Bautista Homers in Jays' Loss
DUNEDIN, FL - RF Jose Bautista's first swing in a game in over a month was a home run. The Blue Jays' slugger clocked a first inning home run to left field on a 3-2 pitch after taking the first five from LHP Grayson Garvin. He went 1-for-3 on the night in five innings. Dunedin (18-9) could not sweep Charlotte (13-12) as the Stone Crabs defeated the Blue Jays 8-5 on Wednesday night.
Dunedin tied a season high with three home runs. After a 2-2 first inning that included Bautista's solo shot, CF Anthony Alford gave the Jays a 3-2 lead with his own solo smash to dead center on his 22nd birthday.
Charlotte countered with two runs of their own against RHP Justin Shafer in the third. Dunedin came right back in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out two run home run by SS Gunnar Heidt.
Shafer was taken out of the game in the sixth after allowing a two-out walk. RHP Brad Allen (L, 4-6) relieved him and surrendered a go-ahead two run home run to SS Jake Cronenworth. In his FSL debut, Cronenworth fell a double shy of the cycle, reaching base all five times he came to the plate.
With a 6-5 lead, the Stone Crabs added two more runs an inning later while RHP Mike Franco (W, 5-4) tossed three hitless innings in relief to hold the lead. RHP Brad Schrieber (S, 1) locked it down with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Dunedin heads to Jupiter for four games, beginning with RHP Conor Fisk at 6:30 PM on Thursday night against the Hammerheads.