Generals' Unsworth records first shutout

Dylan Unsworth's baseball journey started in his hometown of Durban, South Africa. Now he is just two levels away from realizing his ultimate goal of playing Major League Baseball. 

"I started playing tee ball when I was 6 or 7," Unsworth said of finding baseball in a country mostly obsessed with soccer, rugby, and cricket. "I used to be an outfielder and one day they needed a pitcher and they were like, 'Hey, you're pretty good at pitching,' you should keep doing it.  And then when I was 16, I went to the MLB European Baseball Academy in Italy and Mariners scout Wayne Norton saw me pitch there. Two weeks later, I pitched for the South African National Team in the World Cup in Barcelona and he flew all the way there to watch. When I arrived back home in South Africa, he was there waiting for me and I signed my first contract."

The right-handed Seattle prospect allowed just two hits while striking out six in a seven-inning complete game as Double-A Jackson won Sunday's doubleheader opener against Mobile, 2-0, at Hank Aaron Stadium. 

Unsworth came out of the gates strong, striking out the side in the first inning and inducing three ground-ball outs in the second. 

"My changeup was working very well," the 23-year-old said. "It felt good in the bullpen before the game. That's my go-to pitch and when I pitch to my strength, I am able to mix my changeup and fastball well."

Unsworth found himself in a jam in the third after Kevin Medrano doubled and Evan Marzilli singled. But he got Chad Oberacker and Gabriel Ortega lined out to end the threat, and he went on to retire the last 14 hitters of the game. 

"I knew I had to make a pitch, so I slowed the game down and made a positive pitch," Unsworth said. "I knew this team was very aggressive so I knew I had to keep the ball down and they swung right through it."

The 6-foot-1 hurler sensed he would have the chance to go for his first professional shutout when he got back to the Generals dugout after the sixth and was left alone by pitching coach Andrew Lorraine.

"Normally, [Lorraine] would come over and stand right next to me and ask me how I'm feeling," he said. "This time, he stayed on the other side of the dugout when I came back. So I knew I had to buckle down and finish this game. It was a good feeling."

Although most of Unsworth's pitches top out in the upper-80's, he has been able to parlay his control into a 1.08 ERA through seven starts this season, fourth-best in the Southern League.

"I think my control is just a God-given talent," he said. "I'm not a velocity guy and I think my control is the reason I'm still here and close to the big leagues. Some people throw 95- to 100-(mph) but don't have the control I do. Just knowing what type of pitcher I am and knowing I have that weapon, that helps me out."

Unsworth's focus is always on his next start, but his mind occasionally wanders 8,971 miles back to his home. He said he misses one South African tradition in particular. Often times on the weekends, friends and families across the Rainbow Nation gather for a barbecue (known as a "braai") and eat a variety of dried, sliced meats called "biltong."

"My friends are always having a braai on the weekends and send me pictures of biltong. I'm like, 'Dude, you can't be doing that!' Just missing those family braais is something I definitely miss," he said with a laugh. "I heard they sell biltong in Florida. I have to try get down there and see if it's as good as what we have in South Africa."

Seattle's No. 4 prospect Tyler O'Neill put Jackson ahead in the second with a solo shot, his seventh homer of the year. 

Arizona's No. 26 prospect Zack Godley (1-5) also went the distance, allowing two runs on four hits for Mobile. 

Medrano and Mitch Haniger collected three hits and three RBIs apiece as the BayBears won the second game, 9-0.