Dunedin Wins Decisive Game 3 Set to Play for FSL Championship

After a Game 2 loss at Hammond Stadium to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels,
and weather causing Game 3 to be postponed to Saturday, the Dunedin Blue Jays won
the winner-take-all Game 3, eliminating Fort Myers and moving on to the Florida State
League Championship Series.

The Blue Jays took the lead early, scoring on an RBI single by Victor Mesia, and
a bases-loaded walk drawn by Josh Kasevich before Fort Myers starter Jordan Carr
was able to get out of the 2nd inning with Dunedin up 2-0. They would add to their lead
in the top of the 5th on a Cade Doughty RBI single, scoring Manuel Beltre with two outs
to make it now 3-0.

Blue Jays starter Lazaro Estrada was outstanding in his first postseason
appearance. The 23 year old Cuban righty only allowed one hit through four innings
pitched, while striking out two and not issuing a walk. Estrada made way for Rafael
Ohashi, taking over the pitching duties in the 5th.

Ohashi did allow a run in the 6th, after a walk and a stolen base put Fort Myers
Ben Ross in scoring position, Tanner Schobel brought him in on a single to left, putting
the Mighty Mussels on the board for the first time, making it 3-1. But Ohashi was able to
limit the damage to just the one run, stranding runners on first and second with a
strikeout. Conor Larkin relieved Ohasi in the 7th, pitching around a walk in the inning,
before coming back out for a perfect 8th.

It was on to the 9th, with Ben Baggett coming in to close out the ballgame.
Baggett got Noah Cardenas to pop out, but then allowed a base hit to Kala’i Rosario,
bringing the potential tying run to the plate with two outs to go. Misael Urbina flew out to
left, and that brought up Fort Myers’ Game 2 hero, Keoni Cavaco, to the plate. Baggett
got him down in the count 0-2, and on the final pitch, Cavaco grounded a ball back to
Baggett, which he knocked down and tossed to Peyton Williams for the final out, ending
the game and the Mighty Mussels season, giving the Blue Jays a date with the St Lucie
Mets for the FSL Championship.

Dunedin has a chance for their first championship since 2017, when they were
named co-champions due to Hurricane Irma preventing a series from taking place, and
this will mark the first time Dunedin has actually played for a championship since 2006.
Game 1 will take place at TD Ballpark on Sunday, September 18th, with first pitch
scheduled for 6:30 p.m.