue it Friday,'" Dwyer said. "And I was on track to pitch today anyway. I got lucky there."

And, not surprisingly, things worked out as planned. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out 11 batters over the final six innings for his fourth win. He's allowed just one earned run over his last three outings, winning twice.

Dwyer, who received the highest signing bonus ever for a fourth-round pick when the Royals handed him $1.45 million last June, said he tried to handle it like it was just another day at the park.

"It was a little different. You come out and think it's the first [inning], but it's the fourth," he said. "But I just tried to stick to my routine, what I usually do for my starts."

Dwyer, over two days, gave up 10 hits and a run, a bit of an unusual line for a complete game. The 13 strikeouts added to a memorable night, or week.

"Honestly, I just go out there and throw and then you look back and you say, 'Wow,'" said Dwyer, who started and ended in style, striking out the side in the fourth and ninth innings. "I just going out there and keep myself busy with every batter."

Dwyer said he got ahead in counts with his fastball, which has been sitting between 90-94 mph this season, and got a lot of strikeouts with his curve.

"I was commanding my fastball more, getting to my off-speeds and just keeping the ball down in the zone," he said. "I just try to get ahead with my fastball."

The 122nd overall pick in the 2009 Draft out of Clemson, he pitched for Cotuit in the famed Cape Cod League before appearing in four games in his professional debut with Rookie-level Idaho Falls last summer.